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 i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.1% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $41 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $426 MSRP).
✅Delivers 37.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 27.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $426 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌239.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 28W.

Core i7-11370H

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 95W, a 67W reduction.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (11,548 vs 14,397).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($426 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).

Core i7-9700K

2018

Core i7-11370H

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.1% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $41 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $426 MSRP).
✅Delivers 37.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 27.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $426 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 95W, a 67W reduction.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌239.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 28W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (11,548 vs 14,397).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($426 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-9700K better than Core i7-11370H?

Yes. Core i7-9700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 18.1% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data and 24.7% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-9700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 18.1% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-9700K is the better fit. You are getting 24.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

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

Core i7-9700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-9700K is $41 cheaper on MSRP at $385 MSRP versus $426 MSRP, and it gives you a 18.1% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 37.9% better value on MSRP (37.4 vs 27.1 PassMark/$), 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 i7-11370H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2018). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 i7-9700K Benchmark Check

Core i7-11370H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-11370H
1080p
low	308 FPS	268 FPS
medium	278 FPS	238 FPS
high	231 FPS	199 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	170 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	238 FPS
medium	221 FPS	193 FPS
high	178 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	136 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	166 FPS
medium	140 FPS	136 FPS
high	108 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-11370H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-11370H
1080p
low	360 FPS	289 FPS
medium	321 FPS	289 FPS
high	291 FPS	257 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	217 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	289 FPS
medium	282 FPS	251 FPS
high	258 FPS	227 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	189 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	229 FPS
medium	221 FPS	193 FPS
high	208 FPS	161 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	131 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-11370H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-11370H
1080p
low	360 FPS	289 FPS
medium	360 FPS	289 FPS
high	360 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	289 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	289 FPS
medium	360 FPS	289 FPS
high	360 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	289 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	289 FPS
medium	360 FPS	289 FPS
high	360 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	289 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-11370H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-11370H
1080p
low	360 FPS	289 FPS
medium	360 FPS	289 FPS
high	360 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	289 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	289 FPS
medium	360 FPS	289 FPS
high	360 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	289 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	289 FPS
medium	360 FPS	289 FPS
high	360 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	289 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-11370H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Core i7-11370H

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.

Core i7-11370H

The Core i7-11370H 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 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 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: 11,548 points. Launch price was $426.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i7-11370H offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-9700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i7-11370H — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-11370H uses Tiger Lake-H35 (2021) (10 nm SuperFin). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Core i7-11370H's 11,548 — a 22% lead for the Core i7-9700K. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-11370H
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+100%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+2%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+20%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	14 nm	10 nm SuperFin-29%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Tiger Lake-H35 (2021)
PassMark	14,397+25%	11,548
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	5,563
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,960
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	5,612

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-11370H uses FCBGA1449 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Core i7-9700K 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. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 20 (Core i7-11370H) — the Core i7-11370H offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and SoC (Core i7-11370H).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-11370H
Socket	LGA1151	FCBGA1449
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-9700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i7-11370H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-11370H). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9700K) and Iris Xe Graphics (96 EU) (Core i7-11370H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop, Core i7-11370H targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i7-11370H rivals Ryzen 7 5800H.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-11370H
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	Iris Xe Graphics (96 EU)
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Desktop	Productivity

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Core i7-11370H debuted at $426. On MSRP ($385 vs $426), the Core i7-9700K is $41 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 27.1 pts/$ for the Core i7-11370H — making the Core i7-9700K the 31.9% better value option.