A leaked PassMark benchmark for Intel's upcoming Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus mobile CPU shows promising performance gains. Tested in an MSI laptop with an RTX 5090 and 32 GB of DDR5-5600 memory, the unreleased chip reportedly outperforms the current flagship Core Ultra 9 285HX by 7.5% in single-thread and 12.8% in multi-core tests.

These early numbers suggest Intel's Arrow Lake Refresh mobile lineup, absent from CES 2026, remains on track for a March or April 2026 launch. The 290HX Plus nearly matches the desktop Core Ultra 9 285K CPU, a notable feat for a mobile part. However, these are early, single-sample results; final performance could shift with microcode updates and faster DDR5-6400 memory.

Gaming laptop buyers eyeing next-gen performance should watch for official reviews. The Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus retains the same 8 P-core and 16 E-core layout as its predecessor, so gains likely stem from architectural tweaks and higher clocks. If these leaks hold, the upcoming refresh could deliver a meaningful upgrade for high-end mobile gaming and creative workstations.