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Intel’s refreshed processors bring higher speeds and more cores but can they compete with AMD’s gaming dominance
Intel is preparing to announce three new desktop processors at CES 2026. The big tech show kicks off next week in Las Vegas, running from January 6 to 9.
These aren’t brand new chips though. Intel is basically giving its current Core Ultra 200S lineup a refresh. Think of it like getting an upgraded version of something that already exists. Nothing groundbreaking, just some nice improvements here and there.
The three chips coming out are the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, and Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. Each one replaces an older version with some better specs.
Let’s start with the flagship model. The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus keeps the same setup as the 285K it’s replacing. You still get 8 performance cores and 16 efficiency cores. But Intel bumped up the speed a bit. This chip can now hit 5.8 GHz, which is 100 MHz faster than before. It’s not a huge jump, but every little bit helps when you’re gaming or doing heavy work.
The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is where things get more interesting. This one actually gets four extra efficiency cores compared to the current 265K. That brings the total to 8 performance cores and 16 efficiency cores, matching the flagship chip. More cores mean your computer can juggle more tasks at once without slowing down. Great news if you like having multiple browser tabs open while gaming.
The budget friendly Core Ultra 5 250K Plus also gets four extra efficiency cores. It goes from 6 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores to 6 performance cores and 12 efficiency cores. Not bad for the entry level option.
All three chips will support faster DDR5 memory too. We’re talking DDR5-7200 speeds right out of the box. That’s a nice step up from the current DDR5-6400 support.
Here’s the thing. Intel is buying time with these refreshed chips. Their next big architecture, called Nova Lake, won’t be ready until later in 2026. So these updated processors are meant to keep people interested while Intel works on the real next generation hardware.
Intel could really use a win right now. When the Core Ultra 200S chips came out in October 2024, they didn’t exactly impress reviewers. Gaming performance was especially disappointing. AMD’s Ryzen processors kept beating Intel in most tests, and gamers noticed.
Intel tried fixing things with software updates and motherboard tweaks. But none of that really changed people’s minds. AMD is still the preferred choice for most PC builders, especially gamers who want the best performance.
The good news? If you already have a motherboard with an Intel 800 series chipset, these new chips should work fine. You’ll just need to update your BIOS and install the new processor. No need to buy a whole new motherboard.
Will these refreshed chips be enough to win back gamers? We’ll find out soon when Intel makes everything official at CES 2026.
