Intel
Core Ultra 9 285K
Arrow Lake · 24C · 5.7 GHz · LGA1851
89
/ 100
From $589
VS
EPYC 9654 wins by 7
AMD
EPYC 9654
Zen 4 · 96C/192T · SP5
96
/ 100
From $11,805
Specdex verdict
EPYC 9654 takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Core Ultra 9 285K lands at 89 and EPYC 9654 at 96. That puts EPYC 9654 ahead by 7 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Core Ultra 9 285K if…
- ✓Far more efficient than 14900K
- ✓Strong multi-thread productivity
- ✓New LGA1851 platform with DDR5-6400
Pick EPYC 9654 if…
- ✓Massive core counts
- ✓ECC memory support
- ✓Workstation/server-grade platform
Core Ultra 9 285K 89
vs 96 EPYC 9654
Score breakdown
Core Ultra 9 285K
89 single 92
multi 94
gaming 85
efficiency 90
EPYC 9654
96 single 88
multi 96
gaming 76
efficiency 78
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Core Ultra 9 285K | EPYC 9654 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 24 (8P + 16E) | ▲ 96 |
| Threads | 24 | ▲ 192 |
| Base clock | 3.7 GHz | — |
| Boost clock | 5.7 GHz | — |
| L3 cache | 36 MB | — |
| TDP | 125 W (PL1) / 250 W (PL2) | — |
| Socket | LGA1851 | SP5 |
| Process | TSMC N3B | — |
| iGPU | Intel Graphics (Xe-LPG, 4 Xe cores @ 2.0 GHz) | — |
| NPU | 13 TOPS | — |
| Memory | DDR5-6400 | — |
| Architecture | — | Zen 4 |
| Release year | — | 2022 |
Core Ultra 9 285K
Pros
- +Far more efficient than 14900K
- +Strong multi-thread productivity
- +New LGA1851 platform with DDR5-6400
Cons
- −Gaming regresses vs 14900K in some titles
- −No hyper-threading (24 threads from 24 cores)
- −13 TOPS NPU is modest
EPYC 9654
Pros
- +Massive core counts
- +ECC memory support
- +Workstation/server-grade platform
Cons
- −Niche platform, limited motherboards
- −High TDP requires serious cooling
- −Premium price
FAQ: Core Ultra 9 285K vs EPYC 9654
Which is better, Core Ultra 9 285K or EPYC 9654? +
EPYC 9654 scores 96 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 7. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Core Ultra 9 285K worth the price? +
At $589, Core Ultra 9 285K delivers a Specdex score of 89 — strongest in multi.
Is EPYC 9654 worth the price? +
At $11,805, EPYC 9654 delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in multi.
Does Core Ultra 9 285K or EPYC 9654 last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.