Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 288V: A Deep Dive
1. Introduction & Positioning
The Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 288V is one of Intel’s higher-end “Lunar Lake” (Ultra 200V series) mobile processors, targeting premium ultrabooks and thin-and-light laptops.
With a turbo clock up to 5.10 GHz and 12 MB of “Smart Cache”, it’s designed to strike a balance between high single-thread bursts and efficient multi-core operation. Intel
That said, as with many new generation chips, real-world performance will depend heavily on thermals, power budgets, and firmware support. Some early reviews suggest that in certain multi-threaded workloads, the Ultra 9 doesn’t always significantly outperform lower-tier chips. Tom's Hardware
2. Key Specifications & Features
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the Ultra 9 288V’s architecture and capabilities:
| Feature | Specification / Detail |
|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 cores (4 Performance “P-cores” + 4 Efficient “E-cores”), 8 threads total |
| Max Turbo / Boost Frequency | Up to 5.10 GHz on P-cores |
| Base Frequencies | P-core base: ~3.3 GHz; E-core max ~3.7 GHz (“efficient core”) |
| Cache | 12 MB shared Intel Smart Cache |
| Power / TDP Profile | Base (PL1): 30 W; Maximum Turbo (PL2): 37 W; Minimum assured: ~17 W |
| Manufacturing / Process | TSMC N3B (3 nm) |
| Memory Support | Dual-channel LPDDR5X up to ~8,533 MT/s, up to 32 GB |
| Integrated Graphics | Intel Arc 140V iGPU, up to ~2.05 GHz dynamic frequency Notebookcheck |
| NPU / AI / DL Boost Capabilities | Includes Intel’s AI / NPU features (e.g. “Intel AI Boost”) and support for frameworks like OpenVINO, ONNX RT, etc. |
| Other | Embedded (BGA / soldered) package; ordering via trays (FCBGAEXX) |
What stands out?
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The chip is built to offer strong single-thread performance (5.10 GHz is among the higher boosts in mobile space).
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The balance of 4P + 4E cores gives flexibility — lighter tasks can leverage efficient cores; heavy workloads can push P-cores.
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However, because it’s a mobile-tier chip with constrained power/thermal envelope, real sustained performance relies on the device’s cooling and power delivery configuration.
3. Price & Market Availability
Unlike desktop CPUs which are often sold as standalone chips, the Ultra 9 288V is rarely offered as a discrete SKU to end consumers. It is typically soldered onto laptops or AI PCs. Notebookcheck
Thus, its “price” is embedded into laptop or system MSRP. That said, here are some indicative real-world examples:
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A HP OmniBook Ultra Flip (14", 32 GB + 2 TB SSD) version with this chip has a starting price of ₹191,999 in India. Digit
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An MSI Prestige 13 AI+ model with Ultra 9 288V is listed around ₹93,990 (though with lower specs in other parts) on Amazon India. Amazon India
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Dell’s “Plus 16” touchscreen laptop (1 TB + 32 GB config) is offered via Costco (USA) with the Ultra 9 288V. (Specific price depends on region and configuration.) Costco Wholesale
Because these are full laptop SKUs, there’s a large margin of variation depending on chassis, cooling, display, memory, storage, and other components.
Estimated “chip-only” list price
While Intel does not publicly list a widely available retail chip price for the 288V model, based on historic pricing and relative positioning, analysts often estimate flagship mobile CPUs in the $500–$800 range (USD) as part of system bundles. (Note: this is speculative, not an official figure.)
4. Performance, Benchmarks & Real-World Behavior
Benchmarks
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A CPU-Z single-thread score for 288V shows ~685 points (on certain test setups). CPU-Z Validator
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Notebookcheck’s spec sheet notes it as the fastest in the Lunar Lake family (as of November 2024) in many workloads. Notebookcheck
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In TechFinitive’s review, the Ultra 9 288V is praised for strong single-thread improvements relative to past Intel mobile chips. TechFinitive
Caveats & Real-World Observations
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In their testing of a Zenbook S14, Tom’s Hardware found that in multi-threaded loads, the Ultra 9 sometimes underperformed the Ultra 7 258V variant under identical power/thermal constraints. They attributed this to firmware/BIOS tuning at the time; Intel promised updates. Tom's Hardware
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Some tests reported that the “efficient cores” (E-cores) in the chip run at higher frequency under load than the P-cores — a reversal from older hybrid designs.
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Because the chip is soldered, you can’t change it, so choosing a device with good cooling and power headroom is crucial to unleash its full potential.
5. Comparison: Ultra 9 288V vs Alternatives
To understand where it sits in the competitive landscape, let’s compare it to relevant rivals / variants:
| Competitor / Variant | Strengths | Weaknesses / Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Intel Core Ultra 7 258V / 268V | Lower base power, potentially better sustained multi-core under tight thermal budgets. Also often lower cost in systems. TechFinitive | Slightly lower turbo clocks (e.g. 4.8 GHz vs 5.1 GHz) Intel |
| Previous-gen Intel mobile chips (e.g. Ultra H / prior Core series) | Sometimes in systems with better thermals, older chips may fare better in sustained high loads | Lower efficiency, older architectures, weaker AI / NPU support |
| AMD Ryzen / Ryzen AI mobile chips | In many use-cases, AMD’s designs might deliver more cores or stronger multi-threaded performance in similar TDP | Intel’s edge is often in burst performance, integrated AI frameworks support (for workloads optimized for Intel) |
| Apple Silicon (for MacBooks etc.) | Very power efficient, strong in creative workloads / codec decoding | Not x86 compatible, cannot be compared directly in Windows/Intel ecosystem |
Summary: The Ultra 9 288V is intended as an “upper-tier” mobile chip. Its advantages are strongest in bursty single-threaded workloads, AI/ML tasks using NPU, and integrated graphics performance in thin laptops. But in heavier sustained loads, it may not dramatically beat more balanced chips if the laptop’s cooling or power design is limiting.
6. Recommendations & Buying Tips
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Check cooling / thermal design: Since the chip is soldered, whether it performs well depends heavily on chassis, fans, vents.
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BIOS / firmware updates matter: As early reviews pointed out, performance variations can depend on firmware tuning.
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Don’t overpay for the “flagship” label: In many real-world scenarios, a Ultra 7 variant might give nearly identical results in day-to-day use, at lower cost.
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Future proofing: While the chip supports modern AI frameworks and integrated NPU, being soldered means no upgrade path — so pick memory/storage wisely.
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Purpose matters: For gaming, content creation, AI workloads, the Ultra 9 can shine. For general productivity / office work, cheaper chips might suffice.
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