Intel Core Ultra 7 265K Review: Much Better Value

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K tin beryllium considered nan successor to nan Core i7-14700K. It will beryllium absorbing to spot really these 2 comparison and, of course, really nan 265K stacks up against AMD's offerings.

The Core Ultra 7 265K features 8 P-Cores pinch 8 threads, arsenic Hyper-Threading is nary longer implemented. These P-Cores run astatine a guidelines wave of 3.9 GHz and tin boost up to 5.5 GHz, representing only a 2% wave simplification compared to nan 14700K.

In addition, location are 12 E-Cores pinch 12 threads, arsenic SMT support is not included. The E-Cores person a guidelines wave of 3.3 GHz and tin scope up to 4.6 GHz, which really provides a 7% summation complete nan E-Core wave connected nan 14700K.

The processor includes 30 MB of L3 cache and 36 MB of L2 cache. Each P-Core is allocated 3 MB of L2 cache, while nan E-Cores person 4 MB per cluster, pinch each cluster comprising 4 E-Cores. The guidelines TDP is group astatine 125W, pinch a maximum turbo powerfulness of 250W, and Intel prices this astatine $395 per 1,000 units.

With Arrow Lake, Intel has moved distant from nan LGA1700 socket, switching to LGA1851. We covered much accusation astir Intel's caller platform, socket, and testing information successful our Core Ultra 9 285K review, truthful for much specifications astir that cheque retired that review.

Despite nan accrued pin count, nan caller socket maintains nan aforesaid dimensions and cooler mounting spread spacing arsenic LGA1700, ensuring continued compatibility pinch existing CPU coolers.

It's besides worthy noting that each K-SKU models, which are nan only models announced truthful far, support dual-channel DDR5-5600 UDIMM representation aliases DDR5-6400 CUDIMM memory. CUDIMM representation includes a mini timepiece driver circuit straight connected nan module, allowing for much precise timings basal for higher representation speeds.

All models supply 20 PCIe 5.0 lanes and 4 PCIe 4.0 lanes, on pinch a Direct Media Interface 4.0 pinch an 8-lane autobus to nan chipset. As expected, nan K-suffix processors characteristic an unlocked multiplier and truthful tin beryllium overclocked.

Test System Specs

Before we get into nan benchmark data, present are nan trial specs and systems used. One point to statement is that we benchmarked nan 285K pinch some DDR5-7200 and DDR5-8200 memory.

Productivity Benchmarks

Cinebench Clock Behavior

First, let's analyse really nan 265K performs nether load. For cooling, we're utilizing nan caller MSI MAG Coreliquid I360, provided successful our reappraisal kit and specifically optimized for these caller Arrow Lake CPUs. MSI designed a unsocial bracket that shifts nan acold sheet northward, allowing for a 3-degree simplification successful somesthesia by amended targeting nan basking spot connected these CPUs.

With nan Coreliquid I360 installed, we loaded nan 265K pinch Cinebench and observed an mean timepiece wave of 4.6 GHz connected nan E-Cores and 5.2 GHz connected nan P-Cores, each while remaining wrong nan banal 250W powerfulness limit. The CPU peaked astatine a halfway somesthesia of 84°C, comfortably beneath nan 105°C TjMAX.

Cinebench 2024, Multi-Core

Now, turning to Cinebench multi-core performance, we spot nan 265K reaching conscionable awkward of 2,200 points, making it 8% faster than nan 14700K and 18% faster than nan 9900X. This places its capacity connected par pinch nan 7950X and 14900K successful this test.

Cinebench 2024, Single-Core

Single-core capacity is besides strong, pinch nan P-Cores achieving 145 points – 4% higher than nan 9900X and 14% faster than nan 14700K.

Cinebench 2024 Power Consumption

Regarding powerfulness consumption, nan 265K draws 218W, which is comparable to nan powerfulness usage of nan 12900K, 14600K, 7950X, and 9950X. As we conscionable saw, its capacity aligns intimately pinch nan 7950X, indicating a akin level of powerfulness ratio successful this workload.

The 265K is besides 8% faster than nan 14700K while achieving astir 100W successful powerfulness savings – an awesome 29% reduction. However, much businesslike Ryzen processors, for illustration nan 7950X3D, present comparable capacity to nan 265K while consuming 33% little power.

7-Zip File Manager Compression

Moving connected to file compression performance, we find nan 265K somewhat slower than nan 14700K, trailing by 6% erstwhile utilizing identical DDR5-7200 memory. Performance was besides comparable to that of nan 9900X.

7-Zip File Manager Decompression

The 265K falls further down nan 14700K successful decompression performance, partially owed to its deficiency of SMT support. Using nan aforesaid 7200 memory, it is 15% slower than nan 14700K and 18% slower than nan 9900X, which is simply a reasonably disappointing result.

Blender Open Data

The Blender Open Data trial yields much favorable results, pinch nan 265K performing 7% faster than nan 14700K and 8% faster than nan 9900X, delivering capacity levels comparable to nan 14900K. Given nan powerfulness savings, this is simply a affirmative outcome.

Corona 10 Benchmark

In nan Corona 10 Benchmark, nan 265K delivers capacity akin to nan 14900K and 9900X, making it 10% faster than nan 14700K.

Adobe Photoshop 2025

Next, we person Photoshop 2025, wherever nan caller Arrow Lake CPUs execute beneath expectations. We are still analyzing this data, arsenic these CPUs should mostly excel successful this workload. However, pinch our existent configuration, nan 265K only matches nan Core i5-12600K, which is disappointing.

Adobe Premiere Pro 2024

Performance successful Premiere Pro is an improvement, but yet still underwhelming. The 265K lags down some nan 14700K and nan 9900X.

Gaming Benchmarks

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Starting pinch nan gaming benchmarks, let's return a look astatine Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, wherever nan 265K performs poorly, trailing down each competing parts. Using nan aforesaid DDR5-7200 memory, it is 10% slower than nan 14700K, 9% slower than nan 9700X, and moreover 6% slower than nan 9900X, which isn't typically regarded arsenic a apical gaming CPU.

For elite gaming performance, nan 7800X3D remains a amended option, outperforming nan 265K by astir 30%.

The Last of Us Part 1

Next, we analyse The Last of Us Part 1, wherever nan 265K performs well, somewhat edging retired some nan 14900K and 14700K. While this whitethorn not beryllium awesome for a next-generation product, it's a marked betterment complete its capacity successful Jedi Survivor. Additionally, nan 265K is 12% faster than nan 9900X successful this test.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Our Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty results were mediocre successful nan 285K review, and we suspected a scheduling issue, truthful we abnormal nan E-cores wrong nan BIOS, but that didn't output improvements. However, enabling nan 'Prioritize P-Cores' mounting successful nan Hybrid CPU Utilization improved capacity by astir 15%.

With nan 265K optimized for this test, it achieved an mean of 148 fps utilizing DDR5-7200. Yet, moreover pinch this tuning, it was still 10% slower than nan 14700K. While amended than erstwhile results, it's still notably disappointing.

Hogwarts Legacy

In Hogwarts Legacy, nan 265K's capacity is mid-tier, placing it person to nan 9600X and 14600K than to nan 9700X, pinch nan 7800X3D remaining good retired of reach.

Assetto Corsa Competizione

The 265K besides underperforms successful Assetto Corsa Competizione, lagging down nan 12900K and only somewhat outperforming nan older 12700K. Consequently, it was 8% slower than nan 14700K, 15% slower than nan 9900X, 22% slower than nan 9700X, and 39% slower than nan 7800X3D.

Remnant II

In Remnant II, nan 265K provides akin capacity to nan 14700K, somewhat outpacing nan 9900X but falling 7% down nan 9700X and 15% down nan 7800X3D.

Homeworld 3

In Homeworld 3, updating nan powerfulness scheme from 'balanced' to 'high performance' helps significantly. Although we typically don't set these settings for testing, we made an objection here, assured that Intel and Microsoft will reside this rumor quickly.

However, moreover pinch nan manually adjusted powerfulness profile, nan Arrow Lake CPUs underperform, pinch nan 265K being 3% slower than nan 14700K and 8% slower than nan 9900X.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

We've been incapable to resoluteness nan mediocre Arrow Lake capacity successful A Plague Tale: Requiem. The 265K mirrors nan mediocre showing of nan 285K, trailing nan 14700K by an 18% margin.

Counter-Strike 2

The 265K besides shows anemic capacity successful Counter-Strike 2, lagging down moreover nan 14600K and ending up 13% slower than nan 14700K erstwhile utilizing nan aforesaid DDR5-7200 memory.

Starfield

Starfield provides a much affirmative showing for nan 285K, and we find akin results for nan 265K. Although it couldn't surpass nan outgoing 14700K, Intel's capacity present is beardown erstwhile compared to nan Zen 5 processors.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

In Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, nan 265K disappoints, lagging 5% down nan 14700K and falling down each competing AMD processors.

Hitman 3

In Hitman 3, nan 265K performs good comparative to nan 9700X and 9900X, yet it remains 5% slower than nan 14700K, yielding an wide disappointing result.

Watch Dogs: Legion

Performance successful Watch Dogs: Legion is weak, pinch nan 265K matching nan 9900X but trailing some nan 9700X and nan 14700K by 14%.

Star Wars Outlaws

Finally, successful Star Wars Outlaws, nan 265K trails nan 14700K by 6% but outperforms some nan 9700X and 9900X.

Gaming Power Consumption

In position of powerfulness depletion while gaming, nan 265K is comparable to nan 9900X, arsenic observed successful nan Cyberpunk benchmark. However, because capacity was subpar successful nan benchmarked section, The Last of Us Part 1 provides a amended measurement of powerfulness efficiency.

In The Last of Us, nan 265K consumes 5% little powerfulness than nan 9900X while delivering 12% much performance, an fantabulous result. However, it consumes 45% much powerfulness than nan 7950X3D while providing somewhat little fps, which highlights a little optimal efficiency.

14 Game Average

Here's nan 14-game mean data, and arsenic expected, nan Core Ultra 7 265K does not execute well, landing 8% slower than nan 14700K and 4% slower than nan 9900X. As mentioned, nan Ryzen 9 processor isn't known for being a apical gaming CPU.

It's besides chaotic to see that conscionable a fewer months ago, nan 7800X3D was disposable for $340, truthful let's now reappraisal nan cost-per-frame information based connected existent unit pricing.

Despite efforts to amended capacity successful Homeworld 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, Arrow Lake continues to underperform successful gaming.

Cost Per Frame

In position of value, nan Core Ultra 7 265K fares amended than nan 285K, chiefly because it costs almost 40% little while being only 5% slower crossed nan 14 games tested. This positions it likewise to nan 9900X, offering somewhat amended worth overall. However, arsenic noted respective times, nan 9900X isn't nan perfect prime for gaming, and location are amended options available.

The 7800X3D, contempt its existent value of $480, still offers 4% amended worth than nan 265K and mostly delivers importantly amended gaming performance. The existent setback for nan 265K, however, is nan Ryzen 7 7700X, presently priced astatine conscionable $275, making it 35% amended value.

The 265K besides fails to connection amended worth than existing 14th-gen models, specified arsenic nan 14700K, which has astir 20% amended value, and nan 14600K, which is not only faster wide but besides 35% amended value. In short, nan 265K underwhelms.

What We Learned

Following our Core Ultra 9 285K review, nan outlook for nan 265K remains mostly nan same. Sure, those Homeworld 3 numbers look a batch amended now, but that does fundamentally thing to amended gaming capacity arsenic a whole. Overall nan gaming capacity for nan bid is underwhelming.

If you cherry-pick nan games, aliases trial definite titles for illustration Cyberpunk and A Plague Tale: Requiem nether ray CPU loads, it's imaginable to nutrient results that let Arrow Lake to lucifer Raptor Lake, providing nan parity that Intel promised. But arsenic we recovered successful our 285K review, if you spot these Arrow Lake CPUs nether dense gaming loads, Arrow Lake CPUs thin to falter.

Whether Intel tin reside this remains uncertain, but we surely dream so; otherwise, Arrow Lake whitethorn move retired to beryllium an epic neglect for PC gamers and enthusiast builders.

So far, nan top betterment successful Arrow Lake is its powerfulness efficiency, which was expected, though we'd hoped for stronger gaming performance. The 265K is much businesslike than nan 285K and is comparable to nan 12- and 16-core Ryzen models, excluding those pinch 3D V-Cache for illustration nan 7950X3D.

For what will beryllium astir $400 connected retail, nan Core Ultra 7 265K is fundamentally dormant connected arrival, moreover if Intel fixes gaming capacity and genuinely finds parity pinch nan 14700K, astatine that constituent you're looking astatine 7700X-like gaming capacity for a 45% value premium. For a amended equilibrium of gaming and productivity, nan 7950X3D remains a much appealing prime astatine $480. And pinch Zen 5-based X3D chips conscionable astir nan corner, nan 265K and 285K will look moreover stiffer competition.

As we said erstwhile wrapping up our Core Ultra 285K review, we afloat expect Intel to robust retired nan kinks complete nan coming weeks, which should help, but we can't ideate it's going to beryllium capable to prevention Arrow Lake for gamers, and we really dream we're incorrect astir that.

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