AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against desktop processors at a similar price

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 7.0/10 overall, ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus at 6.0/10.

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D leads on single-core performance, efficiency and platform.

They score the same on multi-core performance and integrated graphics.

The biggest difference is single-core performance, where the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 9/10 to the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus's 6/10.

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D

7.0/10verdict: buy

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D is for people who want one AM5 desktop to handle heavy multi-threaded work and high-end gaming. It suits builders who value 16 cores and 5.7 GHz boost clocks more than low running costs. Buyers focused on gaming alone, or on a frugal always-on server, have better-matched options.

Typically about £529.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

6.0/10verdict: good, not the best

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus suits developers and homelabbers who want a lot of cores for builds, rendering and parallel workloads. It also suits anyone who needs ECC memory support on a desktop socket. It is a weaker fit for always-on servers where idle power matters, or for buyers whose main aim is gaming.

Typically about £216.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D	Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
Multi-core performance	25%	9/10	9/10
Single-core performance	20%	9/10	6/10
Efficiency	20%	4/10	3/10
Platform	20%	7/10	6/10
Integrated graphics	15%	5/10	5/10
Overall		7.0/10	6.0/10

Specifications

Spec	AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D	Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
Cores / threads	16 cores / 32 threads	18 total (6 performance + 12 efficient), 18 threads
Base / boost clock	4.3 GHz base, up to 5.7 GHz boost	P-core base 4.2 GHz, P-core max turbo 5.3 GHz; E-core base 3.3 GHz, E-core max turbo 4.6 GHz
Socket	AM5	FCLGA1851
TDP	170W	Processor Base Power 125 W; Maximum Turbo Power 159 W
Cache	144 MB	30 MB Intel Smart Cache; total L2 cache 30 MB
Integrated graphics	not listed	Intel Graphics, 4 Xe-cores, 300 MHz base, 1.9 GHz max dynamic, 8 GPU peak TOPS
Memory support	Dual-channel DDR5, 192 GB maximum	Up to DDR5-7200 MT/s; 2 memory channels; max 256 GB; ECC supported

Strengths and weaknesses

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D

+ 16 cores and 32 threads for compiling, VMs and rendering
+ Up to 5.7 GHz boost with 144 MB of cache
+ Strong gaming performance from 3D V-Cache
− Higher power draw, heat and idle consumption than the 9800X3D
− Only 8 of 16 cores can access the V-Cache
− Gaming gain over cheaper X3D chips is modest

Skip it if:

Gamers who want X3D performance without paying for 16 cores
Homelabbers building a low-power, always-on server
Buyers who want predictable game scheduling on the V-Cache cores

Read the full AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D review ›

Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

+ 18 cores and 18 threads for parallel work
+ ECC memory supported, up to 256 GB DDR5
+ Reviewers praised its low price and multi-core performance
− Reviewers criticised high idle power draw
− 125 W base power, 159 W maximum turbo
− Reviewers noted gaming shortfalls and limited Gen 5 SSD speeds

Skip it if:

Homelabbers building a low-power server that stays on around the clock
Gamers who want the best gaming results above all
Buyers planning around the fastest Gen 5 SSD speeds

Read the full Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus review ›

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