Intel’s Core Plus: More Than Just a Refresh?

New Generation of Intel Core Plus Processors

Intel’s upcoming Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs will carry the moniker Intel Core Plus. As they are set to release next year, their specifications reveal some surprising improvements.

The company is taking the same approach as before, choosing to add more cores rather than just increasing clock speeds, which has led to some interesting outcomes.

The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus shares the same core configuration as the 285K with eight high-performance and 16 efficiency cores (8+16), as there simply isn’t room for more cores on the die. Nonetheless, it sees a frequency boost of 100 MHz, reaching 5.8 GHz, making it one of the fastest processors in its class. Experts suggest this brings a marginal increase in real-world application performance but positions it as a significant player for heavy computing tasks.

The mid-tier models, however, will receive additional cores. For instance, the Core Ultra 7 265K previously comprised an 8+12 configuration, which, with a boost in efficiency cores, now transforms into an 8+16 setup. Impressively, the new Core Ultra 7 270K Plus mirrors the top-tier 285K/290K Plus in core configuration but operates at a slightly lower 5.5 GHz frequency. Industry analysts predict only slight performance differences, indicating the 270K Plus could offer a compelling value proposition against current and new flagships.

On the lower end, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus evolves from an 8+12 to match the 265K configuration, although it runs at 5.3 GHz compared to 5.5 GHz. Notably, all the new models will support faster DDR5-7200 memory rather than the previous DDR5-6400.

An Attractive Lineup at Stable Prices

The refreshed lineup suggests these newer models will elevate each tier, with flagship models maintaining their current standings. If Intel retains their pricing strategy, the new Core Ultra 5/7 Plus processors are expected to attractively outperform their predecessors, offering enhanced value without additional cost.