Core Ultra 5 250K Plus vs Ryzen 5 9600X
The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and the Ryzen 5 9600X perform about the same in games, within 4% in our estimates. Below: FPS in popular games, the specs side by side, and the graphics cards that suit each.
Updated · By Muhammad Muzammil
The short answer
In a typical one of 8 popular games at 1080p High with an RTX 5090, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus gets about 165 FPS and the Ryzen 5 9600X about 163 FPS. With a slower graphics card, or at 1440p and 4K, the card sets the FPS more often and the gap gets smaller.
The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus uses the LGA1851 socket and the Ryzen 5 9600X uses AM5, so they need different motherboards. Both take DDR5 memory. Cores and threads: 18 / 18 on the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, 6 / 12 on the Ryzen 5 9600X. Neither comes with a cooler, so budget for one.
Core Ultra 5 250K Plus vs Ryzen 5 9600X: FPS in popular games
Estimated FPS at 1080p High with 32 GB RAM (Core Ultra 5 250K Plus / Ryzen 5 9600X in each column). With an RTX 5090, the processor sets the frame rate wherever it can. Values above 500 show as 500+. See FPS for your own PC.
| Game | RTX 5090 | RTX 5060 |
|---|---|---|
| Counter-Strike 2 | 378 / 374 | 305 / 305 |
| Valorant | 416 / 411 | 416 / 411 |
| Fortnite | 181 / 180 | 164 / 164 |
| Apex Legends | 166 / 165 | 166 / 165 |
| Marvel Rivals | 129 / 127 | 89 / 89 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 | 165 / 163 | 110 / 110 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 133 / 132 | 104 / 104 |
| Baldur's Gate 3 | 135 / 133 | 135 / 133 |
With a mid-range graphics card such as an RTX 5060, the card sets the frame rate in more games, so the difference between the two processors is smaller.
Estimated FPS. Numbers come from the FPSVibe model, not measured benchmarks. How we estimate
Specs side by side
| Spec | Core Ultra 5 250K Plus | Ryzen 5 9600X |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / threads | 18 / 18 | 6 / 12 |
| Boost clock | up to 5.3 GHz | up to 5.4 GHz |
| L3 cache | 30 MB | 32 MB |
| Socket | LGA1851 | AM5 |
| Memory | DDR5-7200 | DDR5-5600 |
| Integrated graphics | Intel Graphics (none on the 250KF Plus) | Radeon Graphics (2 CU) |
| Cooler in the box | Not included | Not included |
| Power (TDP) | 125 W | 65 W |
| Launch year | 2026 | 2024 |
| Gaming index (est.) | 75.6 | 74.8 |
Gaming index: estimated CPU-bound gaming performance at 1080p, Ryzen 7 9800X3D = 100. Memory and box cooler as listed on AMD and Intel product pages; where we couldn't confirm a value there, check the manufacturer's page.
Graphics cards that pair well with the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
Graphics cards that pair well with the Ryzen 5 9600X
Check a build in the bottleneck calculator
Core Ultra 5 250K Plus vs Ryzen 5 9600X FAQs
Is the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus better than the Ryzen 5 9600X for gaming?
The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and the Ryzen 5 9600X perform about the same in games, within 4% in our estimates. In a typical one of 8 popular games at 1080p High with an RTX 5090, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus gets about 165 FPS and the Ryzen 5 9600X about 163 FPS.
Core Ultra 5 250K Plus or Ryzen 5 9600X: which gets more FPS in Counter-Strike 2?
With an RTX 5090 at 1080p High, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus gets about 378 FPS and the Ryzen 5 9600X about 374 FPS in our estimates.
Do the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and Ryzen 5 9600X use the same motherboard?
No. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus uses the LGA1851 socket and the Ryzen 5 9600X uses AM5, so you need a different motherboard to switch.
Do the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and Ryzen 5 9600X come with a cooler?
No. Neither comes with a cooler in the box, so you need to buy one.
Do the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and Ryzen 5 9600X have integrated graphics?
Yes. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has Intel Graphics (none on the 250KF Plus) and the Ryzen 5 9600X has Radeon Graphics (2 CU): enough for a display and light games, not for new games at good settings.
What graphics card should I pair with the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus or the Ryzen 5 9600X?
Balanced picks in our estimates: for the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, RX 9070, RTX 5070, RX 9070 GRE, RTX 5060 Ti 16GB; for the Ryzen 5 9600X, RX 9070, RTX 5070, RX 9070 GRE, RTX 5060 Ti 16GB.