Intel Core Ultra 5 245K vs Ryzen 5 7600X: Which mid-range gaming CPU is better?

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K and the Ryzen 5 7600X are interesting mid-range gaming chips given current pricing trends. Both processors have been discounted to the sub-$300 range, making them ideal for pairing with GPUs like the RTX 5070 and RX 9070 XT. While the Ryzen 5 7600X has been replaced by the newer Zen 5-based 9600X, the chip is still being readily stocked, giving Intel an even steeper competition.

However, should you buy the latest Intel chip or the last-gen AMD alternative? Given Team Red has been aggressive in the gaming market, with Intel constantly losing market share, this can be a difficult choice. Let's look at the specs and performance details to decide.

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The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K and Ryzen 5 7600X target the $300 gaming CPU market

The Ryzen 5 7600X is a mid-range gaming CPU from the last generation (Image via Amazon)

The Intel and AMD chips are based on wildly different architectures. A specs comparison won't tell us how the gaming performance compares. Regardless, let's look at the specs details to get an idea of what to expect.

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Specs comparison

In terms of on-paper details, the two chips have different merits. With its hybrid design, the Core Ultra 5 245K brings strong multi-core capabilities. You get 14 cores in total, separated in a 6P+8E format. The maximum boost speed is 5.2 GHz for the performance-rated 'P' cores, with the efficient 'E' cores maxing out at 4.6 GHz. Cache counts have been updated this generation, with the chip drawing up to 159W under full load.

The Ultra 5 245K is also an overclocking-ready processor, which means you'll have to invest in a high-end cooler to tame it. The chip's premium also mandates a Z890 board, which adds to the total price of your build.

The Ryzen 5 7600X echoes the standards of the 245K in several ways. While it's got six cores only, that's the same as the P core count on the Intel chip. Moreover, you get a lower 105W TDP, a more mature AM5 platform that comes with versatile motherboard and cooler support now that it has existed for a couple of years, and

Specification	Intel Core Ultra 5 245K	AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
Architecture / Process	Arrow Lake (Performance-cores + Efficiency-cores)	Zen 4 monolithic design
Core / Thread Count	14 cores (6 P-cores + 8 E-cores), 14 threads	6 cores, 12 threads
Clock Speeds	P-cores: base 4.2 GHz, boost up to 5.2 GHz; E-cores: base 3.6 GHz, boost 4.6 GHz	Base 4.7 GHz, boost up to 5.3 GHz
Cache	L2 total: 26 MB (P-core 3 MB each, E-core cluster 4 MB), L3: 24 MB	L2: 6 MB (1 MB per core), L3: 32 MB
TDP / Power	125 W base, up to 159 W turbo	105 W TDP
PCIe Support	PCIe 4.0 / 5.0 lanes—flexible config (e.g., x16 + 2×4)	PCIe 5.0 support
Integrated Graphics	Intel Graphics (Arc-derived)	Dual-core RDNA 2 iGPU
Platform / Socket	LGA 1851, DDR5 supported	AM5, supports DDR5, PCIe 5.0; good future upgrade path
Price (MSRP)	$267 (4 store average)	$181 (3 store average)

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K is the costlier processor, with average prices inching close to $270. The 7600X, being a last-gen offering, is significantly easier on the pocket, with prices below $200 at most retailers.

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Performance comparison

The Core Ultra 5 245K disappoints in gaming performance (Image via Amazon)

Gaming performance details are crucial when it comes to choosing chips for budget rigs. Here are some FPS comparison benchmarks for the two CPUs. We have sourced this data from the YouTube channel Hardware Test.

	Intel Core Ultra 5 245K	AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
Hogwarts Legacy	121 FPS	121 FPS
Homeworld 3	84 FPS	92 FPS
Starfield	117 FPS	105 FPS
A Plague Tale: Requiem	125 FPS	160 FPS
Hitman 3	239 FPS	244 FPS
Cyberpunk 2077	134 FPS	155 FPS

On average, the Ryzen 5 7600X shows 7.5% better framerates than the Core Ultra 5 245K. The biggest gains are seen in more CPU-heavy games like A Plague Tale Requiem (+28%), Cyberpunk 2077 (+15.7%), and Homeworld 3 (+9.5%). Surprisingly, the AMD chip trails by 10.3% in Starfield, a game specifically fine-tuned to run well on the 7600X.

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While the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K is a promising chip with on-device AI features, overclocking support, and a high-end design, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X edges it out. You can get 95% of all features Intel supports at a much lower price and, most importantly, better gaming performance. This makes the 7600X the better option for mid-range gaming in 2025.