Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V | AMD - Ryzen 5 9600X |
|---|---|---|
| L3 cache | 12 MB | 32 MB |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 11400 | 17400 |
| TDP | 30 W | 65 W |
| Cores | 8 | 6 |
| Boost clock | 5.0 GHz | 5.4 GHz |
Between the Core Ultra 7 268V and Ryzen 5 9600X, the Core Ultra 7 268V comes out ahead in tdp / cores, while the Ryzen 5 9600X wins on l3 cache / cinebench r23 (multi). Overall, the Core Ultra 7 268V scores 45 and the Ryzen 5 9600X scores 48.8 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Ryzen 5 9600X edges ahead on the Mars Score (45 vs 48.8), but the 3.8-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Core Ultra 7 268V if you care most about tdp / cores. The biggest gaps in its favor are tdp, cores. The single most decisive one: TDP — 35.00 W less. 30 vs 65.
Pick the Ryzen 5 9600X if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. Its strongest claims are l3 cache, cinebench r23 (multi), boost clock. The single most decisive one: L3 cache — 166.67% more. 32 MB vs 12 MB.
There are no meaningful ties on the headline specs — every popular-comparison metric has a winner.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V or AMD - Ryzen 5 9600X?
AMD - Ryzen 5 9600X leads the current Mars Score by 3.8 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare cores, boost clock, tdp against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V if…
Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V has the measurable edge on tdp w, core count.
Choose AMD - Ryzen 5 9600X if…
AMD - Ryzen 5 9600X has the measurable edge on cache l3 mb, cinebench r23 multi, boost clock ghz.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V wins
- ▲TDP — 35.00 W less. 30 vs 65.
- ▲Cores — 33.33% more. 8 vs 6.
Why AMD - Ryzen 5 9600X wins
- ▲L3 cache — 166.67% more. 32 MB vs 12 MB.
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 52.63% more. 17400 vs 11400.
- ▲Boost clock — 8.00% more. 5.4 GHz vs 5.0 GHz.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V | AMD - Ryzen 5 9600X |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 8lead | 6 |
| Threadsⓘ | 8 | 12lead |
| Base clockⓘ | 2.2 GHz | 3.9 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 5.0 GHz | 5.4 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 12 MB | 32 MBlead |
Platform
| Spec | Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V | AMD - Ryzen 5 9600X |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | BGA2833 | AM5 |
| TDPⓘ | 30 Wlead | 65 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V | AMD - Ryzen 5 9600X |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 11400 | 17400lead |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 1860 | 2110lead |