Core i9-9820X vs Core Ultra 9 288V

The Core i9-9820X packs 10 cores / 20 threads, while the Core Ultra 9 288V offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core i9-9820X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core i9-9820X versus 5.1 GHz on the Core Ultra 9 288V — a 19.4% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 9 288V (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i9-9820X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Core Ultra 9 288V uses Lunar Lake (2024) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9820X scores 20,456 against the Core Ultra 9 288V's 20,280 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i9-9820X. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,394 vs 2,800, a 67% lead for the Core Ultra 9 288V that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 9,361 vs 10,000 (6.6% advantage for the Core Ultra 9 288V). L3 cache: 16.5 MB (total) on the Core i9-9820X vs 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 9 288V.

The Core i9-9820X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 9 288V uses FCBGA2833 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4 2666 MHz on the Core i9-9820X versus LPDDR5X-8533 on the Core Ultra 9 288V — the Core i9-9820X supports 200% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i9-9820X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Core i9-9820X) vs 2 (Core Ultra 9 288V). PCIe lanes: 44 (Core i9-9820X) vs 8 (Core Ultra 9 288V) — the Core i9-9820X offers 36 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel X299 (Core i9-9820X) and SoC (Core Ultra 9 288V).

Only the Core i9-9820X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support true virtualization. The Core Ultra 9 288V includes integrated graphics (Intel Arc 140V), while the Core i9-9820X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-9820X targets Workstation.

The Core i9-9820X launched at $889 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 9 288V debuted at $600. At current prices ($280 vs $600), the Core i9-9820X is $320 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-9820X delivers 73.1 pts/$ vs 33.8 pts/$ for the Core Ultra 9 288V — making the Core i9-9820X the 73.5% better value option.