Core Ultra 200S Plus: Two new Arrow Lake CPUs
Intel is updating its range of desktop CPUs. The two new processors in the "Arrow Lake" series have additional cores and support faster RAM.
According to Intel, the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is no less than the «fastest desktop gaming processor» of all time. It has 24 processing cores, with the eight performance cores reaching up to 5.5 gigahertz (GHz), bringing it closer to the top-of-the-range Core Ultra 9 285K model.
Four more efficiency cores and faster chiplets
The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has a total of 18 computing cores, six of which are performance cores that reach up to 5.3 GHz in turbo mode. Compared to the two predecessors - Ultra 7 265K and Ultra 5 245K - Intel has increased the data connection between the chiplets (die-to-die clock frequency) by 900 megahertz. Nominally, they therefore reach 3.0 GHz and an expensive Z890 mainboard is no longer necessary. It would only increase the die-to-die clock frequency by a further 200 megahertz with the 200S Boost overclocking profile. The memory limit increases from DDR5-6400 to DDR5-7200.
In an in-house comparison with their predecessors, the 250K Plus and 270K Plus are said to offer 13 and 15 per cent more performance respectively. Compared to the competition from AMD - specifically the Ryzen 9 9700X and the Ryzen 5 9600X - Intel measures between 83 and 103 per cent more performance in various benchmark tests.
Source: Intel
Intel did not present the previously rumoured Core Ultra 9 290K. There seems to be little room for improvement at the top end. However, there are to be further new editions in the lower range, including cheaper F versions without an integrated graphics chip.
The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is even slower than the Core Ultra 9 285K - which, however, costs around a third more. This makes the new CPU seem interesting even without Intel's superlative.
Price and availability
Intel will be selling the two new processors from 26 March 2026 and their recommended retail price in the USA has not changed compared to the previous variants. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus will cost 199 US dollars and the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus 299 US dollars. The prices in this country will follow at the start of sales.
As a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus.
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