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AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285K: Comparison

AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285K l3 cache compared

The gap that matters here is l3 cache: AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D 128 MB against Intel Core Ultra 9 285K 36 MB, which puts AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D 72% ahead. Measured rather than claimed: in Blender Cycles (CPU) the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K returns 562 against 402 over 279 runs, a 28% lead. Add l2 cache to that, 12 MB on the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D versus 40 MB on the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, and the pattern holds.

Who each one is for

Buy the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D for high-refresh-rate gaming and flagship gaming builds, though it is not built for budget builds and non-gaming workstation loads. Take the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K for content creation and heavily multi-threaded productivity desktop builds wanting Intel's newest, most power-efficient flagship. Avoid it 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 9 7900X3D (9.2/10): the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D is one of the best gaming CPUs available, its huge L3 cache translating directly into higher in-game frame rates. Our rating of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (8.5/10): the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is a fast, more efficient flagship for multithreaded work, though its gaming speed trails the best AMD chips.

Where the two are identical

The common ground is wider than the gap: total threads, integrated graphics, socket status, form factor and market segment are identical here. They match on 7 further specifications as well.

Frequently asked questions

Do the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D and Intel Core Ultra 9 285K differ on total cores?

Yes. Total Cores reads 12 on the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D versus 24 on the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K.

Is the Unlocked Multiplier the same on the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D and Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

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

Which is cheaper, AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D or Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

They cost within a few percent of each other, $589 versus $599 when we last looked.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Form Factor

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    Desktop
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    Desktop
  • Codename

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    Raphael
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    Arrow Lake-S
  • Release Year

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    2023
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    2024
  • TDP

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    120 W
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    125 W
  • iGPU

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    AMD Radeon Graphics
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    Intel Graphics
  • Market Segment

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    Desktop
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    Desktop
  • Microarchitecture

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    Zen 4 (7000 series)
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    Arrow Lake, Core Ultra 200 Series
  • Socket

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    AM5
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    FCLGA1851
  • Socket Status

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    Current
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    Current
  • Process Node

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    5 nm
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    3 nm
  • Total Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    12
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    24Best
  • Performance Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    12Best
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    8
  • Efficiency Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    0
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    16Best
  • Total Threads

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    24
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    24
  • SMT Enabled

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    Yes
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    No
  • P-Core Base Clock

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    4.4 GHz
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    3.7 GHz
  • P-Core Boost Clock

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    5.6 GHz
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    5.5 GHz
  • Unlocked Multiplier

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    Yes
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    Yes
  • L2 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    12 MB-70%
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    40 MBBest
  • L3 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    128 MBBest
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    36 MB-72%
  • 3D Stacked Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    Yes
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    No
  • Base Power

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    120 W
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    125 W
  • Max Turbo Power

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    162 W
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    250 W
  • Memory Type

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    DDR5
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    DDR5-6400
  • Max Memory Speed

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    5200 MT/s
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    6400 MT/sBest
  • Memory Channels

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    2
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    2
  • Max Memory Capacity

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    128 GB
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    256 GBBest
  • ECC Support

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    Yes
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    Yes
  • Integrated Graphics

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    Yes
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    Yes
  • iGPU Model

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    AMD Radeon Graphics
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    Intel Graphics
  • iGPU Compute Units

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    2
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    4
  • Copilot Plus Certified

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    No
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    No
  • PCIe Generation

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    PCIe 5.0
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    PCIe 5.0
  • PCIe Lanes

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    24
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    24
  • Launch MSRP

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    $599
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    $589
  • Retail Availability

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    Boxed Retail
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    Boxed Retail

Benchmarks

  • 3D Rendering
  • Blender Cycles (CPU)

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
    402-28%
    Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
    562Best

    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.

Which one should you pick?

Choose 7900X3D if you want the higher L3 cache (128 MB vs 36 MB), the higher memory channels (2 vs 2) and the higher PCIe lanes (24 vs 24).

Choose 285K if you want the higher L2 cache (40 MB vs 12 MB) and the higher blender cycles (CPU) (562 vs 402).

Price comparison

RetailerAMD Ryzen 9 7900X3DIntel Core Ultra 9 285K
Newegg

$599.00

View on Newegg
View on Newegg
AmazonView on Amazon

$589.00

View on Amazon
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 9 7900X3D

9.2 / 10 Expert Rating

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D is one of the best gaming CPUs available, its huge L3 cache translating directly into higher in-game frame rates.

Intel Core Ultra 9 285K

8.5 / 10 Expert Rating

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is a fast, more efficient flagship for multithreaded work, though its gaming speed trails the best AMD chips.

More comparisons in Processors (CPUs)