Intel Core Ultra 9 285K falls below Core i9-14900K in games

Intel’s recent ups and downs continue, especially with their latest high-end chip, the Core Ultra 9 285K from the Core Ultra 200 series. Earlier this week, the processor received widespread praise when PassMark announced it had set a world record for single-thread performance. However, just days later, Intel faced criticism from the Chinese press for the chip’s underwhelming performance in specific gaming benchmarks.

Despite Intel’s emphasis on improvements like IPC (instructions per cycle) gains from its Lion Cove performance cores and maintaining frequencies similar to those of Raptor Cove cores in the Raptor Lake Refresh series, the Core Ultra 9 285K didn’t fully deliver as expected. This criticism arose after a leaked slide from Intel’s internal tests, shared by leaker Wxnod, showed the Core Ultra 9 285K lagging behind the Core i9-14900K in many gaming tests.

According to the leak, the new processor outperformed the Core i9-14900K in just four of the 12 games tested:

• Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2
• Age of Mythology Retold
• Civilization VI: Gathering Storm
• F1 23

In five other games, including major titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Rainbow Six Siege, the performance was nearly identical between the two chips. But the most troubling results came in three titles, where the Core Ultra 9 285K showed a performance drop of up to 15%:

• Far Cry 6
• Final Fantasy 16
• Red Dead Redemption 2

The mixed results have sparked disappointment, particularly because the Core Ultra 9 285K was expected to set a new bar in performance, building on the strengths of Intel’s previous generation.

While it excels in some areas, this underperformance in key gaming benchmarks has left many wondering if the much-hyped improvements can compete with Raptor Lake Refresh in all scenarios.

Comparison with AMD CPUs

Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K has faced further challenges in head-to-head comparisons against AMD’s top-tier processors, namely the Ryzen 9 9950X and the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. While Intel’s new chip was anticipated to make waves, the results have been somewhat disappointing, especially in the context of both gaming and workload performance.

When matched against the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, a CPU not even AMD’s primary gaming chip, Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K only outperformed it in Rainbow Six Siege. For the rest of the games and workloads tested, Intel’s processor either matched the 7950X3D or underperformed in comparison, a less-than-ideal outcome considering the high expectations surrounding the Core Ultra 9 285K.

The situation worsened compared to AMD’s flagship Ryzen 9 9950X, built on the new Zen 5 microarchitecture. Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K in this direct contest was outclassed in 8 of the 12 games tested. This significant gap highlights that AMD’s new flagship is currently the dominant performer in the high-end gaming segment.

While the Core Ultra 9 285K brings some performance improvements, particularly in single-threaded tasks, it appears to fall short when pitted against AMD’s latest offerings, especially in multi-threaded gaming workloads. This performance gap is a critical setback for Intel as it faces fierce competition from AMD in both the consumer and professional CPU markets.

How does the Core Ultra 9 285K stand out?

Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K processor has sparked curiosity, especially after Intel acknowledged that it lags behind competitors like AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X in gaming performance. However, the Core Ultra 200 “Arrow Lake-S” lineup, including the 285K, offers other key advantages that may appeal to different types of users.

Key Strengths of the Core Ultra 9 285K:

• Energy Efficiency: One of the standout features is the chip’s significant improvement in power consumption. While delivering performance levels similar to the previous Core i9-14900K, the Core Ultra 9 285K operates at around 80W, much lower than the 14900K’s 125W. This efficiency is made possible by advancements in Foveros 3D technology, along with the Arrow Lake-S architecture, which optimizes core distribution across multiple tiles.
• IPC Gains: Intel’s promised Instructions Per Cycle (IPC) improvements are another notable advantage. While these IPC gains don’t translate into major gaming performance boosts, they make a difference in productivity workloads. For tasks like content creation, 3D modeling, and professional applications, this improved efficiency positions the Core Ultra 9 285K ahead of many AMD competitors in similar tasks, especially where high core count and parallel processing are key.
• Targeted Professional Use: Although gaming enthusiasts may look elsewhere, professional users—especially those involved in 3D rendering, video editing, and data-heavy tasks—will likely find the Core Ultra 200 series a better fit. The performance boost and lower power consumption make these processors well-suited for demanding work environments.

The full reveal of the Core Ultra 9 285K and the Core Ultra 200 series processors is expected on Thursday (10th). Testing and reviews will soon confirm whether these new chips live up to their potential, especially regarding energy efficiency and productivity performance. Intel seems poised to carve out a niche in the professional computing space, even if gaming performance isn’t the primary selling point.

Source: Wxnod (X)