Consumercarts is reader-supported. Learn more
Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX vs Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus: Comparison
What is the difference between Core Ultra 9 275HX and Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus?
They are built to different briefs, and p-core boost clock shows it, Core Ultra 9 275HX 5.4 GHz against Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus 5.5 GHz. There is a split on release year as well, 2025 on the Core Ultra 9 275HX versus 2026 on the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus. They differ on microarchitecture too, Arrow Lake-HX on the Core Ultra 9 275HX versus Arrow Lake on the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus. Memory type is not the same on both, DDR5 on the Core Ultra 9 275HX versus DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s on the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus.
Which should you buy, Core Ultra 9 275HX or Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus?
Buy the Core Ultra 9 275HX for high-end gaming laptops and mobile content creation, though it is not the pick for thin-and-light laptops and battery-life-focused use. The Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus suits flagship gaming laptops with high-end graphics cards and mobile workstations for video editing, 3D rendering and code builds, though it is not built for thin and light laptops where battery life comes first and copilot+ PC AI features, which need a 40+ TOPS NPU. Avoid it for gamers on a budget, where a Core Ultra 7 HX laptop gets close for less. Our rating of the Core Ultra 9 275HX (8.8/10): the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX brings desktop-class core counts to a mobile package, suited to high-end gaming and creator laptops that can handle the higher TDP.
What Core Ultra 9 275HX and Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus have in common
Everything else lines up. Total cores, performance cores, efficiency cores, total threads and p-core base clock read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 10 further specifications as well.
Is the L3 Cache the same on the Core Ultra 9 275HX and Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus?
It is. Both are listed at 36 MB, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Form Factor
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- Laptop
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- Laptop
Codename
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- Arrow Lake
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- Arrow Lake
Release Year
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 2025
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 2026
TDP
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 55 W
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 55 W
iGPU
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- Intel Graphics
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- Intel Graphics
Market Segment
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- Laptop
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- Laptop
Microarchitecture
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- Arrow Lake-HX
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- Arrow Lake
Socket
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- FCBGA2114
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- FCBGA2114
Process Node
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 3 nm
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 3 nm
Total Cores
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 24
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 24
Performance Cores
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 8
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 8
Efficiency Cores
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 16
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 16
Total Threads
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 24
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 24
SMT Enabled
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- No
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- No
P-Core Base Clock
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 2.7 GHz
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 2.7 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 5.4 GHz
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 5.5 GHz
L3 Cache
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 36 MB
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 36 MB
Base Power
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 55 W
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 55 W
Max Turbo Power
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 160 W
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 160 W
Memory Type
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- DDR5
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s
Integrated Graphics
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- Yes
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- Yes
NPU Peak TOPS
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- 13 TOPS (NPU 3)
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 13 TOPS (Intel AI Boost)
Which one should you pick?
Choose 275HX if you want the higher L3 cache (36 MB vs 36 MB).
Choose 290HX Plus if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Verdict
Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
8.8 / 10 Expert Rating
The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX brings desktop-class core counts to a mobile package, suited to high-end gaming and creator laptops that can handle the higher TDP.