Intel Arrow Lake Refresh CPU prices shot up to 17% above MSRP just 48 hours after launch — dynamic pricing trumps manufacturer's recommended pricing

Intel announced its Arrow Lake Refresh series earlier this month, with a March 26, 2026, launch for the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and Core Ultra 7 270K Plus. As of this writing, it's been just two days since these CPUs were released, yet they're already selling above MSRP across retailers. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus currently sit at around $349.99 and $219.99, respectively. Meanwhile, the iGPU-less Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus sells for $199.99.

• Check out the Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus on Newegg
• Check out the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus on Newegg
• Check out the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus on Newegg

The MSRP for the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is $299, which means it's $50 more expensive than its list price on Newegg at the moment. We were able to find it for a bit less on B&H, but it's out of stock there. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus was announced at $200, but it's selling for $220, while its iGPU-less counterpart, the Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus, is listed at $200, up $15 from its original ask of $185.

Those prices are consistent across vendors, so getting a Core Ultra 200S series CPU at MSRP — even if the difference is minor — might not be possible right now. We're going through an unprecedented economic climate as the entire PC industry is stuck in limbo, navigating both geopolitical chokepoints and the AI boom's unending appetite for production lines.

It's a borderline miracle we're even getting new value-oriented chips in this climate. We called the 250K Plus the best CPU for $200 in our review and gave it an Editor's Choice award. The 270K Plus is also a big improvement over its predecessor, but it falls behind when in gaming compared to X3D chips. Moreover, no matter how impressive these chips might be, the LGA 1851 socket is unfortunately a dead end.

That might put some people off buying the Arrow Lake refresh, since Nova Lake is supposed to be a truly generational leap for Intel, perhaps even catapulting them ahead of AMD after years of stagnation. If you don't plan on upgrading and just want a good CPU now, the 250K Plus for $220 is a great deal, while the 270K Plus for $350 is another solid option for flagship performance without spending $500 on the 285K.

Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds.