Core i7-9700K vs Ryzen 5 220

CPU

GPU

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

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Ryzen 5 220

6 Cores12 Thrd28 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2025

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-9700K

8 / 8

14,397

0.0%

18,762

+30.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

About PassMark

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

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 220 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 18,762).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 125.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
❌239.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 28W.

Ryzen 5 220

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $235 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Delivers 234.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 125.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($150 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 28W instead of 95W, a 67W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Ryzen 5 220

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $235 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Delivers 234.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 125.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($150 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 28W instead of 95W, a 67W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 220 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 18,762).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 125.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
❌239.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 28W.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 220 better than Core i7-9700K?

Yes. Ryzen 5 220 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 19.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 30.3% 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, Ryzen 5 220 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 19.2% 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, Ryzen 5 220 is the better fit. You are getting 30.3% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 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?

Ryzen 5 220 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 220 is $235 cheaper on MSRP at $150 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 19.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 234.5% better value on MSRP (125.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 5 220 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2018), a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 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

Ryzen 5 220 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 5 220
1080p
low	308 FPS	265 FPS
medium	278 FPS	237 FPS
high	231 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	170 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	232 FPS
medium	221 FPS	187 FPS
high	178 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	163 FPS
medium	140 FPS	133 FPS
high	108 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen 5 220

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 5 220
1080p
low	360 FPS	430 FPS
medium	321 FPS	341 FPS
high	291 FPS	293 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	250 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	359 FPS
medium	282 FPS	297 FPS
high	258 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	219 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	269 FPS
medium	221 FPS	227 FPS
high	208 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen 5 220

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 5 220
1080p
low	360 FPS	469 FPS
medium	360 FPS	469 FPS
high	360 FPS	469 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	469 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	469 FPS
medium	360 FPS	469 FPS
high	360 FPS	469 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	445 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	469 FPS
medium	360 FPS	438 FPS
high	360 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	309 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen 5 220

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 5 220
1080p
low	360 FPS	469 FPS
medium	360 FPS	469 FPS
high	360 FPS	469 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	469 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	469 FPS
medium	360 FPS	469 FPS
high	360 FPS	469 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	469 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	469 FPS
medium	360 FPS	469 FPS
high	360 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	370 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen 5 220

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Ryzen 5 220

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.

Ryzen 5 220

The Ryzen 5 220 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point (2024−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,762 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 220 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i7-9700K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 220 — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 220 uses Hawk Point (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Ryzen 5 220's 18,762 — a 26.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 220. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 220.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 5 220
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	4.9 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+12%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Hawk Point (2024−2025)
PassMark	14,397	18,762+30%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,300
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	7,700

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 220 uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 5 220 — the Ryzen 5 220 supports 22.2% 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 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 14 (Ryzen 5 220) — the Core i7-9700K offers 2 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and SoC (Ryzen 5 220).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 5 220
Socket	LGA1151	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-5600+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+14%	14

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-9700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 5 220 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 220). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9700K) and Radeon 740M (Ryzen 5 220) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop, Ryzen 5 220 targets Thin and Light Laptop.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 5 220
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	Radeon 740M
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	Thin and Light Laptop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 220 debuted at $150. On MSRP ($385 vs $150), the Ryzen 5 220 is $235 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 125.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 220 — making the Ryzen 5 220 the 107.9% better value option.