The Intel Core Ultra 200S processors have officially launched, meaning we can finally see how powerful the Core Ultra 9 285K is. We have seen the results of its engineering samples make quick work of the 14900K, 14900KS, 14900KF, and even the Ryzen 9 9950X, but its gaming performance was still lower than that of the 14900K and 7950X3D.

However, the retail sample performance of the 285K for CPU-Z and Blender is a bit different, but that is expected as every test is done with a different set of components that can impact the outcome. For example, simply swapping out 16GB RAM for 64GB or swapping out the motherboard could limit or increase the processor’s performance across the board.

Core Ultra 9 285K CPU-Z benchmarks

According to a post by 188号(@momomo_us), the CPU-Z benchmark results for the 285K are live, along with the complete details of the test bench. This processor was tested on the ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi motherboard with 2 x 16GB Lexar DDR5 RAM running at 3192.2 MHz.

All the P- and E-cores were running at 5.4 GHz and 4.5 GHz, respectively, and pulling 125W, which put this CPU’s temperature around 101°C, so there was most definitely some thermal throttling. As for the GPU, they paired it with an RTX 4080 Super, which is fitting as the 285K is the flagship of the Core 200S lineup.

The 285K’s frequency was recorded at 5486.69 MHz, with its uncore frequency being 3790.9 MHz. In comparison, the CPU-Z test bench for the 14900K showcased an uncore and normal frequency of 4,500 and 5,700 MHz, respectively. Uncore refers to a set of functions or components that are not inside the core but play a vital role in its performance, such as handling L3 cache functions.

Another aspect that we noticed was that the CPU-Z window was showing the 285K using 7nm process technology, whereas it uses TSMC's 3nm process technology.

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With all of that out of the way, let's get down to the results. The Intel Core Ultra 285K had an underwhelming single-core score of 909, which puts the 14900KF, 14900K, 13900KS, and 14900KS far above it. However, when it came to multi-core score, the 285K turned the tides completely with a score of 18,964, as the closest competition was the Intel Core i9-14900K with a score of 14,281. This is a difference of 4683 points, which is significant, to say the least. 

As for Team Red, it seems like the Ryzen 9000 processors haven't been tested, but the closest competition was the Ryzen 9 7900X, which had a multi-core score of 11,105. In single-core, the results were even worse for AMD as there were 20 processors between the 285K and the Ryzen 9 7950X, with a single-core result of 755.

That said, I'm sure the Ryzen 9 9950X should be able to score well in the single-core category and give the 285K tough competition in the multi-core domain. However, it seems like Intel did something right with the development of the 200S processors, as the 285K is able to dominate the multi-core leaderboard with fewer cores (24) and threads, beating processors with 32 cores.

However, to see how well a CPU will perform in gaming, we look at its single-core performance. If we take a step back and look at the 285K’s single-core performance, it seems to align with what we know about its gaming performance. The 14900K and 7950X3D have better gaming performance, so its domination in all other aspects besides gaming seems true. 

Core Ultra 9 285K Blender benchmarks 

A post by HXL (@9550pro) highlighted the Core Ultra 285K's Blender v4.2 benchmark performance. The Core Ultra 285K has a median score of 557.46, firmly beating the 14900KS, which has a score of 508.9. Once again, we don't see the Ryzen 9000 flagship processor, the 9950X, but the 9900X made an entry that was directly underneath the Core Ultra 7 265K with a score of 461.17 against the latter's 461.79.

Since the test bench specifications aren't clear, we can't pass any judgment on this result. As we've mentioned before, changing the hardware can impact the processor's performance.

Final word

The competition seems stiff between Team Blue and Red, and neither team gives up any opportunity to outshine the other. We still see the Ryzen 7000 performing excellently, and trading blows with the next-generation processors, which speaks toward their performance and longevity.

That said, despite the competition, Intel and AMD are also aware of the rising competition that ARM-based devices are presenting in the mobile CPU market. To counter this, they've joined hands (with other big names on-board) to form the x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group.

About the Author

Ussamah Mehmood

Ussamah works as a content writer and editor at BGFG. He is experienced in tech, hardware, gaming, and marketing.