Core i7-9700K vs Phenom II X3 P840

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: +229.6% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Phenom II X3 P840 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while Phenom II X3 P840 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌6233.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 1.5W.

Phenom II X3 P840

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 95W, a 94W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,425 vs 14,397).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Phenom II X3 P840

2010

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +229.6% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Phenom II X3 P840 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 95W, a 94W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while Phenom II X3 P840 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌6233.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 1.5W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,425 vs 14,397).
❌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 Phenom II X3 P840?

Yes. Core i7-9700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 229.6% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 225.4% 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 229.6% more average FPS across 3 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 225.4% 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 at an unclear MSRP at $385 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 229.6% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (37.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i7-9700K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 3/3. 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

Phenom II X3 P840 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Phenom II X3 P840
1080p
low	308 FPS	111 FPS
medium	278 FPS	111 FPS
high	231 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	76 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	111 FPS
medium	221 FPS	102 FPS
high	178 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	61 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	63 FPS
medium	140 FPS	52 FPS
high	108 FPS	40 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	31 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Phenom II X3 P840

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Phenom II X3 P840
1080p
low	360 FPS	111 FPS
medium	321 FPS	111 FPS
high	291 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	75 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	111 FPS
medium	282 FPS	96 FPS
high	258 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	66 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	76 FPS
medium	221 FPS	66 FPS
high	208 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	32 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Phenom II X3 P840

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Phenom II X3 P840
1080p
low	360 FPS	111 FPS
medium	360 FPS	111 FPS
high	360 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	111 FPS
medium	360 FPS	111 FPS
high	360 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	111 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	111 FPS
medium	360 FPS	111 FPS
high	360 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	111 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Phenom II X3 P840

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Phenom II X3 P840
1080p
low	360 FPS	111 FPS
medium	360 FPS	111 FPS
high	360 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	111 FPS
medium	360 FPS	111 FPS
high	360 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	111 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	111 FPS
medium	360 FPS	111 FPS
high	360 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	111 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Phenom II X3 P840

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Phenom II X3 P840

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.

Phenom II X3 P840

The Phenom II X3 P840 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 1.9 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,425 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Phenom II X3 P840 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Core i7-9700K has 5 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 1.9 GHz on the Phenom II X3 P840 — a 88.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K. The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X3 P840 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Phenom II X3 P840's 4,425 — a 106% lead for the Core i7-9700K.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Phenom II X3 P840
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+167%	3 / 3
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+158%	1.9 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	—
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.5 MB+500%
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	14,397+225%	4,425

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X3 P840 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Phenom II X3 P840
Socket	LGA1151	S1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
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 (Phenom II X3 P840). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Phenom II X3 P840 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.