CPU Showdown

Core Ultra 9 285KvsRyzen Threadripper 9960X

The Core Ultra 9 285K is a mainstream desktop chip for gamers and general users, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is a workstation processor for heavy multitasking and professional content creation.

Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
24C / 24T · 125W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9960X
24C / 48T · 350W
Intel

Core Ultra 9 285K

Arrow Lake-S · 3 nm · 2024

40score
3.9/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
24 / 24
TDP
125W
Boost Clock
5.6 GHz
L3 Cache
36 MB

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AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025

56score
4.9/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
24 / 48
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.3 GHz
L3 Cache
128 MB

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Aggregate Performance

Overall Performance Score

A unified score from combined synthetic and real-world benchmarks. 100 represents the fastest desktop CPU available.

Core Ultra 9 285K
40
Ryzen Threadripper 9960XWinner
56
Ryzen Threadripper 9960X leads by 40.0% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#6Ryzen Threadripper 9960X56
#7Ryzen Threadripper 7960X50
#10Core Ultra 7 270K Plus41
#11Core Ultra 9 285K40
#12Ryzen 9 9950X40
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

Every detail compared. Highlighted cells indicate the leading value for that metric.

SpecsCore Ultra 9 285KRyzen Threadripper 9960X
Cores
Total Cores2424
Threads2448
Base Clock3.7 GHz4.2 GHz
Boost Clock5.6 GHz5.3 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache72 MB24 MB
L3 Cache36 MB128 MB
Platform
PCIePCIe 5.0 and 4.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntelВ® Graphics
Power
Base TDP125W350W
General
Process3 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9960X wins overall for heavy multitasking and professional workloads, thanks to its higher thread count and larger cache.

Best value

For budget-minded buyers, the Core Ultra 9 285K is the smarter pick, offering strong performance at a lower power draw and platform cost.

When the other wins

If you need a quiet, energy-efficient desktop for gaming and everyday tasks, the Core Ultra 9 285K is the right choice.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core Ultra 9 285K better than the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (56 vs 40 out of 100), so it leads the Core Ultra 9 285K in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X than the Core Ultra 9 285K?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is roughly 40% faster than the Core Ultra 9 285K overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core Ultra 9 285K or the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X. If the Core Ultra 9 285K is meaningfully cheaper where you shop, it can be the better value for similar real-world results — check current prices and the full spec comparison above before deciding.