AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 6-core AM5
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K 24-core LGA1851
What Buyers Say
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 6-core AM5
The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is widely praised for its excellent gaming performance, energy efficiency, and lower thermals compared to previous generations. Users highlight significant improvements in system quietness and cooling, making it a compelling upgrade for new builds or those coming from older platforms. While some note that the performance uplift over the 7000 series may not justify an upgrade for existing AM5 users, the overall sentiment is highly positive, with many recommending it as a great budget-friendly option.
Pros
- Excellent gaming performance
- Lower power draw and thermals
- Quieter system operation
- Good value for budget builds
- Future-proofing with AM5 platform
Cons
- No included cooler
- Requires BIOS update on older boards
- Performance uplift over 7000 series is modest
- No thermal paste included
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K 24-core LGA1851
The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is overwhelmingly praised for its raw performance, especially in 4K gaming and heavy multitasking, with users noting significant upgrades from older CPUs. It runs cool with proper cooling solutions, and its efficiency and support for DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 are highlighted as major advantages. Some mention that it may not beat AMD in 1080p/1440p gaming, but it excels at 4K and productivity. A few note the lack of a cooler and tray packaging as minor drawbacks, but overall sentiment is very positive.
Pros
- Excellent 4K gaming performance
- Strong multitasking and productivity
- Runs cool with proper cooling
- Supports DDR5 and PCIe 5.0
- Power efficient (125W TDP)
Cons
- No cooler included
- Tray packaging (no retail box)
- May lag AMD in 1080p/1440p gaming
- Requires BIOS adjustments for best performance
- Premium price
Scores
Specifications
| AMD Ryzen 5 9600X | Intel Core Ultra 9 285K | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | ||
| Brand | AMD | Intel |
| Series | Ryzen 5 | Core Ultra 9 |
| Model | 9600X | 285K |
| Codename | Granite Ridge | Arrow Lake-S |
| Class | desktop | desktop |
| Process | 4 | 3★ |
| Cores & Clocks | ||
| Cores | 6 | 24★ |
| P-cores | 6 | 8★ |
| E-cores | — | 16★ |
| Threads | 12 | 24★ |
| Base Clock | ||
| Boost Clock | ||
| Cache | ||
| L2 Cache | 6 | 40★ |
| L3 Cache | 32 | 36★ |
| Performance | ||
| PassMark Multi | ||
| PassMark Single | ||
| Memory | ||
| Memory Type | DDR5 | DDR5 |
| Max Speed | ||
| Channels | 2 | 2 |
| Max Memory | ||
| ECC | ✓ | ✓ |
| Platform & Power | ||
| Socket | AM5 | LGA 1851 |
| PCIe | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| PCIe Lanes | 28★ | 24 |
| TDP | 65★ | 125 |
| Max Turbo Power | 88★ | 250 |
| Unlocked | ✓ | ✓ |
| Graphics & AI | ||
| Integrated Graphics | AMD Radeon Graphics | Intel Graphics |
| NPU TOPS | — | 13★ |
Pros & Cons
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 6-core AM5
- Strong single thread (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong social proof (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong platform (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong efficiency (95th percentile)95th %ile
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K 24-core LGA1851
- Strong feature (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong single thread (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong efficiency (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong multi thread (97th percentile)97th %ile
Pricing
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 6-core AM5 offers 3.1x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 98 overall, wins 5 of 6 usage categories and 13 of 29 specs.