Core i7-9700K vs M3 Pro 11-Core

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

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while M3 Pro 11-Core needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M3 Pro 11-Core across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 24,861).
❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while M3 Pro 11-Core mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while M3 Pro 11-Core moves to none and DDR5.

M3 Pro 11-Core

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +34.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

M3 Pro 11-Core

2023

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while M3 Pro 11-Core needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +34.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M3 Pro 11-Core across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 24,861).
❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while M3 Pro 11-Core mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while M3 Pro 11-Core moves to none and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is M3 Pro 11-Core better than Core i7-9700K?

Yes. M3 Pro 11-Core is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 34.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 72.7% 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, M3 Pro 11-Core is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 34.7% 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, M3 Pro 11-Core is the better fit. You are getting 72.7% better PassMark, backed by 11 cores and 11 threads.

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

M3 Pro 11-Core is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. M3 Pro 11-Core is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 34.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-9700K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (37.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1151.

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

M3 Pro 11-Core is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2018), a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, and more multi-core headroom with 11 cores / 11 threads instead of 8/8. 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

M3 Pro 11-Core Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	M3 Pro 11-Core
1080p
low	308 FPS	182 FPS
medium	278 FPS	146 FPS
high	231 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	146 FPS
medium	221 FPS	115 FPS
high	178 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	67 FPS
medium	140 FPS	56 FPS
high	108 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open M3 Pro 11-Core

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	M3 Pro 11-Core
1080p
low	360 FPS	399 FPS
medium	321 FPS	339 FPS
high	291 FPS	293 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	256 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	352 FPS
medium	282 FPS	309 FPS
high	258 FPS	270 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	230 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	255 FPS
medium	221 FPS	229 FPS
high	208 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	184 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open M3 Pro 11-Core

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	M3 Pro 11-Core
1080p
low	360 FPS	622 FPS
medium	360 FPS	622 FPS
high	360 FPS	622 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	593 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	622 FPS
medium	360 FPS	515 FPS
high	360 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	400 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	452 FPS
medium	360 FPS	356 FPS
high	360 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	248 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open M3 Pro 11-Core

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	M3 Pro 11-Core
1080p
low	360 FPS	622 FPS
medium	360 FPS	622 FPS
high	360 FPS	622 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	621 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	622 FPS
medium	360 FPS	622 FPS
high	360 FPS	540 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	469 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	494 FPS
medium	360 FPS	443 FPS
high	360 FPS	396 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	342 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open M3 Pro 11-Core

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and M3 Pro 11-Core

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.

M3 Pro 11-Core

The M3 Pro 11-Core is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 30 October 2023 (2 years ago). It features 11 cores and 11 threads. Base frequency is 2.748 GHz, with boost up to 4.06 GHz. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,861 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the M3 Pro 11-Core offers 11 cores / 11 threads — the M3 Pro 11-Core has 3 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4.06 GHz on the M3 Pro 11-Core — a 18.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.748 GHz). The Core i7-9700K is built on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the M3 Pro 11-Core's 24,861 — a 53.3% lead for the M3 Pro 11-Core.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	M3 Pro 11-Core
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	11 / 11+38%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+21%	4.06 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+31%	2.748 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm	3 nm-79%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	—
PassMark	14,397	24,861+73%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the M3 Pro 11-Core uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	M3 Pro 11-Core
Socket	LGA1151	none
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	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) / not specified (M3 Pro 11-Core). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the M3 Pro 11-Core requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.