1. Introduction
The Ryzen 5 7500X3D is an entry-level gaming powerhouse on the AMD platform, while the Core Ultra 9 285K is the latest flagship on the Intel platform. In terms of overall performance, the former is undoubtedly no match for the latter, as the latter has significantly more cores and threads.
However, with its large cache and asymmetric advantage, the Ryzen 5 7500X3D is capable of competing with the Core Ultra 9 285K in gaming performance. This article compares the gaming performance of the Ryzen 5 7500X3D and the Core Ultra 9 285K.
Do the Ryzen 5 7500X3D and Core Ultra 9 285K trade wins in gaming performance, are they roughly equal, or is the former significantly weaker than the latter? This article reveals the answer.
2. Specifications Comparison
The Ryzen 5 7500X3D was released on November 12, 2025, built on TSMC’s 5nm process. It features 6 cores and 12 threads, with 384KB of L1 cache, 6MB of L2 cache, and 96MB of L3 cache. Its base clock is 4.0GHz, with a boost clock of up to 4.5GHz. It has a standard TDP of 65W and a suggested retail price of $269.
The Core Ultra 9 285K was released on October 24, 2024, using TSMC’s 3nm process. It includes 8 performance cores and 16 efficiency cores, totaling 24 cores and 24 threads. Its base frequency is 3.7GHz, with a maximum turbo frequency of 5.7GHz. It has 40MB of L2 cache and 36MB of smart cache. The standard TDP is 125W, with a maximum power draw of 253W, and the official suggested retail price is $589.
3. Test Platform Configuration
Main configurations are as follows:
The Ryzen 5 7500X3D platform uses the MSI MPG X670E CARBON motherboard with 32GB DDR5-6000MHz memory, while the Core Ultra 9 285K platform uses the MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK motherboard with 32GB DDR5-7200MHz memory. All other components are the same. The graphics card is the GeForce RTX 5090, the storage consists of two Samsung 970 EVO 1TB SSDs, and the operating system is Windows 11.
4. Game Testing (Core Ultra 9 285K vs Ryzen 7500X3D)
The following section tests seven games, all run at 1080P resolution. In the image series below, the left represents the Core Ultra 9 285K platform, and the right represents the Ryzen 5 7500X3D platform.
Note: This article focuses on comparing CPU performance rather than GPU performance. If 2K or 4K modes were used, the load would fall primarily on the GPU. Since 1080P mode relies more on CPU performance, higher resolutions are not used here.
Game 1: Ghostwire: Tokyo
Core Ultra 9 285K platform:
- Avg FPS: 216
- 1% Low FPS: 151
- Frame time: 4.6ms
- CPU usage: 17%
- CPU power: 60W
- CPU temp: 50°C
- Memory usage: 11.1GB
- GPU usage: 75%
- VRAM usage: 6.3GB
- GPU power: 298W
- GPU temp: 47°C
Ryzen 5 7500X3D platform:
- Avg FPS: 203
- 1% Low FPS: 148
- Frame time: 4.7ms
- CPU usage: 32%
- CPU power: 48W
- CPU temp: 50°C
- Memory usage: 11.0GB
- GPU usage: 73%
- VRAM usage: 6.1GB
- GPU power: 299W
- GPU temp: 46°C
In this game, Core Ultra 9 285K has 15% lower CPU usage, similar memory usage, 2% higher GPU usage, 0.2GB more VRAM usage, 12W higher CPU power, and equal CPU temperature.
It leads by 13 FPS in average frame rate (~6% higher), 3 FPS higher in 1% lows, with similar frame times.
Game 2: Red Dead Redemption 2
Core Ultra 9 285K platform:
- Avg FPS: 148
- 1% Low FPS: 113
- Frame time: 6.3ms
- CPU usage: 55%
- CPU power: 92W
- CPU temp: 54°C
- Memory usage: 13.0GB
- GPU usage: 58%
- VRAM usage: 6.1GB
- GPU power: 249W
- GPU temp: 44°C
Ryzen 5 7500X3D platform:
- Avg FPS: 200
- 1% Low FPS: 120
- Frame time: 4.8ms
- CPU usage: 81%
- CPU power: 61W
- CPU temp: 58°C
- Memory usage: 12.9GB
- GPU usage: 79%
- VRAM usage: 5.9GB
- GPU power: 312W
- GPU temp: 46°C
Here, Core Ultra 9 285K has 26% lower CPU usage, nearly equal memory use, 21% lower GPU usage, 0.2GB more VRAM usage, 31W higher CPU power, and 4°C lower CPU temp.
It lags behind by 52 FPS in average frame rate (~26% lower), 7 FPS lower in 1% lows, and frame time is 1.5ms higher. Ryzen 5 7500X3D wins this round.
Game 3: Hogwarts Legacy
Core Ultra 9 285K platform:
- Avg FPS: 62
- 1% Low FPS: 37
- Frame time: 16.2ms
- CPU usage: 20%
- CPU power: 65W
- CPU temp: 51°C
- Memory usage: 21.9GB
- GPU usage: 39%
- VRAM usage: 11.4GB
- GPU power: 192W
- GPU temp: 42°C
Ryzen 5 7500X3D platform:
- Avg FPS: 57
- 1% Low FPS: 36
- Frame time: 16.6ms
- CPU usage: 38%
- CPU power: 47W
- CPU temp: 57°C
- Memory usage: 21.7GB
- GPU usage: 36%
- VRAM usage: 11.2GB
- GPU power: 176W
- GPU temp: 38°C
Core Ultra 9 285K has 18% lower CPU usage, 0.2GB more memory and VRAM usage, 3% higher GPU usage, 18W higher CPU power, and 6°C lower CPU temp.
It leads by 5 FPS in average frame rate (~9% higher), with nearly equal 1% lows and frame times.
Game 4: Microsoft Flight Simulator
Core Ultra 9 285K platform:
- Avg FPS: 92
- 1% Low FPS: 69
- Frame time: 10.8ms
- CPU usage: 38%
- CPU power: 80W
- CPU temp: 53°C
- Memory usage: 16.8GB
- GPU usage: 56%
- VRAM usage: 11.7GB
- GPU power: 265W
- GPU temp: 47°C
Ryzen 5 7500X3D platform:
- Avg FPS: 101
- 1% Low FPS: 69
- Frame time: 9.1ms
- CPU usage: 57%
- CPU power: 66W
- CPU temp: 68°C
- Memory usage: 17.4GB
- GPU usage: 60%
- VRAM usage: 9.3GB
- GPU power: 274W
- GPU temp: 46°C
Core Ultra 9 285K has 19% lower CPU usage, 0.6GB lower memory usage, 4% lower GPU usage, 2.4GB more VRAM usage, 14W higher CPU power, and 15°C lower CPU temp.
It trails by 9 FPS (~9% lower), equal 1% lows, and 1ms higher frame time.
Game 5: PUBG
Core Ultra 9 285K platform:
- Avg FPS: 240
- 1% Low FPS: 152
- Frame time: 4.0ms
- CPU usage: 50%
- CPU power: 57W
- CPU temp: 52°C
- Memory usage: 14.1GB
- GPU usage: 46%
- VRAM usage: 5.8GB
- GPU power: 241W
- GPU temp: 44°C
Ryzen 5 7500X3D platform:
- Avg FPS: 279
- 1% Low FPS: 150
- Frame time: 3.5ms
- CPU usage: 68%
- CPU power: 59W
- CPU temp: 64°C
- Memory usage: 13.8GB
- GPU usage: 66%
- VRAM usage: 5.5GB
- GPU power: 277W
- GPU temp: 45°C
Core Ultra 9 285K has 18% lower CPU usage, 0.3GB more memory and VRAM usage, 2W lower CPU power, 12°C lower CPU temp, and 20% lower GPU usage.
It falls behind by 39 FPS (~14% lower), though it has 2 FPS higher 1% lows and similar frame time.
Game 6: Battlefield 6
Core Ultra 9 285K platform:
- Avg FPS: 227
- 1% Low FPS: 182
- Frame time: 4.7ms
- CPU usage: 68%
- CPU power: 117W
- CPU temp: 61°C
- Memory usage: 13.7GB
- GPU usage: 79%
- VRAM usage: 8.7GB
- GPU power: 294W
- GPU temp: 49°C
Ryzen 5 7500X3D platform:
- Avg FPS: 220
- 1% Low FPS: 157
- Frame time: 4.3ms
- CPU usage: 85%
- CPU power: 67W
- CPU temp: 66°C
- Memory usage: 14.3GB
- GPU usage: 83%
- VRAM usage: 8.7GB
- GPU power: 283W
- GPU temp: 47°C
Core Ultra 9 285K has 17% lower CPU usage, 0.6GB lower memory usage, 4% lower GPU usage, same VRAM, 50W higher CPU power, and 5°C lower CPU temp.
It leads by 7 FPS (~3% higher), 25 FPS higher in 1% lows, with nearly equal frame times.
Game 7: The Last of Us Part II
Core Ultra 9 285K platform:
- Avg FPS: 179
- 1% Low FPS: 125
- Frame time: 5.2ms
- CPU usage: 58%
- CPU power: 110W
- CPU temp: 59°C
- Memory usage: 13.4GB
- GPU usage: 99%
- VRAM usage: 8.9GB
- GPU power: 304W
- GPU temp: 50°C
Ryzen 5 7500X3D platform:
- Avg FPS: 142
- 1% Low FPS: 91
- Frame time: 8.1ms
- CPU usage: 94%
- CPU power: 66W
- CPU temp: 63°C
- Memory usage: 13.0GB
- GPU usage: 81%
- VRAM usage: 8.4GB
- GPU power: 260W
- GPU temp: 44°C
Core Ultra 9 285K has 36% lower CPU usage, 0.4GB more memory, 18% higher GPU usage, 0.5GB more VRAM, 44W higher CPU power, and 4°C lower CPU temp.
It leads by 37 FPS in average frame rate (~26% higher), 34 FPS higher in 1% lows, and 2ms lower frame time.
5. Comparison Conclusion
The comparison results are clear: in terms of pure gaming performance, out of the seven games tested, the Core Ultra 9 285K won four times, while the Ryzen 5 7500X3D won three times. The Core Ultra 9 285K performs better in games that rely more heavily on CPU performance, whereas the Ryzen 5 7500X3D excels in games that benefit from larger cache sizes. Each has its strengths, making them closely matched overall.
Nevertheless, the Core Ultra 9 285K holds a clear absolute advantage, as its CPU usage is significantly lower across the board compared to the Ryzen 5 7500X3D, indicating it runs more effortlessly. In other words, the Core Ultra 9 285K’s absolute performance overwhelmingly surpasses that of the Ryzen 5 7500X3D.
In conclusion, for gamers who prioritize gaming performance over productivity tasks, the Ryzen 5 7500X3D remains a highly worthwhile choice due to its excellent price-to-performance ratio.
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