Looks like the report was true, which means the Core Ultra 9 285K will remain the flagship Arrow Lake processor.
Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus Won't Be Released as the Target to Maximize Performance Has Been Achieved Through Ultra 7 270K and Ultra 5 250K Plus
Since the launch of the Arrow Lake Refresh, aka Core Ultra 200S Plus series, we have heard nothing about the anticipated Core Ultra 9 290K Plus processor. Intel initially planned to release a new flagship SKU in the Arrow Lake family, but later changed its mind as it no longer deemed it fit for the current market. The problem with releasing a newer flagship processor was the higher cost and diminishing returns in gaming and productivity, since the Ultra 9 290K Plus didn't increase core count.
Instead, Intel went for the smaller siblings, the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the COre Ultra 5 250K/KF SKUs. As reported by PC Games Hardware, Intel Germany has confirmed that the Ultra 9 290K Plus has been cancelled. In the statement, it clarified why Intel decided to scrap the fastest Ultra 200S Plus processor:
Intel is excited to deliver exceptional value with our Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus series processors. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus are positioned to deliver outstanding gaming performance and incredible value compared to our competition. Our objective was to maximize performance for the desktop SKUs that are most widely available. As a result, Intel is not launching a U9 290K Plus SKU.
- Intel to PCGamesHardware (Machine Translated)
Despite cancellation, the Core Ultra 9 290K did manage to appear on some retailers previously, although it wasn't in stock. Moreover, the processor has been benchmarked a few times on platforms like Geekbench, showing some decent performance boost in both single and multi-core tests. While it is disappointing to see a more powerful chip getting cancelled, it's clear that Intel's focus was more on improving gaming performance to close the gap between the Arrow Lake Plus chips and Ryzen 9000 series.
Since the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus brings the same core count configuration as the 290K Plus, it made releasing the latter unnecessary because there would have been little to no difference in gaming performance.
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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