Another benchmark leak has surfaced for Intel’s rumored “Arrow Lake Refresh” desktop processor, the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus. This new Geekbench entry shows a more pronounced performance advantage, with the unannounced chip scoring approximately 10% higher than the current flagship Core Ultra 9 285K. The data reinforces that Intel is preparing a speed-bump refresh for its current desktop platform, focusing on higher clock speeds within the same core architecture.
The repeated appearance of these engineering samples in benchmarks, despite no official announcement from Intel, strongly indicates that a launch is being prepared behind the scenes.
The New Numbers: A Clearer Performance Picture
The latest Geekbench run, conducted on an ASUS ROG STRIX Z890-E GAMING WIFI motherboard, shows the 290K Plus achieving scores of 3,535 in single-core and 24,960 in multi-core tests. When compared to the average scores listed for the 285K in Geekbench’s official database, this represents a 10.5% gain in single-threaded and an 11.3% gain in multi-threaded performance.
This result is also slightly faster (about 2%) than a previous 290K Plus leak from a different motherboard, highlighting how factors like memory speed (DDR5-6800 vs. DDR5-8000) and power settings can influence benchmark results. The consistency across leaks, however, confirms the generational trend upward.
What “Arrow Lake Refresh” Entails
Like the previously leaked Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, the 290K Plus retains the same 24-core (8 Performance + 16 Efficiency) configuration as the 285K. The performance uplift comes from slightly higher Turbo Boost frequencies, with rumors pointing to a maximum turbo of up to 5.8 GHz. The platform also supports faster DDR5-7200 memory out of the box.
This follows a classic Intel refresh strategy: leveraging improved silicon quality and matured manufacturing to offer higher clocks on the existing LGA-1851 socket, giving enthusiasts a reason to upgrade without requiring a new motherboard.
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The Competitive Context and Unanswered Questions
Intel’s move to refresh Arrow Lake comes as AMD solidifies its gaming leadership with the newly launched Ryzen 7 9850X3D. While Intel’s “Plus” chips aim for higher all-core throughput, AMD’s X3D chips dominate in cache-sensitive gaming workloads. This refresh allows Intel to counter with improved multi-threaded performance for creators and gamers who prioritize that metric.
The key question remains timing. Intel has not officially confirmed these “Plus” SKUs, and their absence from CES 2026 suggests a launch could occur later in Q1 or Q2 2026. For builders invested in the LGA-1851 platform, the 290K Plus will represent the final and fastest upgrade option before the expected shift to a new socket with the next-generation Nova Lake architecture.
Source: geekbench