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: +47.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 10 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core Ultra 5 115U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 115U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 115U moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.

Core Ultra 5 115U

2023

Why buy it

✅Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (11,518 vs 14,397).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (10 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Core Ultra 5 115U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +47.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 10 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core Ultra 5 115U needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 115U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 115U moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (11,518 vs 14,397).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (10 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-9700K better than Core Ultra 5 115U?

Yes. Core i7-9700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 47.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 25% 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 47.0% 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 i7-9700K is the better fit. You are getting 25% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 10 MB).

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

Core i7-9700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-9700K is at an unclear MSRP at $385 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 47.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (37.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Ultra 5 115U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2018) and a healthier platform with FCBGA2049 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 Ultra 5 115U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core Ultra 5 115U
1080p
low	308 FPS	174 FPS
medium	278 FPS	139 FPS
high	231 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	91 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	142 FPS
medium	221 FPS	112 FPS
high	178 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	66 FPS
medium	140 FPS	55 FPS
high	108 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core Ultra 5 115U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core Ultra 5 115U
1080p
low	360 FPS	173 FPS
medium	321 FPS	152 FPS
high	291 FPS	139 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	123 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	151 FPS
medium	282 FPS	136 FPS
high	258 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	110 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	121 FPS
medium	221 FPS	113 FPS
high	208 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	94 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core Ultra 5 115U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core Ultra 5 115U
1080p
low	360 FPS	288 FPS
medium	360 FPS	288 FPS
high	360 FPS	288 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	288 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	288 FPS
medium	360 FPS	288 FPS
high	360 FPS	288 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	288 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	288 FPS
medium	360 FPS	288 FPS
high	360 FPS	288 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	236 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core Ultra 5 115U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core Ultra 5 115U
1080p
low	360 FPS	288 FPS
medium	360 FPS	288 FPS
high	360 FPS	288 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	288 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	288 FPS
medium	360 FPS	288 FPS
high	360 FPS	288 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	288 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	288 FPS
medium	360 FPS	288 FPS
high	360 FPS	288 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	288 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core Ultra 5 115U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Core Ultra 5 115U

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 Ultra 5 115U

The Core Ultra 5 115U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake (2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 10 MB. Memory support: DDR5 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 11,518 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, matching the Core Ultra 5 115U's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4.2 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 115U — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 115U uses Meteor Lake (2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Core Ultra 5 115U's 11,518 — a 22.2% lead for the Core i7-9700K. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 10 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 115U.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core Ultra 5 115U
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	8 / 10
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+17%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+140%	1.5 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+20%	10 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+700%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Meteor Lake (2023)
PassMark	14,397+25%	11,518

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 5 115U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core Ultra 5 115U
Socket	LGA1151	FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) / not specified (Core Ultra 5 115U). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core Ultra 5 115U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.