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: +517.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+300% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 3 MB).

Trade-offs

❌
613% HIGHER MSRP
$385 MSRPvs$54 MSRP
❌75.9% higher power demand at 95W vs 54W.

Pentium G3220

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $331 less on MSRP ($54 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 54W instead of 95W, a 41W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,885 vs 14,397).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 12 MB).

Core i7-9700K

2018

Pentium G3220

2013

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +517.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+300% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 3 MB).

Why buy it

✅Costs $331 less on MSRP ($54 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 54W instead of 95W, a 41W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌
613% HIGHER MSRP
$385 MSRPvs$54 MSRP
❌75.9% higher power demand at 95W vs 54W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,885 vs 14,397).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 12 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-9700K better than Pentium G3220?

Yes. Core i7-9700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 517.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 663.8% 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 i7-9700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 517.6% 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 663.8% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 3 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 613.0% more expensive on MSRP at $385 MSRP versus $54 MSRP, and it gives you a 517.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 7.1% better value on MSRP (37.4 vs 34.9 PassMark/$), 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 i7-9700K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2013), 300% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 3 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 2/2. 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

Pentium G3220 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Pentium G3220
1080p
low	308 FPS	47 FPS
medium	278 FPS	47 FPS
high	231 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	47 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	47 FPS
medium	221 FPS	47 FPS
high	178 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	47 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	47 FPS
medium	140 FPS	47 FPS
high	108 FPS	40 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	32 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Pentium G3220

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Pentium G3220
1080p
low	360 FPS	47 FPS
medium	321 FPS	47 FPS
high	291 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	47 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	47 FPS
medium	282 FPS	47 FPS
high	258 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	47 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	47 FPS
medium	221 FPS	47 FPS
high	208 FPS	40 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	27 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Pentium G3220

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Pentium G3220
1080p
low	360 FPS	47 FPS
medium	360 FPS	47 FPS
high	360 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	47 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	47 FPS
medium	360 FPS	47 FPS
high	360 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	47 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	47 FPS
medium	360 FPS	47 FPS
high	360 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Pentium G3220

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Pentium G3220
1080p
low	360 FPS	47 FPS
medium	360 FPS	47 FPS
high	360 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	47 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	47 FPS
medium	360 FPS	47 FPS
high	360 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	47 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	47 FPS
medium	360 FPS	47 FPS
high	360 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Pentium G3220

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Pentium G3220

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.

Pentium G3220

The Pentium G3220 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 53 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,885 points. Launch price was $71.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Pentium G3220 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Core i7-9700K has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 3 GHz on the Pentium G3220 — a 48.1% 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 Pentium G3220 uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Pentium G3220's 1,885 — a 153.7% lead for the Core i7-9700K. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G3220.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Pentium G3220
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+300%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+63%	3 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+20%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+300%	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	14,397+664%	1,885

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium G3220 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus DDR3-1333 on the Pentium G3220 — the Core i7-9700K supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-9700K supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Pentium G3220
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1150
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666+33%	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+300%	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-9700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs VT-x (Pentium G3220). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9700K) and HD Graphics (Pentium G3220) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop, Pentium G3220 targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Pentium G3220
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	HD Graphics
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x
Target Use	Desktop	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Pentium G3220 debuted at $54. On MSRP ($385 vs $54), the Pentium G3220 is $331 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 34.9 pts/$ for the Pentium G3220 — making the Core i7-9700K the 6.9% better value option.