Indian retailer Prime ABGB has listed Intel’s unannounced Arrow Lake Refresh processors ahead of their expected CES 2026 debut. The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and Core Ultra 7 270K Plus appear with full specifications, revealing modest clock bumps and significant core count increases that position Intel’s refresh lineup to compete more aggressively against AMD’s dominant Ryzen 9000 series.
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Processor Specifications
| Model | Cores (P+E) | Max Boost | TVB/TBM | Base TDP | Max Power | Memory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Ultra 9 290K Plus | 24 (8+16) | 5.6 GHz | 5.8 GHz | 125W | 250W | DDR5-7200 |
| Core Ultra 9 285K | 24 (8+16) | 5.5 GHz | 5.7 GHz | 125W | 250W | DDR5-6400 |
| Core Ultra 7 270K Plus | 24 (8+16) | 5.5 GHz | N/A | 125W | 250W | DDR5-7200 |
| Core Ultra 7 265K | 20 (8+12) | 5.5 GHz | N/A | 125W | 159W | DDR5-6400 |
Core Ultra 9 290K Plus: Flagship Refresh
The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus retains the same 8 P-core and 16 E-core configuration as the 285K but delivers targeted frequency improvements. Maximum P-core boost climbs 100 MHz to 5.6 GHz, while Thermal Velocity Boost reaches 5.8 GHz—also 100 MHz higher than its predecessor. Both processors feature 36MB L3 cache and identical power specifications at 125W base and 250W maximum turbo.
The flagship refresh gains official DDR5-7200 memory support versus DDR5-6400 on the 285K, enabling faster data access for gaming and productivity workloads. These incremental improvements mirror Intel’s previous refresh strategies, delivering modest performance gains without architectural changes while maintaining the same LGA 1851 socket compatibility.
Core Ultra 7 270K Plus: The Real Upgrade
The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus represents the refresh lineup’s standout addition, jumping from 20 cores to 24 cores by adding four E-cores. This 8+16 configuration matches the flagship 285K core count, positioning the mid-tier refresh just below its more expensive sibling. Clock speeds remain similar to the 265K with 5.5 GHz maximum P-core boost and 4.7 GHz E-core turbo.
This core count increase follows Intel’s Raptor Lake refresh pattern where the i7-14700K received extra cores while other SKUs saw only frequency bumps. The additional E-cores significantly boost multi-threaded performance for video encoding, 3D rendering, and heavy multitasking without impacting gaming performance. Combined with DDR5-7200 support, the 270K Plus offers compelling value for content creators and productivity users.
Pricing and Availability Mystery
Prime ABGB lists both processors as “in stock” with “call for price” notations, suggesting either placeholder listings or early inventory without finalized pricing. The retailer offers three-year warranties, though the absence of Intel product codes raises questions about listing authenticity. Previous refresh generations maintained similar pricing to their predecessors, suggesting the 290K Plus and 270K Plus will slot near current SKUs.
Intel hasn’t officially acknowledged these processors, though the company confirmed Arrow Lake refresh plans during September’s Goldman Sachs Technology Conference. The specifications align perfectly with earlier benchmark leaks showing the 270K Plus scoring competitively against the 285K in Geekbench testing while running in Lenovo OEM systems.
Competing Against AMD Dominance
Intel’s Arrow Lake refresh arrives amid challenging market conditions. AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D generated eight times the revenue of Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K on Amazon US, highlighting Intel’s gaming performance struggles. While Arrow Lake excels at multi-threaded workloads, power efficiency, and thermals, AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology continues dominating gaming benchmarks.
The refresh processors won’t close Intel’s gaming deficit entirely, but higher frequencies and additional cores provide more competitive options for buyers prioritizing productivity over pure gaming performance. The 270K Plus particularly appeals to content creators seeking high core counts at mid-range pricing.
Intel will likely unveil these processors officially at CES 2026 in January alongside motherboard updates and potential optimization announcements. For official specifications and launch details, visit Intel’s website and follow hardware news at TechnoSports.
