Which CPU Is Better for ZBrush: Ryzen 7 9700X or Core Ultra 7 265K?

For ZBrush, the ideal CPU needs both a fast primary core for the brush engine and plenty of cores for canvas updates and rendering. If your budget allows, stepping up to a higher-end chip such as a Core Ultra 9-class model or Ryzen 9-class processor may provide better value than either of these options. Pay attention to the price difference, since the best choice depends heavily on current deals.

Between these two, I’d lean toward the Core Ultra 7 265K if you also care about rendering and other heavily multithreaded workloads. Its higher core count can help with those tasks, while ZBrush still benefits from strong single-core performance for brush responsiveness.

I’d use at least 32GB of RAM for ZBrush, though 64GB is a much better target for large models, multitasking, and other 3D applications. The 9700X and 265K can both work well, but prioritize high single-core speed and enough total cores rather than focusing only on the core count.