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

✅Costs $54 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $439 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i9-11900 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-11900 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 22,422).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 51.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $439 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Core i9-11900

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +42.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 36.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 51.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($439 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌
14% HIGHER MSRP
$439 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Core i9-11900

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $54 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $439 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i9-11900 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +42.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 36.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 51.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($439 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-11900 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 22,422).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 51.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $439 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌
14% HIGHER MSRP
$439 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-11900 better than Core i7-9700K?

Yes. Core i9-11900 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 42.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 55.7% 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 i9-11900 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 42.9% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-11900 is the better fit. You are getting 55.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i9-11900 is the smarter buy today. Core i9-11900 is 14.0% more expensive on MSRP at $439 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 42.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 36.6% better value on MSRP (51.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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 i9-11900 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2018), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/8. 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 i7-9700K Benchmark Check

Core i9-11900 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-11900
1080p
low	308 FPS	286 FPS
medium	278 FPS	256 FPS
high	231 FPS	217 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	187 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	235 FPS
medium	221 FPS	189 FPS
high	178 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	164 FPS
medium	140 FPS	133 FPS
high	108 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i9-11900

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-11900
1080p
low	360 FPS	561 FPS
medium	321 FPS	507 FPS
high	291 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	390 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	561 FPS
medium	282 FPS	473 FPS
high	258 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	346 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	386 FPS
medium	221 FPS	328 FPS
high	208 FPS	309 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	263 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i9-11900

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-11900
1080p
low	360 FPS	561 FPS
medium	360 FPS	561 FPS
high	360 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	521 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	561 FPS
medium	360 FPS	561 FPS
high	360 FPS	504 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	433 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	535 FPS
medium	360 FPS	445 FPS
high	360 FPS	396 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	332 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i9-11900

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-11900
1080p
low	360 FPS	561 FPS
medium	360 FPS	561 FPS
high	360 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	561 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	561 FPS
medium	360 FPS	561 FPS
high	360 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	561 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	561 FPS
medium	360 FPS	557 FPS
high	360 FPS	503 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	435 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i9-11900

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Core i9-11900

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 i9-11900

The Core i9-11900 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 22,422 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, matching the Core i9-11900's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-11900 — a 4% clock advantage for the Core i9-11900 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i9-11900 uses Rocket Lake (2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Core i9-11900's 22,422 — a 43.6% lead for the Core i9-11900. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-11900.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-11900
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	5.1 GHz+4%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+44%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Rocket Lake (2021)
PassMark	14,397	22,422+56%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i9-11900 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-11900
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) / not specified (Core i9-11900). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i9-11900 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-11900
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Core i9-11900 debuted at $439. On MSRP ($385 vs $439), the Core i7-9700K is $54 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 51.1 pts/$ for the Core i9-11900 — making the Core i9-11900 the 30.9% better value option.