Intel’s Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs are coming in early 2026, and new benchmark leaks reveal exciting details about the Core Ultra 200S Plus lineup. The flagship Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus have surfaced online, showing significant core count increases and performance improvements over their predecessors.
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Intel Arrow Lake Refresh: Ultra 9 290K Plus & 270K Plus Leaked
Intel has already confirmed its Arrow Lake Refresh CPU family will launch in early 2026, likely announced at CES 2026. The new “Plus” series will feature higher core counts on certain SKUs and improved clock speeds, while maintaining compatibility with the existing LGA 1851 socket.
Core Ultra 200S Plus Specifications
| Model | Cores (P+E) | Base Clock | Boost Clock | Geekbench Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra 7 270K Plus | 24 (8P+16E) | 3.7 GHz | 5.5 GHz | 3,205 / 22,206 |
| Ultra 7 265K | 20 (8P+12E) | 3.9 GHz | 5.5 GHz | N/A |
| Ultra 9 285K | 24 (8P+16E) | 3.7 GHz | 5.7 GHz | ~3,200 / 22,000 |
| Ultra 9 290K Plus | 24 (8P+16E)* | TBA | TBA | TBA |
*Expected configuration
What Makes the Refresh Special?
The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus was tested in a Lenovo system with 48GB DDR5-7200 memory and an NVIDIA RTX 5090D GPU, scoring 3,205 points in single-core and 22,206 points in multi-core Geekbench 6 tests—matching the flagship Core Ultra 9 285K.
The most significant upgrade? The 270K Plus features 24 cores compared to the 265K’s 20 cores, representing almost 10% faster performance in benchmarks. This puts it on par with Intel’s current flagship while positioning it as a mid-range option.
The refresh also brings DDR5-7200 MT/s memory support—significantly higher than the current 6,400 MT/s specification—and includes optimizations like 200S Plus Boost to help close the gap with AMD’s Zen 5-based Ryzen processors.
The Flagship Ultra 9 290K Plus
The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is expected to retain the same 24-core, 24-thread configuration but with higher clock speeds and possibly increased TDP. With the 270K Plus already matching the current 285K’s performance, Intel will need meaningful frequency improvements to justify the flagship designation.
Should You Wait?
The Arrow Lake Refresh targets users still on older platforms, as upgrading from the current 200S series wouldn’t make much sense. Intel aims to rejuvenate its desktop lineup before Nova Lake-S arrives as the main upgrade option, though the company has a history of canceling projects that don’t meet internal goals.
For more insights on Intel’s processor roadmap and desktop CPU comparisons, stay tuned for official announcements at CES 2026.
FAQs
When will Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus launch?
Intel’s Arrow Lake Refresh lineup is expected to launch in early 2026, likely announced at CES 2026.
Is the Ultra 7 270K Plus faster than the 265K?
Yes, it features 24 cores (vs 20) and scores approximately 10% faster in Geekbench benchmarks.
