PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core Ultra 5 245

2025

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $160 less on MSRP ($319 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).
✅Delivers 50.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 125.9 vs 83.4 PassMark/$ ($319 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 120W, a 55W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9800X3D across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (39,966 vs 40,165).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 83.4 vs 125.9 PassMark/$ ($479 MSRP vs $319 MSRP).
❌84.6% higher power demand at 120W vs 65W.

Core Ultra 5 245

2025

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

2024

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $160 less on MSRP ($319 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).
✅Delivers 50.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 125.9 vs 83.4 PassMark/$ ($319 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 120W, a 55W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9800X3D across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (39,966 vs 40,165).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 83.4 vs 125.9 PassMark/$ ($479 MSRP vs $319 MSRP).
❌84.6% higher power demand at 120W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 245 better than Ryzen 7 9800X3D?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 7 9800X3D is ahead with a 11.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 245 pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 9800X3D also has the bigger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 24 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 245 is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 14 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core Ultra 5 245 is the smarter buy today. Core Ultra 5 245 is $160 cheaper on MSRP at $319 MSRP versus $479 MSRP, and it gives you 0.5% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Ryzen 7 9800X3D is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 11.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 50.9% better value on MSRP (125.9 vs 83.4 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM5 + DDR5 setup, Ryzen 7 9800X3D is still an elite gaming CPU and a very strong platform-matched choice because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap while remaining one of the strongest gaming chips you can buy.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core Ultra 5 245 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2024) and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 14 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core Ultra 5 245 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 9800X3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 245	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1080p
low	278 FPS	276 FPS
medium	263 FPS	257 FPS
high	222 FPS	219 FPS
ultra	189 FPS	192 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	260 FPS
medium	194 FPS	217 FPS
high	158 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	155 FPS
4K
low	153 FPS	179 FPS
medium	128 FPS	149 FPS
high	100 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	100 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 245 Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 245	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1080p
low	668 FPS	880 FPS
medium	564 FPS	713 FPS
high	469 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	474 FPS
1440p
low	579 FPS	697 FPS
medium	509 FPS	591 FPS
high	426 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	369 FPS	383 FPS
4K
low	342 FPS	383 FPS
medium	306 FPS	328 FPS
high	291 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	256 FPS	263 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 245 Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 245	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1080p
low	845 FPS	944 FPS
medium	689 FPS	772 FPS
high	613 FPS	698 FPS
ultra	525 FPS	604 FPS
1440p
low	730 FPS	731 FPS
medium	598 FPS	598 FPS
high	519 FPS	529 FPS
ultra	441 FPS	452 FPS
4K
low	505 FPS	506 FPS
medium	425 FPS	419 FPS
high	383 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	316 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 245 Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 245	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1080p
low	1004 FPS	999 FPS
medium	956 FPS	999 FPS
high	834 FPS	907 FPS
ultra	758 FPS	811 FPS
1440p
low	865 FPS	885 FPS
medium	764 FPS	778 FPS
high	663 FPS	685 FPS
ultra	589 FPS	592 FPS
4K
low	585 FPS	639 FPS
medium	525 FPS	568 FPS
high	472 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	417 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 245 Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 245 and Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Core Ultra 5 245

The Core Ultra 5 245 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. It features 14 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1851. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 40,165 points. Launch price was $270.

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 November 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 39,966 points. Launch price was $479.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 245 packs 14 cores / 14 threads, while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core Ultra 5 245 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 245 versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D — a 1.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D (base: 3.5 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 245 uses the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture (3 nm), while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses Granite Ridge (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 245 scores 40,165 against the Ryzen 7 9800X3D's 39,966 — a 0.5% lead for the Core Ultra 5 245. L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 245 vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 245	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Cores / Threads	14 / 14+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz	5.2 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	4.7 GHz+34%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)	96 MB (total)+300%
L2 Cache	3 MB (per core)+200%	1 MB (per core)
Process	3 nm-25%	4 nm
Architecture	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)	Granite Ridge (2024−2025)
PassMark	40,165	39,966
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	23,277
Geekbench 6 Single	—	3,450
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	18,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 245 uses the LGA1851 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 6400 on the Core Ultra 5 245 versus DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D — the Core Ultra 5 245 supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core Ultra 5 245 supports up to 256 of RAM compared to 192 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core Ultra 5 245) vs 28 (Ryzen 7 9800X3D) — the Ryzen 7 9800X3D offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z890,B860 (Core Ultra 5 245) and X670E,B650E,X870E,B850 (Ryzen 7 9800X3D).

Feature	Core Ultra 5 245	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Socket	LGA1851	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	6400+127900%	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	256	192 GB+78643100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 9800X3D has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 7 9800X3D supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 245) vs AMD-V, AMD-Vi (Ryzen 7 9800X3D). Both include integrated graphics — Intel Arc Xe-LPG Graphics (Core Ultra 5 245) and Radeon Graphics (Ryzen 7 9800X3D) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 9800X3D targets Extreme Gaming. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 245 rivals Ryzen 5 9600X; Ryzen 7 9800X3D rivals Core i9-14900K.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 245	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel Arc Xe-LPG Graphics	Radeon Graphics
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V, AMD-Vi
Target Use	—	Extreme Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core Ultra 5 245 launched at $319 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D debuted at $479. On MSRP ($319 vs $479), the Core Ultra 5 245 is $160 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core Ultra 5 245 delivers 125.9 pts/$ vs 83.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D — making the Core Ultra 5 245 the 40.6% better value option.