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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-11600K

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.3% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $226 less on MSRP ($262 MSRP vs $488 MSRP).
✅Delivers 88.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 74.5 vs 39.6 PassMark/$ ($262 MSRP vs $488 MSRP).
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Core i9-10900E

2020

Why buy it

✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11600K across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,332 vs 19,520).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 39.6 vs 74.5 PassMark/$ ($488 MSRP vs $262 MSRP).

Core i5-11600K

2021

Core i9-10900E

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.3% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $226 less on MSRP ($262 MSRP vs $488 MSRP).
✅Delivers 88.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 74.5 vs 39.6 PassMark/$ ($262 MSRP vs $488 MSRP).
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11600K across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,332 vs 19,520).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 39.6 vs 74.5 PassMark/$ ($488 MSRP vs $262 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-11600K better than Core i9-10900E?

Yes. Core i5-11600K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 7.3% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-11600K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 7.3% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-11600K is the better fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-11600K is the smarter buy today. Core i5-11600K is $226 cheaper on MSRP at $262 MSRP versus $488 MSRP, and it gives you a 7.3% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 88.1% better value on MSRP (74.5 vs 39.6 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-11600K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 10/20. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-11600K Benchmark Check

Core i9-10900E Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-11600K	Core i9-10900E
1080p
low	301 FPS	164 FPS
medium	263 FPS	145 FPS
high	221 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	189 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	247 FPS	139 FPS
medium	195 FPS	119 FPS
high	159 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	76 FPS
medium	136 FPS	70 FPS
high	105 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	43 FPS

Open Core i5-11600K Open Core i9-10900E

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-11600K	Core i9-10900E
1080p
low	480 FPS	483 FPS
medium	380 FPS	420 FPS
high	338 FPS	359 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	324 FPS
1440p
low	413 FPS	419 FPS
medium	332 FPS	368 FPS
high	301 FPS	317 FPS
ultra	262 FPS	276 FPS
4K
low	343 FPS	258 FPS
medium	279 FPS	227 FPS
high	254 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	214 FPS	185 FPS

Open Core i5-11600K Open Core i9-10900E

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-11600K	Core i9-10900E
1080p
low	488 FPS	483 FPS
medium	488 FPS	483 FPS
high	488 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	449 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	483 FPS
medium	488 FPS	483 FPS
high	488 FPS	479 FPS
ultra	451 FPS	403 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	483 FPS
medium	456 FPS	408 FPS
high	390 FPS	361 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	301 FPS

Open Core i5-11600K Open Core i9-10900E

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-11600K	Core i9-10900E
1080p
low	488 FPS	483 FPS
medium	488 FPS	483 FPS
high	488 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	483 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	483 FPS
medium	488 FPS	483 FPS
high	488 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	483 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	483 FPS
medium	488 FPS	483 FPS
high	488 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	389 FPS

Open Core i5-11600K Open Core i9-10900E

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-11600K and Core i9-10900E

Core i5-11600K

The Core i5-11600K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 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: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,520 points. Launch price was $299.

Core i9-10900E

The Core i9-10900E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,332 points. Launch price was $488.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-11600K packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-10900E offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Core i9-10900E has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i5-11600K versus 4.7 GHz on the Core i9-10900E — a 4.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-11600K (base: 3.9 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i5-11600K uses the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i9-10900E uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-11600K scores 19,520 against the Core i9-10900E's 19,332 — a 1% lead for the Core i5-11600K. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-11600K vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i9-10900E.

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Core i9-10900E
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 20+67%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+4%	4.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.9 GHz+39%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+67%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	Comet Lake (2020−2025)
PassMark	19,520	19,332

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1200 socket with PCIe 4.0. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-11600K) vs 16 (Core i9-10900E) — the Core i5-11600K offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 500 series,Intel 400 series (Core i5-11600K) and LGA1200 (Core i9-10900E).

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Core i9-10900E
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20+25%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i5-11600K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i5-11600K supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 750 (Core i5-11600K) and UHD Graphics 630 (Core i9-10900E) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-11600K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Core i9-10900E
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 750	UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-11600K launched at $262 MSRP, while the Core i9-10900E debuted at $488. On MSRP ($262 vs $488), the Core i5-11600K is $226 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-11600K delivers 74.5 pts/$ vs 39.6 pts/$ for the Core i9-10900E — making the Core i5-11600K the 61.1% better value option.