Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus: Flagship Arrow Lake-HX Processor Found in Acer Predator Helios Laptop

Intel’s leading-edge Arrow Lake-HX Plus processor, specifically the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, has made an appearance in Acer’s latest Predator Helios 18 laptop, raising anticipation among tech enthusiasts.

Acer’s Next-Gen Predator Helios 18 Neo Laptop Features Intel’s Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus CPU

At the CES 2026 event, numerous manufacturers, including those focusing on motherboards, laptops, and Mini PCs, showcased upcoming processors from Intel, particularly the Arrow Lake-S and Arrow Lake-HX refresh series. However, Intel did not present any new refresh components during their showcase, opting instead to highlight the launch of the Panther Lake “Core Ultra Series 3.”When questioned about the absence of the Arrow Lake refresh at CES, Intel’s response was simply, “Stay Tuned.”

This suggests that Intel is planning a dedicated announcement for the Arrow Lake-S and Arrow Lake-HX Refresh series, or the Core Ultra 200S/HX Plus families, at a later date. Recently, we’ve observed a leak regarding the flagship desktop CPU, the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, in addition to the first glimpse of the mobile powerhouse, the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, which is believed to be the most powerful chip in the Arrow Lake-HX Refresh lineup for laptops.

Geekbench result for the Acer Predator PHN18-17I showcasing Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor with a single-core score of 718 and a multi-core score of 4327. — Image Source: Geekbench 6

Delving into specifications, the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus is expected to house 8 Performance Cores (P-Cores) and 16 Efficient Cores (E-Cores), accumulating a total of 24 cores and threads. Preliminary reports indicate that the base clock will hover around 3.10 GHz, with a possible boost exceeding 5.5 GHz, which is the benchmark for the current flagship, the Core Ultra 9 285HX. While the core layout aligns with that of the 285HX, a moderate performance enhancement is anticipated. The processor will also be complemented by 36 MB of L3 cache, 12 MB of L2 cache, and an integrated 4 Xe iGPU. Power consumption appears to be consistent, with a TDP rating of 55W at base and a maximum turbo power (MTP) of 160W.

Performance tests for the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus were performed on an Acer Predator Helios 18 Neo laptop equipped with 64 GB of RAM. Although the CPU was documented as having an LGA 1851 package, this is inaccurate; the mobile HX series utilizes the “FCBGA2114″package instead. Furthermore, the **performance metrics** observed were notably low since the CPU operated at sub-1 GHz clock speeds, indicating that the model tested may have been a developmental prototype. Thus, the performance observed in this test may not accurately reflect the expected capabilities of the final product, which should ideally outperform the 285HX.

In summary, we anticipate further details regarding Intel’s Arrow Lake-HX and Arrow Lake-S “Core Ultra 200S/HX Plus”refresh CPUs in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned for additional updates.

News Source: Benchleaks

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