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 245T

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $229 less on MSRP ($270 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 84.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 120.2 vs 65.2 PassMark/$ ($270 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Arc Xe-LPG 64EU, while Ryzen 9 3900X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 3900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (32,444 vs 32,517).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 64 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 9 3900X.

Ryzen 9 3900X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +25.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Prism), unlike Core Ultra 5 245T.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 65.2 vs 120.2 PassMark/$ ($499 MSRP vs $270 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 245T moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 245T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core Ultra 5 245T

2025

Ryzen 9 3900X

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $229 less on MSRP ($270 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 84.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 120.2 vs 65.2 PassMark/$ ($270 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Arc Xe-LPG 64EU, while Ryzen 9 3900X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +25.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Prism), unlike Core Ultra 5 245T.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 3900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (32,444 vs 32,517).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 64 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 9 3900X.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 65.2 vs 120.2 PassMark/$ ($499 MSRP vs $270 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 245T moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 245T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 3900X better than Core Ultra 5 245T?

Yes. Ryzen 9 3900X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 25.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.2% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 3900X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 25.6% 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, Ryzen 9 3900X is the better fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 3900X is still the faster CPU overall, but Core Ultra 5 245T makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 3900X is 84.8% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $270 MSRP, and it gives you a 25.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core Ultra 5 245T is also 84.4% better value on MSRP (120.2 vs 65.2 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1851 + DDR5 setup, Core Ultra 5 245T 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 5 245T is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with LGA1851 and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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 5 245T Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 3900X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 245T	Ryzen 9 3900X
1080p
low	262 FPS	209 FPS
medium	252 FPS	170 FPS
high	212 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	114 FPS
1440p
low	220 FPS	171 FPS
medium	189 FPS	131 FPS
high	153 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	149 FPS	92 FPS
medium	127 FPS	77 FPS
high	98 FPS	61 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	49 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 245T Open Ryzen 9 3900X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 245T	Ryzen 9 3900X
1080p
low	361 FPS	781 FPS
medium	307 FPS	654 FPS
high	258 FPS	510 FPS
ultra	233 FPS	447 FPS
1440p
low	316 FPS	648 FPS
medium	279 FPS	552 FPS
high	235 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	200 FPS	369 FPS
4K
low	187 FPS	380 FPS
medium	170 FPS	326 FPS
high	162 FPS	293 FPS
ultra	141 FPS	258 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 245T Open Ryzen 9 3900X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 245T	Ryzen 9 3900X
1080p
low	811 FPS	813 FPS
medium	685 FPS	794 FPS
high	610 FPS	730 FPS
ultra	522 FPS	647 FPS
1440p
low	727 FPS	707 FPS
medium	596 FPS	583 FPS
high	519 FPS	522 FPS
ultra	441 FPS	459 FPS
4K
low	504 FPS	503 FPS
medium	425 FPS	403 FPS
high	382 FPS	361 FPS
ultra	323 FPS	292 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 245T Open Ryzen 9 3900X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 245T	Ryzen 9 3900X
1080p
low	811 FPS	813 FPS
medium	811 FPS	813 FPS
high	777 FPS	813 FPS
ultra	704 FPS	813 FPS
1440p
low	811 FPS	813 FPS
medium	722 FPS	813 FPS
high	623 FPS	714 FPS
ultra	552 FPS	619 FPS
4K
low	554 FPS	669 FPS
medium	500 FPS	594 FPS
high	447 FPS	525 FPS
ultra	394 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 245T Open Ryzen 9 3900X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 245T and Ryzen 9 3900X

Core Ultra 5 245T

The Core Ultra 5 245T 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 2.2 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: 32,444 points. Launch price was $270.

Ryzen 9 3900X

The Ryzen 9 3900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 32,517 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 245T packs 14 cores / 14 threads, while the Ryzen 9 3900X offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Core Ultra 5 245T has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 245T versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 3900X — a 10.3% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 245T (base: 2.2 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 245T uses the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture (3 nm), while the Ryzen 9 3900X uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 245T scores 32,444 against the Ryzen 9 3900X's 32,517 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen 9 3900X. L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 245T vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 3900X.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 245T	Ryzen 9 3900X
Cores / Threads	14 / 14+17%	12 / 24
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+11%	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	3.8 GHz+73%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)	64 MB+167%
L2 Cache	3 MB (per core)+500%	512K (per core)
Process	3 nm-57%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	32,444	32,517
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,300
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	12,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 245T uses the LGA1851 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 3900X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-6400 on the Core Ultra 5 245T versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 9 3900X — the Core Ultra 5 245T supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core Ultra 5 245T supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core Ultra 5 245T) vs 24 (Ryzen 9 3900X) — the Ryzen 9 3900X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 245T	Ryzen 9 3900X
Socket	LGA1851	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB+100%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 3900X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 245T) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 3900X). The Core Ultra 5 245T includes integrated graphics (Arc Xe-LPG 64EU), while the Ryzen 9 3900X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 245T targets Desktop Low Power, Ryzen 9 3900X targets Workstation.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 245T	Ryzen 9 3900X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Arc Xe-LPG 64EU	None
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop Low Power	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core Ultra 5 245T launched at $270 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 3900X debuted at $499. On MSRP ($270 vs $499), the Core Ultra 5 245T is $229 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core Ultra 5 245T delivers 120.2 pts/$ vs 65.2 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 3900X — making the Core Ultra 5 245T the 59.4% better value option.