Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus vs Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX
79Single-core66.6
86.8Multi-core65.1
44.4Efficiencyspec-based44.4
60.5iGPU—
73.9Platformspec-based68.1
11 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus1 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX
InnoReviews verdict
Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus wins this laptop processor face-off, 73.9 to 62.6, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+22) and single-core (+12). Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX 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 67
- Stronger multi-core score: 87 vs 65
- 52% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 21,581 vs 14,233
- 52% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 39,617 vs 26,001
- 33% higher cores: 24 vs 18
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
General
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2026 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
| Base TDP | 55 W | 55 W |
| Max TDP | 160 W | 160 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 24+33% | 18 |
| Performance cores | 8+33% | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | 16+33% | 12 |
| Threads | 24+33% | 18 |
| Base clock | 2.7 GHz | 2.9 GHz+7% |
| Boost clock | 5.5 GHz+8% | 5.1 GHz |
| L3 cache | 36 MB+20% | 30 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Intel Graphics (4 Xe-cores) | Intel Graphics (3 Xe) |
| iGPU clock | 2,000 MHz | 1,800 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | DDR5-6400 | DDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 256 GB | 256 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,198+16%Top 11% | 2,762Top 33% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 21,581+52%Top 9% | 14,233Top 30% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 2,340+21%Top 3% | 1,941Top 26% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 39,617+52%Top 2% | 26,001Top 12% |
| PassMark | 58,672+25%Top 1% | 47,051Top 8% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | 1,855Top 36% | — |
Related comparisons
Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plusvs Apple M3 Max (16-core)VSIntel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plusvs Apple M4 Pro (14-core)VSIntel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plusvs Intel Core Ultra 9 285HXVSIntel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plusvs AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395VSIntel Core Ultra 7 251HXvs Apple M3 Pro (12-core)VSIntel Core Ultra 7 251HXvs AMD Ryzen AI 7 450VSIntel Core Ultra 7 251HXvs Intel Core i9-14900HXVSIntel Core Ultra 7 251HXvs Intel Core i9-13980HXVS