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AMD Ryzen 7 9700X vs Intel Core Ultra 7 265K: Comparison

What is the difference between AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Intel Core Ultra 7 265K?

Start with l2 cache, because it is the widest measured gap between them: AMD Ryzen 7 9700X 8 MB against Intel Core Ultra 7 265K 36 MB, 78% in favour of Intel Core Ultra 7 265K. The benchmark result agrees. Blender Cycles (CPU) puts Intel Core Ultra 7 265K 35% ahead, 478 against 309 over 277 runs.

Which should you buy, AMD Ryzen 7 9700X or Intel Core Ultra 7 265K?

Take the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X for mainstream gaming desktop builds wanting genuine 8-core Zen 5 performance at a low, efficient power draw. It is the wrong buy for buyers needing more than 8 cores for heavy rendering or encoding workloads, the 9900X offers meaningfully more. Take the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K for buyers wanting strong multi-core productivity throughput and improved efficiency over Intel's 14th Gen at a lower price than the 285K. It is not the one for buyers prioritizing maximum gaming frame rates, AMD's 3D V-Cache chips generally lead in gaming-specific benchmarks. Our rating of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X (8.2/10): the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is a quick, cool-running 8-core chip that suits gaming and everyday work, though it trails X3D models in games.

What AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Intel Core Ultra 7 265K have in common

The common ground is wider than the gap: performance cores, integrated graphics, socket status, form factor and release year are identical here. They match on 10 further specifications as well.

AMD Ryzen 7 9700X vs Intel Core Ultra 7 265K price

Cost splits them too. AMD Ryzen 7 9700X sits at $359, Intel Core Ultra 7 265K at $394, 10% more.

Frequently asked questions

Do the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Intel Core Ultra 7 265K differ on total cores?

Yes. Total Cores reads 8 on the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X versus 20 on the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K.

Is the Market Segment the same on the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Intel Core Ultra 7 265K?

It is. Both are listed at Desktop, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Brand

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    AMD
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Intel
  • Product Line

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    Ryzen 7
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Core Ultra 7
  • Form Factor

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    Desktop
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Desktop
  • Model Number

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    9700X
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    265K
  • Codename

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    Granite Ridge
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Arrow Lake-S
  • Release Year

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    2024
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    2024
  • TDP

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    65 W
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    125 W
  • iGPU

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    AMD Radeon Graphics
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Intel Graphics
  • Market Segment

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    Desktop
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Desktop
  • Microarchitecture

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    Zen 5, Ryzen 9000 Series
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Arrow Lake, Core Ultra 200 Series
  • Socket

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    AM5
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    FCLGA1851
  • Socket Status

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    Current
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Current
  • Process Node

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    4 nm
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    3 nm
  • Total Cores

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    8
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    20Best
  • Performance Cores

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    8
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    8
  • Efficiency Cores

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    0
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    12Best
  • Total Threads

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    16
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    20Best
  • SMT Enabled

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    Yes
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    No
  • P-Core Base Clock

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    3.8 GHz
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    3.9 GHz
  • P-Core Boost Clock

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    5.5 GHz
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    5.4 GHz
  • Unlocked Multiplier

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    Yes
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Yes
  • L2 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    8 MB-78%
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    36 MBBest
  • L3 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    32 MBBest
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    30 MB-6%
  • 3D Stacked Cache

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    No
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    No
  • Base Power

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    65 W
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    125 W
  • Max Turbo Power

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    88 W
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    250 W
  • Memory Type

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    DDR5-5600
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    DDR5-6400
  • Max Memory Speed

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    5600 MT/s
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    6400 MT/sBest
  • Memory Channels

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    2
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    2
  • Max Memory Capacity

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    256 GB
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    256 GB
  • ECC Support

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    Yes
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Yes
  • Integrated Graphics

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    Yes
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Yes
  • iGPU Model

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    AMD Radeon Graphics
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Intel Graphics
  • iGPU Compute Units

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    2
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    4
  • Copilot Plus Certified

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    No
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    No
  • PCIe Generation

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    PCIe 5.0
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    PCIe 5.0
  • PCIe Lanes

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    24
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    24
  • Launch MSRP

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    $359
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    $394
  • Retail Availability

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    Boxed Retail
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    Boxed Retail

Benchmarks

  • 3D Rendering
  • Blender Cycles (CPU)

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    309-35%
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    478Best

    Blender 4.5, Blender Open Data (CC0). Median of monster + junkshop + classroom, combined samples/min.

    Renders a 3D scene using every core. Shows speed for 3D and rendering work, not gaming.

  • General CPU
  • Cinebench 2024 (Single-Core)

    AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    136-4%
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
    142Best

    Renders a 3D scene on one core. Shows how quick the CPU feels in everyday apps and games.

Which one should you pick?

Choose 9700X if you want the higher L3 cache (32 MB vs 30 MB), the higher memory channels (2 vs 2) and the higher PCIe lanes (24 vs 24).

Choose 265K if you want the higher L2 cache (36 MB vs 8 MB), the higher blender cycles (CPU) (478 vs 309) and the higher cinebench 2024 (Single-Core) (142 vs 136).

Price comparison

RetailerAMD Ryzen 7 9700XIntel Core Ultra 7 265K
Amazon

$359.00

View on Amazon
View on Amazon
NeweggView on Newegg

$394.00

View on Newegg
Micro CenterView on Micro Center

Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.

Verdict

AMD Ryzen 7 9700X

8.2 / 10 Expert Rating

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is a quick, cool-running 8-core chip that suits gaming and everyday work, though it trails X3D models in games.

Intel Core Ultra 7 265K

8.3 / 10 Expert Rating

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K offers near-flagship multithreaded performance for less money, a sensible pick for mixed work and play.

More comparisons in Processors (CPUs)