Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Flagship CPU Fate Confirmed After Benchmark Sightings

After months of benchmark leaks, the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus was a no-show when Intel unveiled its first Arrow Lake Refresh processors, which saw the launch of the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Core Ultra 5 250K Plus on the desktop (see our review), along with a couple of mobile variants, the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and Core Ultra 270HX Plus. So, what happened? Turns out Intel is content with its existing desktop models and isn't planning to launch to launch a new flagship in Arrow Lake Refresh trim.

It's a bit surprising, both because the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus was spotted in numerous leaks, including a retail listing in December of last year and, more recently, on Geekbench where it posted impressive scores, and because Intel's mobile lineup received a 290-tier refresh.

Be that as it may, Intel stated in no uncertain ...