Ryzen 7 9800X3D vs Core Ultra 9 285K

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is about 35% faster than the Core Ultra 9 285K in games where the processor sets the frame rate, 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 Ryzen 7 9800X3D gets about 191 FPS and the Core Ultra 9 285K about 161 FPS. With a slower graphics card, or at 1440p and 4K, the card sets the FPS more often and the gap gets smaller.

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses the AM5 socket and the Core Ultra 9 285K uses LGA1851, so they need different motherboards. Both take DDR5 memory. Cores and threads: 8 / 16 on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, 24 / 24 on the Core Ultra 9 285K. Neither comes with a cooler, so budget for one.

Ryzen 7 9800X3D vs Core Ultra 9 285K: FPS in popular games

Estimated FPS at 1080p High with 32 GB RAM (Ryzen 7 9800X3D / Core Ultra 9 285K 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.

GameRTX 5090RTX 5060
Counter-Strike 2500 / 370305 / 305
Valorant500+ / 407500+ / 407
Fortnite240 / 178164 / 164
Apex Legends220 / 163220 / 163
Marvel Rivals154 / 12689 / 89
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6191 / 161110 / 110
Cyberpunk 2077176 / 130104 / 104
Baldur's Gate 3178 / 132144 / 132

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

SpecRyzen 7 9800X3DCore Ultra 9 285K
Cores / threads8 / 1624 / 24
Boost clockup to 5.2 GHzup to 5.7 GHz
L3 cache96 MB36 MB
SocketAM5LGA1851
MemoryDDR5-5600DDR5-6400
Integrated graphicsRadeon Graphics (2 CU)Intel Graphics (4 Xe cores)
Cooler in the boxNot includedNot included
Power (TDP)120 W125 W
Launch year20242024
Gaming index (est.)10074

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 Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Graphics cards that pair well with the Core Ultra 9 285K

Ryzen 7 9800X3D vs Core Ultra 9 285K FAQs

Is the Ryzen 7 9800X3D better than the Core Ultra 9 285K for gaming?

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is about 35% faster than the Core Ultra 9 285K in games where the processor sets the frame rate, in our estimates. In a typical one of 8 popular games at 1080p High with an RTX 5090, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D gets about 191 FPS and the Core Ultra 9 285K about 161 FPS.

Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Core Ultra 9 285K: which gets more FPS in Counter-Strike 2?

With an RTX 5090 at 1080p High, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D gets about 500 FPS and the Core Ultra 9 285K about 370 FPS in our estimates.

Do the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Core Ultra 9 285K use the same motherboard?

No. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses the AM5 socket and the Core Ultra 9 285K uses LGA1851, so you need a different motherboard to switch.

Do the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Core Ultra 9 285K come with a cooler?

No. Neither comes with a cooler in the box, so you need to buy one.

Do the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Core Ultra 9 285K have integrated graphics?

Yes. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has Radeon Graphics (2 CU) and the Core Ultra 9 285K has Intel Graphics (4 Xe cores): enough for a display and light games, not for new games at good settings.

What graphics card should I pair with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D or the Core Ultra 9 285K?

Balanced picks in our estimates: for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, RTX 5090, RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, RX 9070 XT; for the Core Ultra 9 285K, RX 9070, RTX 5070, RX 9070 GRE, RTX 5060 Ti 16GB.