On January 14, 2026, the Geekbench database logged entries for two as-yet-unreleased Intel "Arrow Lake Refresh" flagship processors: the desktop variant, the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, and the mobile counterpart, the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus. The 290K Plus boasts a 24-core configuration, comprised of 8 performance cores (P-cores) and 16 efficiency cores (E-cores), with the P-cores achieving a turbo frequency of up to 5.8GHz. When it comes to performance, its single-core score registers a 7% to 8% improvement over the 285K model, while multi-core performance sees a 9% boost. This processor was tested on a Gigabyte Z890 motherboard. Meanwhile, the 290HX Plus, also featuring 24 cores and tailored for laptops, made an appearance in a newly launched Acer gaming notebook. However, its benchmark results are anomalous and thus not deemed reliable. This leak hints at the imminent release of the series, yet Intel remained tight-lipped about it at CES, possibly due to a strategic focus on promoting the Panther Lake series.