Core Ultra 9 285K vs EPYC 7702

CPU

GPU

Core Ultra 9 285K

24 Cores24 Thrd125 WWMax: 5.6 GHz2024

Popular choices:

•••••••••

EPYC 7702

64 Cores128 Thrd200 WWMax: 3.35 GHz2019

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core Ultra 9 285K

24 / 24

67,482

0.0%

69,060

+2.3%

Ryzen 9 3950X

Ryzen 9 5950X

Ryzen 9 7940HX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

About PassMark

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 9 285K

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +38.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $5,861 less on MSRP ($589 MSRP vs $6,450 MSRP).
✅Delivers 970.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.6 vs 10.7 PassMark/$ ($589 MSRP vs $6,450 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 200W, a 75W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (67,482 vs 69,060).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7702, which brings 64 cores / 128 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 7702

2019

Why buy it

✅+2.3% higher PassMark.
✅+611.1% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 64 cores / 128 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 9 285K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.7 vs 114.6 PassMark/$ ($6,450 MSRP vs $589 MSRP).
❌60% higher power demand at 200W vs 125W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 9 285K moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 9 285K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core Ultra 9 285K

2024

EPYC 7702

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +38.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $5,861 less on MSRP ($589 MSRP vs $6,450 MSRP).
✅Delivers 970.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.6 vs 10.7 PassMark/$ ($589 MSRP vs $6,450 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 200W, a 75W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+2.3% higher PassMark.
✅+611.1% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 64 cores / 128 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (67,482 vs 69,060).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7702, which brings 64 cores / 128 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 9 285K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.7 vs 114.6 PassMark/$ ($6,450 MSRP vs $589 MSRP).
❌60% higher power demand at 200W vs 125W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 9 285K moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 9 285K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 9 285K better than EPYC 7702?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7702 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core Ultra 9 285K is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7702 is the better fit. You are getting 2.3% better PassMark, backed by 64 cores and 128 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 611.1% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 36 MB).

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

Core Ultra 9 285K is the smarter buy today. Core Ultra 9 285K is $5,861 cheaper on MSRP at $589 MSRP versus $6,450 MSRP, and it gives you a 38.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 7702 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 2.3% better PassMark. It is also 970.1% better value on MSRP (114.6 vs 10.7 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core Ultra 9 285K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with LGA1851 and DDR5 instead of TR4. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 9 285K Benchmark Check

EPYC 7702 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 9 285K	EPYC 7702
1080p
low	341 FPS	192 FPS
medium	323 FPS	172 FPS
high	267 FPS	138 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	288 FPS	157 FPS
medium	239 FPS	132 FPS
high	184 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	162 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	188 FPS	72 FPS
medium	155 FPS	65 FPS
high	115 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	40 FPS

Open Core Ultra 9 285K Open EPYC 7702

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 9 285K	EPYC 7702
1080p
low	899 FPS	247 FPS
medium	778 FPS	221 FPS
high	623 FPS	183 FPS
ultra	544 FPS	148 FPS
1440p
low	756 FPS	202 FPS
medium	677 FPS	186 FPS
high	557 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	447 FPS	124 FPS
4K
low	421 FPS	126 FPS
medium	383 FPS	118 FPS
high	358 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	310 FPS	84 FPS

Open Core Ultra 9 285K Open EPYC 7702

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 9 285K	EPYC 7702
1080p
low	879 FPS	629 FPS
medium	718 FPS	536 FPS
high	637 FPS	486 FPS
ultra	545 FPS	415 FPS
1440p
low	750 FPS	524 FPS
medium	616 FPS	446 FPS
high	534 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	458 FPS	338 FPS
4K
low	534 FPS	389 FPS
medium	459 FPS	312 FPS
high	415 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	352 FPS	224 FPS

Open Core Ultra 9 285K Open EPYC 7702

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 9 285K	EPYC 7702
1080p
low	1202 FPS	904 FPS
medium	1015 FPS	823 FPS
high	939 FPS	706 FPS
ultra	846 FPS	610 FPS
1440p
low	930 FPS	711 FPS
medium	811 FPS	620 FPS
high	713 FPS	530 FPS
ultra	633 FPS	450 FPS
4K
low	685 FPS	503 FPS
medium	606 FPS	452 FPS
high	539 FPS	398 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	343 FPS

Open Core Ultra 9 285K Open EPYC 7702

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 9 285K and EPYC 7702

Core Ultra 9 285K

The Core Ultra 9 285K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. It features 24 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.6 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1851. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 67,482 points. Launch price was $589.

EPYC 7702

The EPYC 7702 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.35 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 200 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 69,060 points. Launch price was $6,450.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 9 285K packs 24 cores / 24 threads, while the EPYC 7702 offers 64 cores / 128 threads — the EPYC 7702 has 40 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.6 GHz on the Core Ultra 9 285K versus 3.35 GHz on the EPYC 7702 — a 50.3% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 9 285K (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core Ultra 9 285K uses the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture (3 nm), while the EPYC 7702 uses Zen 2 (2017−2020) (7 nm, 14 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 9 285K scores 67,482 against the EPYC 7702's 69,060 — a 2.3% lead for the EPYC 7702. L3 cache: 36 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 9 285K vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 7702.

Feature	Core Ultra 9 285K	EPYC 7702
Cores / Threads	24 / 24	64 / 128+167%
Boost Clock	5.6 GHz+67%	3.35 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+85%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	36 MB (total)	256 MB (total)+611%
L2 Cache	3 MB (per core)+500%	512K (per core)
Process	3 nm-57%	7 nm, 14 nm
Architecture	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)	Zen 2 (2017−2020)
PassMark	67,482	69,060+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi	45,563	—
Geekbench 6 Single	3,200	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	22,563	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 9 285K uses the LGA1851 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 7702 uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-6400 on the Core Ultra 9 285K versus 3200 on the EPYC 7702 — the EPYC 7702 supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7702 supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 192 GB — 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core Ultra 9 285K) vs 8 (EPYC 7702). PCIe lanes: 24 (Core Ultra 9 285K) vs 128 (EPYC 7702) — the EPYC 7702 offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z890 (Core Ultra 9 285K) and SP3 (EPYC 7702).

Feature	Core Ultra 9 285K	EPYC 7702
Socket	LGA1851	TR4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400	3200+63900%
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+4915100%	4096
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	128+433%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core Ultra 9 285K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: true (Core Ultra 9 285K) vs VT-x, VT-d (EPYC 7702). The Core Ultra 9 285K includes integrated graphics (Intel Arc Graphics 64EU), while the EPYC 7702 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 9 285K rivals Ryzen 9 9950X; EPYC 7702 rivals Xeon Platinum 8280.

Feature	Core Ultra 9 285K	EPYC 7702
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel Arc Graphics 64EU	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Core Ultra 9 285K launched at $589 MSRP, while the EPYC 7702 debuted at $6450. On MSRP ($589 vs $6450), the Core Ultra 9 285K is $5861 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core Ultra 9 285K delivers 114.6 pts/$ vs 10.7 pts/$ for the EPYC 7702 — making the Core Ultra 9 285K the 165.8% better value option.