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Intel Core i9-12900 vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285K: Comparison
What is the difference between Core i9-12900 and Core Ultra 9 285K?
There is no decisive spec gap here. Total cores splits them by a margin most buyers will never feel, Core i9-12900 16 against Core Ultra 9 285K 24. Core Ultra 9 285K also leads on l2 cache, 14 MB on the Core i9-12900 versus 40 MB on the Core Ultra 9 285K. Core Ultra 9 285K also leads on l3 cache, 30 MB on the Core i9-12900 versus 36 MB on the Core Ultra 9 285K.
Who each one is for
Buy the Core i9-12900 for desktop gaming and everyday productivity, though it is the wrong buy for laptops and fanless designs. Take the 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 Core i9-12900 (8.2/10): the Intel Core i9-12900 is a mainstream desktop processor, a solid all-rounder for gaming and productivity builds. Our rating of the 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.
Core i9-12900 vs Core Ultra 9 285K price
The Core Ultra 9 285K asks 20% more, $589 against $489 for the Core i9-12900.
What Core i9-12900 and Core Ultra 9 285K have in common
Everything else lines up. Performance cores, total threads, integrated graphics, form factor and market segment read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 4 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Core i9-12900 and Core Ultra 9 285K differ on efficiency cores?
Yes. Efficiency Cores reads 8 on the Core i9-12900 versus 16 on the Core Ultra 9 285K.
Is the Memory Channels the same on the Core i9-12900 and Core Ultra 9 285K?
It is. Both are listed at 2, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Which is cheaper, Core i9-12900 or Core Ultra 9 285K?
The Core Ultra 9 285K asks 20% more, $589 against $489 for the Core i9-12900.
Specs and benchmarks
Product Line
- Intel Core i9-12900
- Core
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Core Ultra 9
Form Factor
- Intel Core i9-12900
- Desktop
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Desktop
Model Number
- Intel Core i9-12900
- i9-12900
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 285K
Codename
- Intel Core i9-12900
- Alder Lake
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Arrow Lake-S
Release Year
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 2022
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 2024
TDP
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 65 W
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 125 W
iGPU
- Intel Core i9-12900
- Intel UHD Graphics 770
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Intel Graphics
Market Segment
- Intel Core i9-12900
- Desktop
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Desktop
Microarchitecture
- Intel Core i9-12900
- Alder Lake
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Arrow Lake, Core Ultra 200 Series
Socket
- Intel Core i9-12900
- FCLGA1700
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- FCLGA1851
Socket Status
- Intel Core i9-12900
- Mature
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Current
Process Node
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 10 nm
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 3 nm
Total Cores
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 16
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 24Best
Performance Cores
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 8
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 8
Efficiency Cores
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 8
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 16Best
Total Threads
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 24
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 24
SMT Enabled
- Intel Core i9-12900
- Yes
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- No
P-Core Base Clock
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 2.4 GHz
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 3.7 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 5 GHz
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 5.5 GHz
E-Core Base Clock
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 1.8 GHz
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 3.2 GHz
E-Core Boost Clock
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 3.8 GHz
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 4.6 GHz
Unlocked Multiplier
- Intel Core i9-12900
- No
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Yes
L2 Cache
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 14 MB-65%
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 40 MBBest
L3 Cache
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 30 MB-17%
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 36 MBBest
Base Power
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 65 W
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 125 W
Max Turbo Power
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 202 W
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 250 W
Memory Type
- Intel Core i9-12900
- DDR5 or DDR4
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- DDR5-6400
Max Memory Speed
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 4800 MT/s
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 6400 MT/sBest
Memory Channels
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 2
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 2
Max Memory Capacity
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 128 GB
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 256 GBBest
Integrated Graphics
- Intel Core i9-12900
- Yes
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Yes
iGPU Model
- Intel Core i9-12900
- Intel UHD Graphics 770
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Intel Graphics
iGPU Compute Units
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 32
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 4
Copilot Plus Certified
- Intel Core i9-12900
- No
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- No
PCIe Generation
- Intel Core i9-12900
- PCIe 5.0
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- PCIe 5.0
PCIe Lanes
- Intel Core i9-12900
- 20-17%
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- 24
Launch MSRP
- Intel Core i9-12900
- $489
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- $589
Retail Availability
- Intel Core i9-12900
- Boxed Retail
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Boxed Retail
Which one should you pick?
Choose 12900 if you want the higher memory channels (2 vs 2).
Choose 285K if you want the higher L2 cache (40 MB vs 14 MB), the higher L3 cache (36 MB vs 30 MB) and the higher PCIe lanes (24 vs 20).
Price comparison
| Retailer | Intel Core i9-12900 | Intel Core Ultra 9 285K |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $489.00 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
Intel Core i9-12900
8.2 / 10 Expert Rating
The Intel Core i9-12900 is a mainstream desktop processor, a solid all-rounder for gaming and productivity builds.
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.