The Core 9 Ultra 285K is Intel's fastest CPU and costs under $500 - so why is it so much cheaper compared to AMD $679 Ryzen 9 9950X3D?
Benchmark data places AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D only slightly ahead of Intel’s cheaper and more efficient top desktop processor.
(Image credit: Future)
- Intel’s flagship undercuts AMD while delivering similar overall desktop performance
- AMD charges much more for only modest gains at the very top end
- Power efficiency and pricing now define flagship CPU value
I’ve already written about Intel offering buyers better value at the low end of the desktop CPU market, asking whether the iconic chip maker is becoming the new AMD. That question feels even more relevant given that the same pattern is also noticeable when looking at top tier processors.
Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K is Team Blue's fastest desktop chip and currently sells for $519 on Amazon (discounted from $599). AMD’s competing Ryzen 9 9950X3D, positioned as a premium gaming and content creation processor, costs roughly $676 there.
Despite that price difference, benchmark results show the performance gap between the two CPUs remains relatively narrow.
Single-thread performance favors Intel
Before we go on, I should note the following comparison looks only at mainstream desktop CPUs. It doesn't include high-end desktop or server platforms such as Threadripper Pro or Xeon and EPYC processors, which target very different workloads and price ranges.
Looking at aggregate CPU benchmarks, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D leads with a CPU Mark score of around 70,155.
The Core Ultra 9 285K follows closely at about 67,427, leaving AMD ahead by a single digit percentage.
The hardware configurations explain some of the difference, but certainly not all of it.
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AMD’s chip offers 16 cores and 32 threads with a 170W rating, while Intel’s processor uses 8 performance cores and 16 efficiency cores for 24 threads at 125W.