Following the announcement for Core Ultra 200S Plus, Intel has just launched its Arrow Lake refresh for laptops as well, in the form of Core Ultra 200HX Plus. It includes only two SKUs for now — Core Ultra 290HX Plus and Core Ultra 270HX Plus — but several manufacturers have already announced new laptops with these chips. The silicon itself is an iterative upgrade, so let’s go over all the details.
Unlike the recently launched Panther Lake, these CPUs are purely aimed at performance, going into laptops with discrete graphics and pushing the envelope for mobile capability. The “Plus” designation now represents enthusiasts in Intel’s nomenclature. These chips are based on the same Arrow Lake architecture as the existing Core Ultra 200HX CPUs, just more refined to get the most out of the silicon.
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Specs-wise, we’re looking at a higher-binned version of the 285HX: 24 cores (8 P + 16E) and 24 threads running at a maximum clock speed of 5.5 GHz. The chipmaker claims a 900 MHz increase in die-to-die interconnect frequency, which means the cores should be able to communicate more quickly with the memory controller, reducing latency in demanding scenarios.
Intel didn’t talk much about the Core Ultra 270HX Plus; we don’t know how much better it is than its predecessor, but we can still infer from the specs. It’s supposed to replace the Core Ultra 265HX, but slots below the Core Ultra 275HX. It has 20 cores (8P + 12E) and 20 threads, and its P-cores can boost up to 5.3 GHz. That’s the same as the 265HX, but the E-core boost is set to 4.7 GHz instead of 4.6 GHz.
One special feature both SKUs are getting is the new Binary Optimization Tool, which should boost performance in some games. It uses Intel’s compiler and profiling IP to streamline library and executable performance. Marketing speak aside, it’s a software-side refinement that reorders the compiled binary, so the CPU doesn’t have to wait, resulting in fewer wasted cycles. It’s rearranging the binary (compiled data) so that the CPU’s front-end is fed continuously.
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Laptops featuring these new processors have been announced side-by-side today by various vendors, including Dell Alienware, which we’ve covered separately. Other notable models include Asus’ new TUF lineup, with the TUF Gaming A16 and F16, which feature OLED displays for the first time. Only the F16 is powered by the Core Ultra 290HX, and there are no 270HX configs at the moment.
Similarly, Asus’ ROG brand has unveiled new Strix G16 and G18 laptops, both equipped with the 290HX Plus; the G18 houses a 240 Hz Mini-LED display. The company also teased the Scar 18 coming soon with RTX 5090 graphics. Moreover, Acer’s new Predator Helios Neo series comes equipped with the 290HX Plus on the Neo 16S AI and Neo 16 AI, both featuring an OLED screen and up to an Nvidia RTX 5080 laptop GPU.
The full list of laptops from additional OEMs, such as Razer, MSI, Lenovo, HP, and more, is available on Intel’s website. Availability for these new devices coincides with the release of the Core Ultra 200HX chips, which starts today. Some models are set to launch later, such as Acer’s lineup scheduled for July 2026 in North America. We weren’t able to spot any active listings for laptops with these CPUs, however.
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