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AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285K: Comparison
What is the difference between AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D and Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?
L3 cache is where these two genuinely part company, AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D 128 MB against Intel Core Ultra 9 285K 36 MB, a 72% lead for AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D. The benchmark result agrees. Blender Cycles (CPU) puts Intel Core Ultra 9 285K 4% ahead, 562 against 540 over 279 runs. Add l2 cache to that, 16 MB on the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D versus 40 MB on the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, and the pattern holds.
Who each one is for
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D suits high-refresh-rate gaming and flagship gaming builds, though it is the wrong buy 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. 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 9 7950X3D (9.2/10): the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D is one of the best gaming CPUs available, its huge L3 cache translating directly into higher in-game frame rates.
What AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D and Intel Core Ultra 9 285K have in common
The common ground is wider than the gap: integrated graphics, socket status, form factor, market segment and unlocked multiplier are identical here. They match on 6 further specifications as well.
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285K price
Cost splits them too. Intel Core Ultra 9 285K sits at $589, AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D at $699, 19% more.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D and Intel Core Ultra 9 285K differ on total cores?
Yes. Total Cores reads 16 on the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D versus 24 on the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K.
Is the Memory Channels the same on the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D and Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?
It is. Both are listed at 2, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Desktop
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Desktop
Codename
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Raphael
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Arrow Lake-S
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 2023
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 2024
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 120 W
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 125 W
iGPU
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Intel Graphics
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Desktop
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Desktop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Zen 4 (7000 series)
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Arrow Lake, Core Ultra 200 Series
Socket
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- AM5
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- FCLGA1851
Socket Status
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Current
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Current
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 5 nm
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 3 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 16
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 24Best
Performance Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 16Best
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 8
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 0
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 16Best
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 32Best
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 24
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Yes
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- No
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 4.2 GHz
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 3.7 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 5.7 GHz
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 5.5 GHz
Unlocked Multiplier
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Yes
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Yes
L2 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 16 MB-60%
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 40 MBBest
L3 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 128 MBBest
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 36 MB-72%
3D Stacked Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Yes
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- No
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 120 W
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 125 W
Max Turbo Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 162 W
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 250 W
Memory Type
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- DDR5
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- DDR5-6400
Max Memory Speed
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 5200 MT/s
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 6400 MT/sBest
Memory Channels
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 2
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 2
Max Memory Capacity
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 128 GB
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 256 GBBest
ECC Support
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Yes
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Yes
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Yes
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Yes
iGPU Model
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Intel Graphics
iGPU Compute Units
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 2
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 4
Copilot Plus Certified
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- No
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- No
PCIe Generation
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- PCIe 5.0
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- PCIe 5.0
PCIe Lanes
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 24
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 24
Launch MSRP
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- $699
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- $589
Retail Availability
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Boxed Retail
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Boxed Retail
Benchmarks
- 3D Rendering
Blender Cycles (CPU)
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 540-4%
- 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.
- General CPU
Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 37,436-12%
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 42,663Best
Renders a 3D scene on every core. Shows speed in rendering and other heavy work.
Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- 2,048-13%
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 2,367Best
Renders a 3D scene on one core. Shows how quick the CPU feels in everyday apps and games.
Which one should you pick?
Choose 7950X3D 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 16 MB), the higher blender cycles (CPU) (562 vs 540) and the higher cinebench R23 (Multi-Core) (42,663 vs 37,436).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D | Intel Core Ultra 9 285K |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $699.00 View on Amazon | $589.00 View on Amazon |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | |
| Micro Center | View 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 7950X3D
9.2 / 10 Expert Rating
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D 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.