Core i5-9600KF vs Core i5-11300H

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.

Core i5-9600KF vs Core i5-11300H 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.

Core i5-9600KF vs Core i5-11300H: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-9600KF

2019

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,646 vs 10,792).
❌Launch MSRP is still $262 MSRP, while Core i5-11300H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌239.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 28W.

Core i5-11300H

2021

Why buy it

✅+1.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 28W instead of 95W, a 67W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-11300H better than Core i5-9600KF?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-9600KF is ahead with a 1.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-11300H pulls ahead with 1.4% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-11300H is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Core i5-11300H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-9600KF is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Core i5-11300H comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $262 MSRP, and it still gives you 1.4% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i5-9600KF is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-9600KF is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (40.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Core i5-11300H makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2019) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/6. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-9600KF vs Core i5-11300H Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i5-9600KF

The Core i5-9600KF is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 9 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 10,646 points. Launch price was $262.

Core i5-11300H

The Core i5-11300H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-H35 (2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1449. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,792 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-9600KF packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Core i5-11300H offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-9600KF has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-9600KF versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-11300H — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-9600KF (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-9600KF uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-11300H uses Tiger Lake-H35 (2021) (10 nm SuperFin). In PassMark, the Core i5-9600KF scores 10,646 against the Core i5-11300H's 10,792 — a 1.4% lead for the Core i5-11300H. L3 cache: 9 MB (total) on the Core i5-9600KF vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i5-11300H.

Feature	Core i5-9600KF	Core i5-11300H
Cores / Threads	6 / 6+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+5%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+42%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	9 MB (total)+13%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+20380%	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	14 nm	10 nm SuperFin-29%
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Tiger Lake-H35 (2021)
PassMark	10,646	10,792+1%
Cinebench R23 Multi	7,301	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,600	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	6,200	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-9600KF uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-11300H uses FCBGA1449 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-9600KF	Core i5-11300H
Socket	LGA1151	FCBGA1449
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—