Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
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- iGPU:
- Intel Graphics (4-core, 300MHz-1.9GHz)
- Boost/Base Clock:
- 5.3 GHz / 4.2 GHz (P-core); E-core 3.3 GHz base, 4.6 GHz boost
- Core/Thread Count:
- 18 Core / 18 Thread (6 P-cores + 12 E-cores)
- Cache:
- 30MB Intel Smart Cache
- NPU:
- Intel AI Boost
- TDP:
- 125 Watts base, up to 159 Watts Turbo
- CPU Socket:
- LGA1851 (FCLGA1851)
- CPU Process Node:
- TSMC N3B
- CPU Series:
- Arrow Lake Refresh, Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus
- Memory Support:
- DDR5-7200, 2-Channel, up to 256GB
- PCIe Lanes:
- 20 (PCIe 5.0)
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Manufacturer: Intel Last updated: September 8, 2026
Launched in March 2026 at $199, the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is the entry point into Intel's Arrow Lake Refresh desktop lineup, carrying a 6 P-core plus 12 E-core layout for 18 cores and 18 threads total. P-cores run a 4.2 GHz base clock boosting to 5.3 GHz, while E-cores run 3.3 GHz base boosting to 4.6 GHz, with 30MB of Intel Smart Cache.
Like the rest of the Plus family it supports DDR5-7200 officially, carries an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, and remains compatible with existing 800-series LGA1851 motherboards.
Intel Graphics
A basic 4-core integrated GPU intended for display output and everyday desktop use rather than gaming; this chip is built for buyers pairing it with a discrete GPU or running a headless system.
How Is the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus in Terms of Performance
As the entry-level chip in the refreshed lineup, the 250K Plus trades core count against the 270K Plus and 290K Plus above it in exchange for a lower price, while still carrying higher P-core base and boost clocks than either of its pricier siblings. At launch, Intel claimed the 250K Plus delivers more than double the multi-core performance of AMD's Ryzen 5 9600X in Intel's own comparable workload testing, a claim from the chip's manufacturer rather than an independently verified result.
Benchmarks
Geekbench 6 Single-Core scores estimate real-world responsiveness in everyday use: a browser, office applications, and most games lean on one fast core more than many slower ones. Geekbench 6 Multi-Core scores estimate performance under genuinely parallel workloads: video encoding, 3D rendering, compiling code, and running several demanding applications at once. Cinebench 2024 measures sustained multi-threaded rendering specifically and is a useful cross-check against Geekbench for workloads that hold every core at high load for minutes rather than seconds. See the benchmark comparison chart above for how this chip measures up against others in its class.