Intel Core Ultra 5 245K vs AMD Ryzen 5 9600X: Which mid-range gaming CPU is better?

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K and AMD Ryzen 5 9600X pack enough horsepower to drive the most powerful gaming GPUs like the RTX 5080 without burning a hole in your pocket. While both chips target similar price segments, they are based on different architectures and philosophies in processor design. Intel continues to use its hybrid architecture, while AMD's Zen 5 refines the chiplet-based monolithic approach.

However, the similarities between the chips make choosing between these next-gen processors increasingly challenging. Let's dive into the specs and performance and find out which CPU deserves a spot in your next gaming build.

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The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K and AMD Ryzen 5 9600X are pretty powerful gaming CPUs

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K is a capable gaming CPU on a budget (Image via Amazon)

A direct specs comparison won't reveal much about how the two 5-class chips will perform in video games. Under their Integrated Heat Spreader, the processors are so different that comparing their on-paper details will leave you just as confused. Regardless, let's get a snapshot of what your investment might sign you up for.

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Specs comparison

The Core Ultra 5 245K is designed on Intel's latest Arrow Lake architecture. The chip is based on a 14-core hybrid design split between 6 Performance cores and 8 Efficient cores. Meanwhile, AMD's Zen 5 sticks with a traditional 6-core, 12-thread design but improves it with the new Zen 5 architecture built on TSMC's advanced N4 process node.

Intel's chip operates with P-cores reaching an impressive 5.2 GHz under boost conditions, while the E-cores hit 4.6 GHz. This is a departure from the past few generations, when Team Blue has been rather conservative with operating speeds on budget chips. Meanwhile, clock speeds on the 9600X are 3.9 GHz base and 5.4 GHz boost, giving AMD a slight edge in peak single-threaded performance.

Moreover, Intel's processor features a generous 50 MB of total cache split between 26 MB L2 and 24 MB L3. The AMD chip features 38 MB of total cache, which is significantly lower than Team Blue's design. It, however, makes sense given the 6-core design and 65W TDP.

Here's how the specifications stack up:

Specification	Core Ultra 5 245K	Ryzen 5 9600X
Architecture / Cores	Arrow Lake‑S (TSMC N3B), hybrid: 6 P‑cores + 8 E‑cores = 14 cores / 14 threads	Zen 5 (Granite Ridge, TSMC N4), monolithic: 6 cores / 12 threads
Base / Turbo Clocks	P‑core base 4.2 GHz; turbo up to 5.2 GHzE‑core turbo up to 4.6 GHz	Base 3.9 GHz; max boost 5.4 GHz
Cache (L2 + L3)	26 MB L2 + 24 MB L3 = ~50 MB total	6 MB L2 (1 MB/core) + 32 MB L3 = 38 MB total
TDP / Power	125 W base; up to 159 W turbo	65 W TDP (default); efficient design
Integrated Graphics	Intel Xe graphics (4 Xe cores) with NPU support + Intel DL Boost (~30 TOPS Int8)	AMD Radeon integrated graphics (RDNA 2); basic display output, no dedicated NPU
Memory & PCIe Support	Dual‑channel DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s, PCIe 5.0 & 4.0, ECC support, up to 256 GB memory	Dual‑channel DDR5‑5600, PCIe 5.0 support, up to 192 GB memory
Launch Date / MSRP	Q4 2024; MSRP US $309–$319	Launched August 2024; MSRP US $279
Overclocking / Unlocked	Fully unlocked K‑SKU; supports Intel DL Boost acceleration	Unlocked for overclocking; AMD EXPO memory support, Precision Boost Overdrive

Both processors are competitively priced, with the Ryzen 5 9600X typically available for $270-$285 and the 245K at $300-$315. The $30-$40 price difference means Intel will have to work harder to justify the premium.

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Performance comparison

The Ryzen 5 9600X is designed for premium-grade performance on a budget (Image via AMD)

Gaming performance can't be reliably explained by the specs sheets. Real-world results often tell a different story than spec sheets suggest. Here are the framerate numbers achieved by either card in some of the latest games when paired with the RTX 4090. We sourced these numbers from the YouTube channel Testing Games.

	Intel Core Ultra 5 245K	AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
Horizon Forbidden West	148 FPS	157 FPS
Star Wars Outlaws	127 FPS	115 FPS
Ghost of Tsushima	167 FPS	184 FPS
Cyberpunk 2077	103 FPS	105 FPS
Counter-Strike 2	532 FPS	604 FPS
Starfield	113 FPS	97 FPS
Forza Horizon 5	222 FPS	237 FPS
Hogwarts Legacy	73 FPS	66 FPS
Microsoft Flight Simulator	119 FPS	128 FPS
Red Dead Redemption 2	173 FPS	187 FPS

The Ryzen 5 9600X wins overall by 5.8%, averaging 188.0 FPS compared to Intel's 177.7 FPS. AMD dominates in six out of 10 tested games, with particularly strong showings in competitive esports titles like Counter-Strike 2 that run 13.5% faster (604 vs 532 FPS). This further proves the superior processing prowess of the Zen 5 alternative.

Intel managed victories in only three games. Its biggest win is in Starfield at 14.2% ahead, followed by modest leads in Hogwarts Legacy (9.6%) and Star Wars Outlaws (9.4%).

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Overall, the Ryzen 5 9600X is the superior option in 2025. It's cheaper, more power-efficient, readily available, comes with a cheaper AM5 platform, while also offering everything the Intel chip can do: overclocking, heavy multitasking, and more. The $30-$40 price premium makes it very hard to recommend the Intel chip to anyone.