Core i7-9700F vs Ryzen 5 4600U

Core i7-9700F vs Ryzen 5 4600U Performance Spectrum

Core i7-9700F

8 / 8

13,165

+0.9%

13,043

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

Core i7-9700F vs Ryzen 5 4600U 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 i7-9700F vs Ryzen 5 4600U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-9700F

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $323 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 4600U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Ryzen 5 4600U

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,043 vs 13,165).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-9700F better than Ryzen 5 4600U?

Yes. Core i7-9700F is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 28.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.9% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-9700F is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 28.9% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-9700F is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i7-9700F is the better buy right now. Core i7-9700F comes in at an unclear MSRP at $323 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 28.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (40.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 4600U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2019). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core i7-9700F vs Ryzen 5 4600U Technical Specifications

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

Core i7-9700F

The Core i7-9700F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 12 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: 13,165 points. Launch price was $323.

Ryzen 5 4600U

The Ryzen 5 4600U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,043 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9700F packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 4600U offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i7-9700F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Core i7-9700F versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 4600U — a 16.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700F (base: 3 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i7-9700F uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 4600U uses Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700F scores 13,165 against the Ryzen 5 4600U's 13,043 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i7-9700F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700F vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 4600U.

Feature	Core i7-9700F	Ryzen 5 4600U
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.7 GHz+18%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+43%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021)
PassMark	13,165	13,043

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700F uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 4600U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.