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 i5-9500

2019

Why buy it

✅+1.6% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $147 less on MSRP ($192 MSRP vs $339 MSRP).
✅Delivers 79.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 51.2 vs 28.5 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $339 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 112W, a 47W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i7-7740X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i7-7740X

2017

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (9,678 vs 9,829).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 28.5 vs 51.2 PassMark/$ ($339 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
❌72.3% higher power demand at 112W vs 65W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-9500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-9500.

Core i5-9500

2019

Core i7-7740X

2017

Why buy it

✅+1.6% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $147 less on MSRP ($192 MSRP vs $339 MSRP).
✅Delivers 79.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 51.2 vs 28.5 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $339 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 112W, a 47W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i7-7740X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (9,678 vs 9,829).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 28.5 vs 51.2 PassMark/$ ($339 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
❌72.3% higher power demand at 112W vs 65W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-9500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-9500.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-9500 better than Core i7-7740X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i7-7740X is ahead with a 2.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-9500 pulls ahead with 1.6% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-9500 is the better fit. You are getting 1.6% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 6 threads.

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

Core i5-9500 is the smarter buy today. Core i5-9500 is $147 cheaper on MSRP at $192 MSRP versus $339 MSRP, and it gives you 1.6% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i7-7740X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 79.3% better value on MSRP (51.2 vs 28.5 PassMark/$), 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 i5-9500 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 6 threads instead of 4/8. 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 i5-9500 Benchmark Check

Core i7-7740X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-9500	Core i7-7740X
1080p
low	180 FPS	195 FPS
medium	145 FPS	154 FPS
high	117 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	154 FPS	157 FPS
medium	124 FPS	122 FPS
high	99 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	86 FPS	87 FPS
medium	75 FPS	74 FPS
high	59 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-9500 Open Core i7-7740X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-9500	Core i7-7740X
1080p
low	246 FPS	242 FPS
medium	246 FPS	242 FPS
high	246 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	219 FPS
1440p
low	246 FPS	242 FPS
medium	246 FPS	242 FPS
high	245 FPS	228 FPS
ultra	216 FPS	193 FPS
4K
low	246 FPS	238 FPS
medium	231 FPS	197 FPS
high	211 FPS	167 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	137 FPS

Open Core i5-9500 Open Core i7-7740X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-9500	Core i7-7740X
1080p
low	246 FPS	242 FPS
medium	246 FPS	242 FPS
high	246 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	242 FPS
1440p
low	246 FPS	242 FPS
medium	246 FPS	242 FPS
high	246 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	242 FPS
4K
low	246 FPS	242 FPS
medium	236 FPS	242 FPS
high	200 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	158 FPS	242 FPS

Open Core i5-9500 Open Core i7-7740X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-9500	Core i7-7740X
1080p
low	246 FPS	242 FPS
medium	246 FPS	242 FPS
high	246 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	242 FPS
1440p
low	246 FPS	242 FPS
medium	246 FPS	242 FPS
high	246 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	242 FPS
4K
low	246 FPS	242 FPS
medium	246 FPS	242 FPS
high	246 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	242 FPS

Open Core i5-9500 Open Core i7-7740X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-9500 and Core i7-7740X

Core i5-9500

The Core i5-9500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 9 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 9,829 points. Launch price was $192.

Core i7-7740X

The Core i7-7740X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake-X (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 4.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 112 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 9,678 points. Launch price was $339.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-9500 packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Core i7-7740X offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-9500 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-9500 versus 4.5 GHz on the Core i7-7740X — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-7740X (base: 3 GHz vs 4.3 GHz). The Core i5-9500 uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-7740X uses Kaby Lake-X (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-9500 scores 9,829 against the Core i7-7740X's 9,678 — a 1.5% lead for the Core i5-9500. L3 cache: 9 MB (total) on the Core i5-9500 vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-7740X.

Feature	Core i5-9500	Core i7-7740X
Cores / Threads	6 / 6+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3 GHz	4.3 GHz+43%
L3 Cache	9 MB (total)+13%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Kaby Lake-X (2017)
PassMark	9,829+2%	9,678
Geekbench 6 Single	1,468	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-9500 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-7740X uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Core i5-9500 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Core i5-9500	Core i7-7740X
Socket	LGA1151	LGA2066
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-7740X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-9500) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-7740X). The Core i5-9500 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i7-7740X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-9500 targets Desktop, Core i7-7740X targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-9500 rivals Ryzen 5 2600.

Feature	Core i5-9500	Core i7-7740X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Desktop	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-9500 launched at $192 MSRP, while the Core i7-7740X debuted at $339. On MSRP ($192 vs $339), the Core i5-9500 is $147 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-9500 delivers 51.2 pts/$ vs 28.5 pts/$ for the Core i7-7740X — making the Core i5-9500 the 56.8% better value option.