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AMD Ryzen 9 9950X vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285K: Comparison
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285K: the l3 cache difference
On l3 cache the spread is 44%, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 64 MB against Intel Core Ultra 9 285K 36 MB, so AMD Ryzen 9 9950X takes it. The benchmark result agrees. Everyday Performance puts Intel Core Ultra 9 285K 10% ahead, 136 against 123. Intel Core Ultra 9 285K also leads on l2 cache, 16 MB on the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X versus 40 MB on the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K.
Who each one is for
Take the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X for enthusiast gaming and heavy content-creation desktop builds wanting AMD's strongest mainstream Zen 5 performance. Avoid it for buyers on a tighter budget, the Ryzen 9 9900X or 7 9700X deliver strong performance at meaningfully lower cost. 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 9950X (9/10): the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is the strongest mainstream desktop chip for heavy multithreaded work, pairing 16 Zen 5 cores with excellent efficiency.
Where the two are identical
Everything else lines up. Integrated graphics, socket status, form factor, release year and market segment read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 9 further specifications as well.
Which is cheaper, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X or Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?
Cost splits them too. Intel Core Ultra 9 285K sits at $589, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X at $649, 10% more.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and Intel Core Ultra 9 285K differ on total cores?
Yes. Total Cores reads 16 on the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X versus 24 on the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K.
Is the Unlocked Multiplier the same on the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 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.
Specs and benchmarks
Everyday Performance
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 123-10%
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 136Best
Brand
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- AMD
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Intel
Product Line
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Ryzen 9
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Core Ultra 9
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Desktop
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Desktop
Model Number
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 9950X
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 285K
Codename
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Granite Ridge
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Arrow Lake-S
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 2024
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 2024
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 170 W
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 125 W
iGPU
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Intel Graphics
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Desktop
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Desktop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Zen 5, Ryzen 9000 Series
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Arrow Lake, Core Ultra 200 Series
Socket
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- AM5
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- FCLGA1851
Socket Status
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Current
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Current
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 4 nm
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 3 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 16
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 24Best
Performance Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 16Best
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 8
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 0
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 16Best
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 32Best
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 24
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Yes
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- No
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 4.3 GHz
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 3.7 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 5.7 GHz
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 5.5 GHz
Unlocked Multiplier
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Yes
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Yes
L2 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 16 MB-60%
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 40 MBBest
L3 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 64 MBBest
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 36 MB-44%
3D Stacked Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- No
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- No
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 170 W
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 125 W
Max Turbo Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 230 W
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 250 W
Memory Type
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- DDR5-5600
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- DDR5-6400
Max Memory Speed
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 5600 MT/s
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 6400 MT/sBest
Memory Channels
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 2
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 2
Max Memory Capacity
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 256 GB
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 256 GB
ECC Support
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Yes
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Yes
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Yes
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Yes
iGPU Model
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Intel Graphics
iGPU Compute Units
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 2
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 4
Copilot Plus Certified
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- No
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- No
PCIe Generation
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- PCIe 5.0
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- PCIe 5.0
PCIe Lanes
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 24
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 24
Launch MSRP
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- $649
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- $589
Retail Availability
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Boxed Retail
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Boxed Retail
Benchmarks
- 3D Rendering
Blender Cycles (CPU)
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 625Best
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 562-10%
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 (Multi-Core)
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 2,292-4%
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 2,387Best
Renders a 3D scene on every core. Shows speed in rendering and other heavy work.
Cinebench 2024 (Single-Core)
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 137-5%
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 144Best
Renders a 3D scene on one core. Shows how quick the CPU feels in everyday apps and games.
Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 41,898-2%
- 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 9950X
- 2,232-6%
- 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 9950X if you want the higher L3 cache (64 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 everyday performance (136.0 vs 123.0), the higher L2 cache (40 MB vs 16 MB) and the higher cinebench 2024 (Multi-Core) (2,387 vs 2,292).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X | Intel Core Ultra 9 285K |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $649.00 View on Amazon | $589.00 View on Amazon |
| Newegg | View on 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 9950X
9 / 10 Expert Rating
The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is the strongest mainstream desktop chip for heavy multithreaded work, pairing 16 Zen 5 cores with excellent efficiency.
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.