Intel just dropped some new CPUs for the desktop crowd with the reveal of their Core Ultra 200S Plus series. We are looking at two new unlocked chips joining the Arrow Lake-S family: the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus.
The big change here comes down to the core counts. Intel has packed in four extra efficiency cores compared to the standard 245K and 265K. That means the 250K Plus moves to a 6P+12E setup with a max clock speed of 5.3Ghz, while the 270K Plus jumps to 8P+16E and a max clock speed of 5.5Ghz. If you are doing a lot of multi-tasking or heavy workloads, those extra cores should be useful.
Intel is not being shy about the performance gains either. They are claiming the 250K Plus can manage up to a massive 103% lead in multi-threaded tasks over AMD Ryzen 9600X. Meanwhile, the 270K Plus is reportedly sitting at 92% ahead of the Ryzen 9700X. Those are some pretty bold numbers, though we will have to see how they hold up in real-world testing.
Gaming is also getting a nice bump. Intel claims the 270K Plus is about 39% faster than the 265K, while the 250K Plus sees a 24% uplift over the 245K.
A lot of this seems to be driven by their new Binary Optimization Tool. This clever bit of software basically takes code that was originally tuned for consoles and optimises it specifically for Intel’s architecture, which sounds like a win for multi-platform ports.
Memory support is also stepping up a gear. While the previous generation topped out at 6,400 MT/s, these new Plus chips natively support 7,200 MT/s DDR5. If you are feeling adventurous, you can even hit 8,000 MT/s using the Boost BIOS profile.
They will work with current 800-series motherboards, but there are new boards on the horizon that will support massive 4-Rank CUDIMM modules, which can pack up to 128GB per stick.
Pricing and Availability
The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and Core Ultra 7 270K Plus are launching on 26 March 2026. The 270K Plus is set to start at USD299 (~RM1,174), with the 250K Plus coming in at USD199 (~RM781). There will be KF versions available for those who don’t need integrated graphics.
We are still waiting on local pricing for Malaysia, so we will keep you posted once those figures land.