Core Ultra 5 245K Vs Ryzen 5 9600X: Our Analysis

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Abde Manaf

At Tech4Gamers, I began as a comparison writer, analyzing GPU and CPU performance. Now, I focus on writing reviews and contributing to the best-ofs section, sharing personal insights after hands-on testing.

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Pros And Cons

Comparison Table

Architectural Difference

1. Core Count: The Core Ultra 5 245K consists of 14 cores and 14 threads made up of 6 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores. On the other hand, the Ryzen 5 9600X only has 6 cores and 12 threads. 
2. Clock Speed: The newer Core Ultra 5 245K runs at a frequency of 4.2 GHz, which you can boost up to 5.2 GHz. In contrast, the Ryzen 5 9600X has a slightly lower base frequency of 3.9 GHz but a higher boost clock of 5.4 GHz.
3. Process Node: Intel’s 245K utilizes the newer technology of a 3nm process node, while the Ryzen 5 9600X isn’t too far away from it as it uses a 4nm process node. 
4. TDP: While the Core Ultra 5 245K has a TDP rating of 125W, the Ryzen 5 9600X puts it to shame since it only has a 65W TDP.
5. L3 Cache: The L3 Cache of the Core Ultra 5 245K is 24 megabytes, whereas the Ryzen 5 9600X has a slightly larger cache size of 32 megabytes.

Today, we’ll go into extreme detail because we’re going to compare one of 2024’s latest releases from Intel and AMD, particularly the Core Ultra 5 245K vs Ryzen 5 9600X. By the end of this comparison, you’ll have a clear understanding of the performance of these CPUs in the real world.

Gaming Benchmark – 1080p

To give you an idea of the performance of each of these CPUs, we’ve decided to put them to the test under one of the most popular and even demanding games. Although different test benches can alter the values, the following benchmarks can get you the exact same results. 

Recommended Test Bench

• Mobo 1 – MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi 
• Mobo 2 – MSI MPG X670E Carbon WiFi 
• GPU – Gigabyte RTX 4090 Gaming OC 
• RAM – G. Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6400 CL30
• Storage: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 1TB NVMe SSD
• CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
• Power Supply: Enermax PlatiGemini 1200W Platinum 
• Operating System – Windows 11

Horizon Forbidden West

• From the beginning, we saw the Ryzen 5 9600X win by a 5.9% lead because it obtained an average of 157 FPS over the Core Ultra 5 245K, which averaged 148 FPS. 
• As for the 1% lows, we saw a different story since the Core Ultra 5 245K was 7.5% victorious as it acquired an average of 125 FPS over the Ryzen 5 9600X’s 116 FPS. 

Star Wars Outlaws

• For the next game, the Core Ultra 5 245K pushed with an average of 127 FPS, which was 9.9% higher than the Ryzen 5 9600X, which managed to average 115 FPS. 
• As far as the 1% lows are concerned, the Core Ultra 5 245K still had a lead, this time about 14.5%, as it averaged 96 FPS, which was higher than Ryzen 5 9600X’s 83 FPS.

Ghost Of Tsushima

• On Ghost Of Tsushima, the Ryzen 5 9600X was the better performer because it showed us a 9.7% lead over the Core Ultra 5 245K, and both the processors averaged 184 FPS and 167 FPS, respectively. 
• The 1% lows also weighed 27% heavier for the Ryzen 5 9600X, which obtained an average of 147 FPS, which was significantly higher than the 112 FPS achieved by the Core Ultra 5 245K.

Cyberpunk 2077

• Here, we observed an almost even plain since the Ryzen 5 9600X put up a strong fight, averaging 105 FPS. In contrast, the Core Ultra 5 245K was just behind with 103 FPS, resulting in only a 1.9% margin. 
• For the 1% lows, the situation was similar as the Core Ultra 5 245K was 3.9% behind the Ryzen 5 9600X, and both the CPUs averaged 76 FPS and 79 FPS, respectively.

Starfield

• On Startfiled, the Core Ultra 5 245K excelled with an average of 113 FPS, which is 15.2% higher than the Ryzen 5 9600X’s average of 97 FPS. 
• Similarly, we saw that the Core Ultra 5 245K pushed harder in terms of the 1% lows and reached 82 FPS, being 13% better in this regard compared to the Ryzen 5 9600X’s 72 FPS.  

Hogwarts Legacy

• Here, the Core Ultra 5 245K secured the top place with its 73 FPS. Whereas the Ryzen 5 9600X was behind with 66 FPS, making for a 10.1% performance difference.
• Yet again, we saw that the Core Ultra 5 245K crushed the Ryzen 5 9600X, this time with a 15.4% lead as it gained an average of 56 FPS over the Ryzen 5 9600X’s 48 FPS.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

• We observed that the Ryzen 5 9600X redeemed itself again on Microsoft Flight Simulator by pushing with 128 FPS in this game. On the contrary, the Core Ultra 5 245K was 7.3% behind as it averaged 119 FPS.  
• The gap was shortened to 2.9% in terms of the 1% lows, where the Ryzen 5 9600X was crowned as the victor due to its average of 105 FPS, which was higher than the Core Ultra 5 245K’s 102 FPS. 

Red Dead Redemption 2

• The Ryzen 5 9600X ended this benchmark test by excelling with a 7.8% edge over its rival as it averaged 187 FPS. On the flip side, the Core Ultra 5 245K scored an average of 173 FPS. 
• As for the 1% lows, the Ryzen 5 9600X still performed better as it averaged 136 FPS, which was 9.2% higher than the Core Ultra 5 245K’s 124 FPS.

Productivity Benchmarks

Apart from gaming, processors are usually judged by their productivity performance, and this is exactly what we’re going to present to you. Here are three software tested on these two CPUs to check their performance. You be the judge.

Geekbench 6

• For the Geekbench 6 single-core test, the Ryzen 5 9600X showcased us an 11.4% performance difference as it acquired 3,331 points over the Core Ultra 5 245K’s 2,973 points. 
• On the multi-core test, the Core Ultra 5 245K outperformed the Ryzen 5 9600X by 9.9%, obtaining 16,604 points. The Ryzen 5 9600X, on the other hand, achieved 15,031 points.

Chromium Code Compile

• While compiling the chromium code, we observed that the Ryzen 5 9600X took 31.3% less time when compared to the Core Ultra 5 245K because it finished the task in 183.9 minutes compared to the 245K’s 134.1 minutes. 

Adobe Premiere Pro (Puget Suite)

• Using the Premiere Pro, we saw that the Core Ultra 5 245K was victorious because it obtained a PugetBench score of 9,824, which was 15.3% higher than the Ryzen 5 9600X’s 8,425.

Overall Performance

Average Framerate

After we calculated the average, we saw that despite the varying FPS in games, the average value was more or less the same for both CPUs. With these neck-to-neck values, the Ryzen 5 9600X had a 1.6% edge over the Core Ultra 5 245K. However, it is too little of a difference to have any significant effect on the performance. 

1% Lows:

The 1% low results were also similar because it was in favor of the Ryzen 5 9600X. Despite also being extremely equal to its rival, this time, the Ryzen 5 9600X performed 1.7% better than the Core Ultra 5 245K. Again, this isn’t much of a difference due to the smaller gap between the two averages.

Productivity:

We see relatively different results when it comes to productivity performance. Here, the Core Ultra 5 245K displayed better performance than the Ryzen 5 9600X, specifically 9.1% better. This shows how great the Core Ultra 5 245K is when it comes to creative workloads.

Average Power Consumption

Despite having an edge in productivity, the Core Ultra 5 245K also consumed relatively less power. According to our calculations, it is around 29.7% more power-efficient than the Ryzen 5 9600X. This doesn’t make the 9600X bad in any way because it stayed within the 100W range for all games.

Average Thermal Statistics

The Core Ultra 5 245K also proved to be a better option when it comes to the temperatures. Operating 11.9% cooler than the Ryzen 5 9600X, the Core Ultra 5 245K positions itself as a desirable option. The Ryzen 5 9600X also remained cooler since it stayed below 63°C during the test.

Pricing And Availability

As for the prices, the Ryzen 5 9600X’s MSRP has been reduced since it’s an older release. If we compare the relatively newly released Core Ultra 5 245K, we see that it is still being sold at its MSRP. Regardless, the Ryzen 5 9600X is $80 cheaper than the Core Ultra 5 245K.

Final Verdict—What We Recommend?

Ryzen 5 9600X: This processor was slightly better in gaming performance and is the cheaper option. It does have a higher power consumption and temperatures but they can be forgivable because of its reasonable price tag.

Core Ultra 5 245K: The Core Ultra 5 245K performed almost similarly when it comes to gaming, but it shined more in the area of productivity. Not to mention, it did so while consuming less power and operating at relatively cooler temperatures. However, this slight improvement comes with an increased price tag.

With that being said, we recommend you go for the Core Ultra 5 245K if your main focus of having a CPU is for productivity and if you have a slightly larger budget. However, if you want to prioritize gaming while remaining on a relatively lighter budget, we recommend you choose the Ryzen 5 9600X. 

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Abde Manaf

[Comparisons Expert]

Abdemanaf is a skilled creative writer who has been honing his craft since 2011. While initially working in different fields, he found a passion for technology and has been exploring the tech world since early 2015. Over the years, he has developed an in-depth knowledge of the latest tech trends and product offerings by various companies.

Abdemanaf’s writing reflects his analytical mindset and ability to think critically. He has a knack for breaking down complex technical information into easily digestible pieces, making his articles engaging and accessible to readers from all backgrounds. In February 2022, he joined Tech4Gamers as a blog and product comparison writer, where he has been able to hone his skills further.

As a writer, Abdemanaf is dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest technological advancements and trends, enabling him to provide readers with the most relevant and accurate information. He is always eager to learn more and is constantly seeking new challenges to improve his skills.

Get In Touch: manaf@tech4gamers.com