Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus vs Intel Core i9-12900HK
79Single-core60.5
86.8Multi-core51
44.4Efficiencyspec-based40.5
60.5iGPU55.7
73.9Platformspec-based59
17 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus1 spec wins — Intel Core i9-12900HK
InnoReviews verdict
Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus wins this laptop processor face-off, 73.9 to 53.5, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+36) and single-core (+19). Intel Core i9-12900HK still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- Stronger single-core score: 79 vs 61
- Stronger multi-core score: 87 vs 51
- Stronger iGPU score: 61 vs 56
- 300% higher Max memory: 256 GB vs 64 GB
- 135% higher PassMark: 58,672 vs 24,954
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i9-12900HK
- 18% lower Base TDP: 45 W vs 55 W
General
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2022 |
| Process | 3 nm+70% | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | 55 W | 45 W+18% |
| Max TDP | 160 W+39% | 115 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 24+71% | 14 |
| Performance cores | 8+33% | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | 16+100% | 8 |
| Threads | 24+20% | 20 |
| Base clock | 2.7 GHz+8% | 2.5 GHz |
| Boost clock | 5.5 GHz+10% | 5 GHz |
| L3 cache | 36 MB+50% | 24 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Intel Graphics (4 Xe-cores) | Intel Iris Xe (96 EU) |
| iGPU clock | 2,000 MHz | 1,450 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | DDR5-6400 | DDR5-4800 / LPDDR5-5200 / DDR4-3200 |
| Max memory | 256 GB+300% | 64 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,198+31%Top 9% | 2,450Bottom 44% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 21,581+70%Top 7% | 12,700Top 38% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 2,340+29%Top 2% | 1,810Top 38% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 39,617+125%Top 1% | 17,600Top 25% |
| PassMark | 58,672+135%Top 1% | 24,954Top 35% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | 1,855+24%Top 37% | 1,496Top 43% |
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