Celeron T3500 vs Core i7-9700K Performance Spectrum
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Celeron T3500 vs Core i7-9700K FPS Benchmarks
Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.
Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Celeron T3500 vs Core i7-9700K: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict
See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.
Celeron T3500
2010Why buy it
- ✅Costs $305 less on MSRP ($80 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 35W instead of 95W, a 60W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (1,055 vs 14,397).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (1 MB vs 12 MB).
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.2 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($80 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
- ❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
Core i7-9700K
2018Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +774.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅+1100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 1 MB).
- ✅Delivers 183.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).
- ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
- ✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Celeron T3500 needs a discrete GPU.
Trade-offs
- ❌381.3% HIGHER MSRP$385 MSRPvs$80 MSRP
- ❌171.4% higher power demand at 95W vs 35W.
Quick Answers
So, is Core i7-9700K better than Celeron T3500?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Celeron T3500 vs Core i7-9700K Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
Celeron T3500
The Celeron T3500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. Base frequency: 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,055 points. Launch price was $69.
Core i7-9700K
The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.
Processing Power
The Core i7-9700K is built on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the Celeron T3500 scores 1,055 against the Core i7-9700K's 14,397 — a 172.7% lead for the Core i7-9700K. L3 cache: 1 MB on the Celeron T3500 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K.
| Feature | Celeron T3500 | Core i7-9700K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | — | 8 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | — | 4.9 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 3.6 GHz+71% |
| L3 Cache | 1 MB | 12 MB (total)+1100% |
| L2 Cache | — | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 14 nm-69% |
| Architecture | — | Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) |
| PassMark | 1,055 | 14,397+1265% |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron T3500 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-9700K uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron T3500 | Core i7-9700K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2666 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | No |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Celeron T3500) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Celeron T3500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.
| Feature | Celeron T3500 | Core i7-9700K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | UHD Graphics 630 |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
Value Analysis
At launch, the Celeron T3500 was priced at $80, while the Core i7-9700K came in at $385. On launch pricing ($80 vs $385), Celeron T3500 was $305 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron T3500 delivers 13.2 pts/$ vs 37.4 pts/$ for the Core i7-9700K — making the Core i7-9700K the 95.7% better value option.
| Feature | Celeron T3500 | Core i7-9700K |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $80-79% | $385 |
| Performance per Dollar | 13.2 | 37.4+183% |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2018 |
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