Intel Core Ultra 9 285K vs. Core i9-14900K: a tough sell Ali Guerra | usagoldmines.com

Intel Arrow Lake processors are right here, and the Core Extremely 9 285K stands on the high of the lineup as Intel’s present best CPU. Nevertheless, the chip faces quite a lot of competitors not simply from AMD, but in addition from Intel’s personal last-gen Raptor Lake refresh. Even Intel itself can’t deny that performance-wise, the Core Extremely 9 285K and the Core i9-14900K are usually not that far off.

Though the efficiency uplift could be delicate (and even non-existent) at instances, Intel’s Core Extremely 9 285K does convey some fascinating adjustments. Right here’s a rundown of how the Core Extremely 9 285K and the Core i9-14900K stack up in opposition to one another.

Pricing and availability

Intel

The Core Extremely 9 285K and the Core i9-14900K are nearly precisely one yr aside.

The Core i9-14900K, a part of the Raptor Lake Refresh lineup and a 14th-gen processor, was formally launched on October 17, 2023. In the meantime, the Core Extremely 9 285K was introduced alongside the remainder of the Arrow Lake-S lineup on October 10, 2024, and can hit the cabinets on October 24.

Each processors had been launched with the very same advisable listing value (MSRP) of $590. Nevertheless, one yr later, you’ll discover the Core i9-14900K went by a number of value cuts and is now an awesome deal cheaper. You may choose it up for as little as . When the Core Extremely 9 285K is up on the market, we count on it to be at across the MSRP for some time, but it surely may assist push down the value of the Core i9-14900K even additional.

Specs

Whenever you take a look at the specs, these two processors appear to be they’re nearly the identical factor — and if one needed to choose a winner, the Core i9-14900K may appear to be the higher deal. It has extra threads, however that’s as a result of Intel finally killed Hyper-Threading. It additionally sports activities a better clock velocity.

The Core Extremely 9 285K retains the identical core configuration as its predecessor, full with eight P cores and 16 E cores. The shortage of threads is a giant one, as after over a decade, Intel is now not utilizing multi-threading in its desktop CPUs. This units this technology aside not from simply earlier Intel merchandise, but in addition from AMD, which makes use of SMT (simultaneous multithreading) in its newest Zen 5 processors. In actual fact, the flagship Ryzen 9 9950X solely sports activities 16 cores, but it surely additionally comes with 32 threads.

The decrease most clock velocity is just not a shock, on condition that Intel appears to be concentrating on effectivity with this technology versus pushing for enormous efficiency good points. Alternatively, the bottom P core clocks are a lot increased on the Core Extremely 9 285K than on the Core i9-14900K. The newer CPU sits at 3.7GHz, and the older chip sports activities 3.2GHz. The identical will be mentioned about E cores: The Core Extremely 9 285K provides a base frequency of three.2GHz and a most clock of 4.6GHz, and its predecessor maxes out at 2.4GHz and 4.4GHz, respectively.

Though Intel spoke rather a lot concerning the effectivity of Arrow Lake-S — which we’ll speak about under — the CPU nonetheless has virtually the identical TDP because the previous-gen half.

Another main spec change is that Intel is ditching the LGA1700 socket and transferring on to LGA1851. This implies new motherboards, but in addition an enormous distinction in reminiscence help, as a result of the Core Extremely 9 285K abandons DDR4 RAM and solely helps as much as 192GB of DDR5-6400 reminiscence. In the meantime, the Raptor Lake chip can run both DDR4 or DDR5.

Lastly, the Arrow Lake processor has some bragging rights for that includes the primary neural processing unit (NPU) present in a desktop CPU. Designed for AI workloads, the NPU within the Core Extremely 9 285K solely sports activities 13 tera operations per second (TOPS). That is a lot lower than what Lunar Lake CPUs needed to sport with the intention to qualify for the Copilot+ program. Nevertheless, on a desktop laptop, AI workloads are often dealt with by the GPU, which makes the NPU a pleasant perk however not a dealbreaker a method or one other.

Effectivity

Intel

A giant promoting level for the Core Extremely 9 285K, in addition to the remainder of the Core Extremely 200-S lineup, lies in its effectivity. Though we’ve but to check it ourselves, Intel talked rather a lot about how a lot cooler and extra environment friendly the brand new CPUs are, offering some benchmarks to show it. The corporate’s fundamental declare is that Arrow Lake-S, with the Core Extremely 9 285K main the cost, can supply the identical efficiency at half the facility draw. Let’s take a better look.

Intel

First, Intel talked about the best way the Core Extremely 9 285K stacks up in opposition to the Core i9-14900K in productiveness checks, together with Procyon Workplace Productiveness and the Cinebench 2024 single-core take a look at. Primarily based on these benchmarks, Intel claims bundle energy reductions starting from 42% to 58%.

Intel

Intel additionally claims to supply the identical efficiency as not simply the Core i9-14900K, but in addition the Ryzen 9 9950X, whereas solely consuming half the facility — 125 watts as a substitute of 250 watts. That is in a Cinebech multi-core take a look at.

Intel

Lastly, Intel dips into efficiency per watt in gaming situations by evaluating the facility draw of your entire system. Which means not simply the CPU but in addition all the remainder of it, such because the Z780 motherboard used for testing the Core i9-14900K and the 800-series board Intel paired with the Core Extremely 9 285K.

In lots of titles, the Core Extremely 9 285K managed to supply roughly the identical body charges because the Core i9-14900K. This consists of video games like Metro Exodus and Black Fable: Wukong. In Whole Warfare: Pharaoh, the Arrow Lake CPU maintained the identical frames per second (fps) whereas decreasing system energy by 58 watts. The most important good points are seen in Warhammer 40,000: Area Marine 2, the place the Core Extremely 9 285K pushes forward by 4% whereas reducing system energy by a whopping 165 watts.

Intel

Along with decrease system energy, Intel additionally claims that the brand new CPU runs as much as 15 levels Celsius cooler than the Core i9-14900K.

These figures are promising for the Arrow Lake chip, but it surely’s necessary to not take them at face worth — we’ll have to check it ourselves and see simply how a lot the brand new chip can sustain with its predecessor at a decrease energy draw.

Efficiency

Intel

Other than effectivity, Intel additionally supplied a slew of benchmarks in gaming and productiveness situations. The outcomes are a bit all over, and sadly, Intel selected the rival Ryzen 9 9950X to check to in most of those checks. Nevertheless, we’ve in contrast the Ryzen 9 9950X to the Core i9-14900K in our in-depth benchmarks, so that ought to offer you a good suggestion of how the 2 CPUs stack up. For reference, we’ve discovered that the 9950X is about 10% sooner in productiveness, but it surely lagged behind in our gaming checks.

As for the Core Extremely 9 285K, Intel claims a lead of as much as 28% in Whole Warfare: Warhammer III, however the harsh actuality is that the majority titles are even — that sport is the one single main victory for Intel. The CPU trails behind AMD in Cyberpunk 2077 and Pink Useless Redemption 2, and that’s with Intel APO enabled, so which may tip the scales in Intel’s favor, too.

Intel

Intel additionally pits the Core Extremely 9 285K in opposition to the last-gen Ryzen 9 7950X3D. AMD’s 3D V-Cache is troublesome to win in opposition to, therefore why we’re seeing a significant 21% drop in Cyberpunk 2077 — however that drop would nonetheless very a lot be there if Intel in contrast the Core i9-14900K to the 7950X3D. Intel additionally claims one victory over the 7950X3D, with Civilization VI scoring an additional 15% fps.

Provided that the Ryzen 9 9950X is mostly slower in gaming than the Core i9-14900K, we count on the Core Extremely 9 285K and its predecessor to finish up totally on par. We’ll should examine this completely as soon as the CPU is on the market for testing.

Content material creation tells a distinct story. Intel’s Arrow Lake CPU wipes the ground with the Ryzen 9 7950X3D in some checks, with a 21% win in Cinebench. But when this was a comparability in opposition to the 9950X, we’d in all probability see a a lot completely different consequence.

Intel

Again to the Core i9-14900K, Intel touts an as much as 15% acquire in multi-threaded efficiency when in comparison with the Raptor Lake Refresh chip. Intel additionally in contrast the Core Extremely 9 285K in opposition to the 9950X once more right here, with a win of as much as 19% in 3DMark and 18% in Cinebench’s multi-core take a look at.

Moreover, Intel confirmed off some improved render instances — an necessary factor for content material creators. Sadly, as these comparisons had been as soon as once more made in opposition to the Ryzen 9 9950X, it’s exhausting to think about how the CPU will stack up in opposition to the Core i9-14900K right here. Intel’s largest wins had been enormous, and the losses had been fairly small, however once more, we’ll want to attract our personal conclusions as soon as we’ve examined the chip.

A tough promote

Intel

Intel’s Arrow Lake-S flagship is each fortunate and unlucky. It’s fortunate as a result of it arrives met with fairly common competitors, as AMD’s Zen 5 CPUs additionally didn’t present a lot of a generational uplift in comparison with their predecessors. Nevertheless, it’s unlucky as a result of it’s actually not the large enchancment folks might have hoped for.

As a substitute of pushing for increased efficiency, Intel selected to focus on effectivity. This can be a good strategy, however with an fanatic CPU, it might not play as huge an element as it could with a lower-end chip. Most individuals don’t purchase a $600 processor to save lots of on their electrical payments or with the intention to purchase a funds cooler; they need efficiency good points, which the Core Extremely 9 285K may not ship a lot of.

Nevertheless, the primary cause why the Core Extremely 9 285K could be a troublesome promote is that the Core i9-14900K is now less expensive than it was when it was first launched. Though each chips have the identical MSRP, the Core i9-14900K is $150 cheaper.

If our benchmarks align with what Intel’s proven us thus far, the Core Extremely 9 285K is unlikely to be price a $150 premium. As soon as we’ve examined it ourselves, we’ll be capable to inform you extra about its efficiency.