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 i7-13700K

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $180 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $589 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 9 285K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (31,000 vs 45,563).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 36 MB).

Core Ultra 9 285K

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 30 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
44% HIGHER MSRP
$589 MSRPvs$409 MSRP

Core i7-13700K

2022

Core Ultra 9 285K

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $180 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $589 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 30 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) 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 Cinebench R23 multi-core (31,000 vs 45,563).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 36 MB).

Trade-offs

❌
44% HIGHER MSRP
$589 MSRPvs$409 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 9 285K better than Core i7-13700K?

Yes. Core Ultra 9 285K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 16.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 47% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 47.4% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core Ultra 9 285K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 16.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 9 285K is the better fit. You are getting 47% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 24 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 30 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 44.0% more expensive on MSRP at $589 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 16.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 2.3% better value on MSRP (114.6 vs 111.9 PassMark/$), 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 LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i7-13700K can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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 2022), 20% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 30 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 24 threads instead of 16/24. 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 i7-13700K Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 9 285K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 9 285K
1080p
low	284 FPS	341 FPS
medium	268 FPS	323 FPS
high	223 FPS	267 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	226 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	288 FPS
medium	200 FPS	239 FPS
high	159 FPS	184 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	162 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	188 FPS
medium	134 FPS	155 FPS
high	103 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	103 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 9 285K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 9 285K
1080p
low	689 FPS	899 FPS
medium	580 FPS	778 FPS
high	484 FPS	623 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	544 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	756 FPS
medium	525 FPS	677 FPS
high	441 FPS	557 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	447 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	421 FPS
medium	314 FPS	383 FPS
high	295 FPS	358 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	310 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 9 285K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 9 285K
1080p
low	648 FPS	879 FPS
medium	530 FPS	718 FPS
high	467 FPS	637 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	545 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	750 FPS
medium	491 FPS	616 FPS
high	427 FPS	534 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	458 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	534 FPS
medium	374 FPS	459 FPS
high	339 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	352 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 9 285K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 9 285K
1080p
low	970 FPS	1202 FPS
medium	883 FPS	1015 FPS
high	766 FPS	939 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	846 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	930 FPS
medium	740 FPS	811 FPS
high	642 FPS	713 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	633 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	685 FPS
medium	515 FPS	606 FPS
high	463 FPS	539 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 9 285K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and Core Ultra 9 285K

Core i7-13700K

The Core i7-13700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 45,784 points. Launch price was $409.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Core Ultra 9 285K offers 24 cores / 24 threads — the Core Ultra 9 285K has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 5.6 GHz on the Core Ultra 9 285K — a 3.6% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 9 285K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 9 285K uses Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Core Ultra 9 285K's 67,482 — a 38.3% lead for the Core Ultra 9 285K. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 31,000 vs 45,563 (38% advantage for the Core Ultra 9 285K). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,846 vs 3,200, a 11.7% lead for the Core Ultra 9 285K that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 18,980 vs 22,563 (17.2% advantage for the Core Ultra 9 285K). L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 36 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 9 285K.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 9 285K
Cores / Threads	16 / 24	24 / 24+50%
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz	5.6 GHz+4%
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	3.7 GHz+9%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	36 MB (total)+20%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	3 MB (per core)+50%
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)
PassMark	45,784	67,482+47%
Cinebench R23 Multi	31,000	45,563+47%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,846	3,200+12%
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,980	22,563+19%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 9 285K uses LGA1851 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. Both support up to 192 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-13700K) vs 24 (Core Ultra 9 285K) — the Core Ultra 9 285K offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel Z790,Intel H770,Intel B760,Intel Z690,Intel H670,Intel B660,Intel H610 (Core i7-13700K) and Z890 (Core Ultra 9 285K).

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 9 285K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1851
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	192 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support true virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-13700K) and Intel Arc Graphics 64EU (Core Ultra 9 285K) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; Core Ultra 9 285K rivals Ryzen 9 9950X.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 9 285K
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Intel Arc Graphics 64EU
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	true	true

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-13700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 9 285K debuted at $589. On MSRP ($409 vs $589), the Core i7-13700K is $180 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700K delivers 111.9 pts/$ vs 114.6 pts/$ for the Core Ultra 9 285K — making the Core Ultra 9 285K the 2.3% better value option.