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: +5.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $114 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 14.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 32.7 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 7 1800X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 16,305).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Ryzen 7 1800X

2017

Why buy it

✅+13.3% higher PassMark.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.7 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($499 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Ryzen 7 1800X

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $114 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 14.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 32.7 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 7 1800X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+13.3% higher PassMark.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 16,305).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.7 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($499 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 1800X better than Core i7-9700K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i7-9700K is ahead with a 5.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 1800X pulls ahead with 13.3% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 1800X also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 1800X is the better fit. You are getting 13.3% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 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 7 1800X is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Ryzen 7 1800X is 29.6% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you 13.3% better PassMark. Core i7-9700K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 14.4% better value on paper (37.4 vs 32.7 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 7 1800X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/8. 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

Ryzen 7 1800X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 7 1800X
1080p
low	308 FPS	213 FPS
medium	278 FPS	178 FPS
high	231 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	105 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	178 FPS
medium	221 FPS	146 FPS
high	178 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	70 FPS
medium	140 FPS	61 FPS
high	108 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen 7 1800X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 7 1800X
1080p
low	360 FPS	284 FPS
medium	321 FPS	251 FPS
high	291 FPS	222 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	182 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	251 FPS
medium	282 FPS	227 FPS
high	258 FPS	200 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	164 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	182 FPS
medium	221 FPS	169 FPS
high	208 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	122 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen 7 1800X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 7 1800X
1080p
low	360 FPS	408 FPS
medium	360 FPS	408 FPS
high	360 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	408 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	408 FPS
medium	360 FPS	408 FPS
high	360 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	328 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	376 FPS
medium	360 FPS	310 FPS
high	360 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	222 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen 7 1800X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 7 1800X
1080p
low	360 FPS	408 FPS
medium	360 FPS	408 FPS
high	360 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	408 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	408 FPS
medium	360 FPS	408 FPS
high	360 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	408 FPS
medium	360 FPS	408 FPS
high	360 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	353 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen 7 1800X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Ryzen 7 1800X

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 7 1800X

The Ryzen 7 1800X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 March 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 16384 kB. L2 cache: 4096 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 16,305 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, matching the Ryzen 7 1800X's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 1800X — a 20.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 1800X uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Ryzen 7 1800X's 16,305 — a 12.4% lead for the Ryzen 7 1800X. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 16384 kB on the Ryzen 7 1800X.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 7 1800X
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+23%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	3.6 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16384 kB+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	4096 kB+1500%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	14,397	16,305+13%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,314
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,130
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	5,700

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 1800X uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 20 (Ryzen 7 1800X) — the Ryzen 7 1800X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and AM4 (Ryzen 7 1800X).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 7 1800X
Socket	LGA1151	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 1800X). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Ryzen 7 1800X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop, Ryzen 7 1800X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 1800X rivals Core i7-8700.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 7 1800X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 1800X debuted at $499. On MSRP ($385 vs $499), the Core i7-9700K is $114 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 32.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 1800X — making the Core i7-9700K the 13.5% better value option.