Intel Core Ultra 200HX Plus: more of the same, but with a clever software trick
Intel has refreshed its Arrow Lake chips for laptops. The result: two new processors, modest performance improvements and a software tool that is supposed to make the difference.
«Plus» now stands for «Enthusiast» at Intel. The new CPUs are trimmed for performance and designed for notebooks with dedicated graphics cards. The Core Ultra 200HX Plus chips are not a revolution, but a revision. It is the same Arrow Lake architecture as the existing 200HX models, but with particularly powerful chips - keyword: binning. Anyone hoping for a major generational leap will be disappointed.
Eight per cent faster
The Core Ultra 290HX Plus replaces the 285HX. Intel promises around eight per cent more gaming performance at 1080p compared to its predecessor. The difference is even smaller at higher resolutions. The specs: 24 cores (8 performance + 16 efficiency), 24 threads, up to 5.5 GHz boost clock. Another new feature is a 900 MHz higher die-to-die interconnect frequency - the cores communicate faster with the memory controller, which should reduce latencies in demanding scenarios.
After all, if you're still using a four-year-old i9-12900HX, you can look forward to up to 62 per cent more gaming performance and up to 87 per cent faster productivity workloads.
Intel barely says a word about the Core Ultra 270HX Plus. It replaces the 265HX and is categorised below the 275HX. The most important data: 20 cores (8P + 12E), 20 threads, P-core boost at 5.3 GHz (identical to the 265HX), E-core boost now at 4.7 instead of 4.6 GHz. The leap in performance is therefore likely to be even smaller than with the 290HX Plus.
The binary optimisation tool is exciting
Both chips come with a new software feature: the Binary Optimisation Tool. It uses Intel's compiler and profiling technology to reorganise executable files so that the processor is continuously supplied with data and wastes fewer clock cycles. Not a hardware miracle, but clever software optimisation at compiler level. In some games, this should make a noticeable difference.
Who is already building laptops with it?
Several manufacturers have announced laptops with the new chips:
- Asus TUF Gaming A16 / F16: first with OLED display - only the F16 uses the 290HX Plus
- Asus ROG Strix G16 / G18: both with 290HX Plus; the G18 comes with 240 Hz mini LED display
- Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI / Neo 16 AI: OLED panels, up to RTX 5080, also with 290HX Plus
- Alienware, Razer, MSI, Lenovo, HP and others complete the list on Intel's website
It is not yet known when the new notebooks will be available.
Only a sensible upgrade for very few
The Core Ultra 200HX Plus is solid engineering with no surprises. If you own a notebook with the predecessor chips, you can safely stick with them. On the other hand, employees who are still working with significantly older hardware and are looking for a powerful gaming laptop will find the new CPUs a solid option.
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