In brief: Intel has unveiled two new Core Ultra 200HX Plus "Arrow Lake Refresh" processors for high-performance mobile workstations and gaming laptops. Several major PC makers – including Dell, Lenovo, HP, Asus, Acer, and others – have already announced laptops powered by the new chips.
The two new SKUs are the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The former serves as the new flagship, offering faster performance than the Core Ultra 9 285HX in both games and professional applications. Intel claims it delivers up to 7% higher single-threaded performance in Cinebench 2026.
The new chips also perform well in real-world applications, with the 290HX reportedly delivering up to 8% higher gaming performance at 1080p on High settings compared to the 285HX. The performance gap is even wider when compared to older processors, with Intel claiming up to 62% better gaming performance and 30% faster single-threaded performance than the Core i9-12900HX.
On the technical side, the new chips feature a 900MHz increase in die-to-die frequency compared to the Core Ultra 7 285HX and 265HX. The higher clock speed reportedly improves gaming performance by increasing the speed of the CPU-to-memory controller link by nearly one gigahertz and reducing system latency.
The new chips also support Intel's Binary Optimization Tool, which the company describes as a first-of-its-kind binary translation layer optimization feature designed to improve real-world performance in supported games. According to Intel, the tool delivers smoother gameplay, faster content creation workflows, and more responsive workstation performance overall.
Supported connectivity options include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and Thunderbolt 5. Intel says the latest Thunderbolt standard can deliver up to 80 Gbps of bidirectional bandwidth, enabling users to transfer large files, stream 8K video, charge devices, and connect multiple accessories to a single PC.
Several leading PC makers have already announced new gaming PCs and mobile workstations featuring the new processors. These include three Acer Predator Helios Neo laptops, an Asus ROG Strix, three Dell Alienware laptops, three HP Omen laptops, four Lenovo Legion laptops, an MSI Raider, and more.
Smaller OEMs and custom PC builders – such as Maingear, Mechrevo, Origin, Puget Systems, Razer, and Colorful – have also announced multiple models powered by the new chips. Some of these laptops go on sale today, while others are set to launch in the coming weeks. More systems featuring Core Ultra 200HX Plus processors are expected later this year.