Core Ultra 9 285K Review: Powerful, but Not the Gaming Chip We Hoped For
7/10 — Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (2024)
Pros
- 24 cores
- Strong at heavy work
- Fast
Cons
- Pricey at launch
- Gaming was underwhelming
The Core Ultra 9 285K launched on 24 October 2024 at $589, with 8 performance cores and 16 efficiency cores (24 in all) for the LGA 1851 socket.
What works
It has lots of cores and is a strong chip for heavy creative and work tasks.
Where it falters
At $589 it was priced as a flagship, but its gaming performance was widely seen as unremarkable next to AMD’s X3D chips, and Intel has since released cheaper Plus refresh chips that are better value for gaming.
Verdict
A capable multi-core chip, but better value options now exist.
