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 AI 9 HX 375 across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 34,585).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌239.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 28W.

Ryzen AI 9 HX 375

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.3% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 28W instead of 95W, a 67W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

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

Core i7-9700K

2018

Ryzen AI 9 HX 375

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.3% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 28W instead of 95W, a 67W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 34,585).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌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 AI 9 HX 375 better than Core i7-9700K?

Yes. Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 17.3% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data, 140.2% 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 AI 9 HX 375 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 17.3% more average FPS across 5 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is the better fit. You are getting 140.2% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 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 AI 9 HX 375 is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 17.3% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-9700K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (37.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 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 12 cores / 24 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 AI 9 HX 375 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen AI 9 HX 375
1080p
low	308 FPS	245 FPS
medium	278 FPS	230 FPS
high	231 FPS	192 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	165 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	216 FPS
medium	221 FPS	184 FPS
high	178 FPS	148 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	130 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	150 FPS
medium	140 FPS	128 FPS
high	108 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen AI 9 HX 375

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen AI 9 HX 375
1080p
low	360 FPS	262 FPS
medium	321 FPS	220 FPS
high	291 FPS	194 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	173 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	232 FPS
medium	282 FPS	203 FPS
high	258 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	151 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	154 FPS
medium	221 FPS	140 FPS
high	208 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	115 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen AI 9 HX 375

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen AI 9 HX 375
1080p
low	360 FPS	738 FPS
medium	360 FPS	587 FPS
high	360 FPS	508 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	429 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	661 FPS
medium	360 FPS	533 FPS
high	360 FPS	455 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	388 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	482 FPS
medium	360 FPS	403 FPS
high	360 FPS	359 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	301 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen AI 9 HX 375

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen AI 9 HX 375
1080p
low	360 FPS	865 FPS
medium	360 FPS	809 FPS
high	360 FPS	694 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	625 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	757 FPS
medium	360 FPS	680 FPS
high	360 FPS	583 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	515 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	518 FPS
medium	360 FPS	473 FPS
high	360 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	369 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen AI 9 HX 375

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Ryzen AI 9 HX 375

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 AI 9 HX 375

The Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Julho 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Strix Point-HX (Zen 5) (2024) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. 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: 34,585 points. Launch price was $499.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 — a 4% clock advantage for the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 uses Strix Point-HX (Zen 5) (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375's 34,585 — a 82.4% lead for the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 16 MB on the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen AI 9 HX 375
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	12 / 24+50%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	5.1 GHz+4%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+80%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Strix Point-HX (Zen 5) (2024)
PassMark	14,397	34,585+140%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	22,246
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,865
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	15,100

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus LPDDR5x-8000, DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 — the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and SoC (Ryzen AI 9 HX 375).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen AI 9 HX 375
Socket	LGA1151	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	LPDDR5x-8000, DDR5-5600+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
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. Only the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs AMD-V, AMD-Vi (Ryzen AI 9 HX 375). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9700K) and Radeon 890M (Ryzen AI 9 HX 375) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop, Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 targets AI-Notebook. Direct competitor: Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 rivals Ryzen AI 9 HX 370.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen AI 9 HX 375
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	Radeon 890M
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V, AMD-Vi
Target Use	Desktop	AI-Notebook

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 debuted at $0. On MSRP ($385 vs $0), the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is $385 cheaper.