Ultra 9 285 vs i7-3970X Extreme Edition
Aggregate performance score
Core Ultra 9 285 outperforms Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition by a whopping 482% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
Primary details
Comparing Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core Ultra 9 285 processor market type (desktop or notebook), architecture, sales start time and price.
| Place in the ranking | 1141 | 117 |
| Place by popularity | not in top-100 | not in top-100 |
| Market segment | Desktop processor | Desktop processor |
| Series | Intel Core i7EE | no data |
| Power efficiency | 3.66 | 25.60 |
| Architecture codename | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) |
| Release date | 12 November 2012 (12 years ago) | January 2025 (recently) |
Detailed specifications
Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core Ultra 9 285 basic parameters such as number of cores, number of threads, base frequency and turbo boost clock, lithography, cache size and multiplier lock state. These parameters indirectly say of CPU speed, though for more precise assessment you have to consider their test results.
| Physical cores | 6 (Hexa-Core) | 24 (Tetracosa-Core) |
| Threads | 12 | 24 |
| Base clock speed | no data | 2.5 GHz |
| Boost clock speed | 3.5 GHz | 5.6 GHz |
| Bus type | DMI 2.0 | no data |
| Bus rate | 5 GT/s | no data |
| Multiplier | 35 | no data |
| L1 cache | no data | 112 KB (per core) |
| L2 cache | 1,536 KB | 3 MB (per core) |
| L3 cache | 15 MB | 36 MB (shared) |
| Chip lithography | 32 nm | 3 nm |
| Die size | no data | 243 mm2 |
| Number of transistors | no data | 17,800 million |
| 64 bit support | + | + |
| Windows 11 compatibility | - | no data |
Compatibility
Information on Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core Ultra 9 285 compatibility with other computer components: motherboard (look for socket type), power supply unit (look for power consumption) etc. Useful when planning a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. Note that power consumption of some processors can well exceed their nominal TDP, even without overclocking. Some can even double their declared thermals given that the motherboard allows to tune the CPU power parameters.
| Number of CPUs in a configuration | 1 (Uniprocessor) | 1 |
| Socket | no data | 1851 |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 150 Watt | 125 Watt |
Technologies and extensions
Technological solutions and additional instructions supported by Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core Ultra 9 285. You'll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.
| AES-NI | + | + |
| AVX | + | + |
| vPro | no data | + |
| Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST) | + | + |
| TSX | - | + |
Security technologies
Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core Ultra 9 285 technologies aimed at improving security, for example, by protecting against hacks.
| TXT | no data | + |
Virtualization technologies
Virtual machine speed-up technologies supported by Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core Ultra 9 285 are enumerated here.
| VT-d | no data | + |
| VT-x | no data | + |
Memory specs
Types, maximum amount and channel quantity of RAM supported by Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core Ultra 9 285. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequencies may be supported.
| Supported memory types | no data | DDR5 Depends on motherboard |
| Maximum memory size | 64 GB | no data |
Graphics specifications
General parameters of integrated GPUs, if any.
| Integrated graphics card | no data | Arc Xe2 Graphics 64EU |
Peripherals
Specifications and connection of peripherals supported by Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core Ultra 9 285.
| PCIe version | 2.00 | 5.0 |
| PCI Express lanes | 40 | 20 |
Pros & cons summary
| Performance score | 5.76 | 33.54 |
| Physical cores | 6 | 24 |
| Threads | 12 | 24 |
| Chip lithography | 32 nm | 3 nm |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 150 Watt | 125 Watt |
Ultra 9 285 has a 482.3% higher aggregate performance score, 300% more physical cores and 100% more threads, a 966.7% more advanced lithography process, and 20% lower power consumption.
The Core Ultra 9 285 is our recommended choice as it beats the Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition in performance tests.
Should you still have questions on choice between Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core Ultra 9 285, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.
Other comparisons
We've compiled a selection of CPU comparisons, ranging from closely matched processors to other comparisons that may be of interest.
