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: +36.0% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $115 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 34.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 27.7 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen Embedded V3C18I needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Ryzen Embedded V3C18I moves to FP7 and DDR5.

Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

2022

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP7 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,856 vs 14,397).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.7 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($500 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 Embedded V3C18I

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.0% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $115 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 34.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 27.7 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen Embedded V3C18I needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP7 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Ryzen Embedded V3C18I moves to FP7 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,856 vs 14,397).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.7 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($500 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌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 Ryzen Embedded V3C18I?

Yes. Core i7-9700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 36.0% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data and 3.9% better PassMark, 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 36.0% more average FPS across 2 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 3.9% 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 $115 cheaper on MSRP at $385 MSRP versus $500 MSRP, and it gives you a 36.0% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 34.9% better value on MSRP (37.4 vs 27.7 PassMark/$), 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 Embedded V3C18I is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018), a healthier platform with FP7 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB). 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 Embedded V3C18I Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	308 FPS	172 FPS
medium	278 FPS	138 FPS
high	231 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	142 FPS
medium	221 FPS	112 FPS
high	178 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	71 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	66 FPS
medium	140 FPS	55 FPS
high	108 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	360 FPS	173 FPS
medium	321 FPS	151 FPS
high	291 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	109 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	149 FPS
medium	282 FPS	134 FPS
high	258 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	98 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	108 FPS
medium	221 FPS	100 FPS
high	208 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	74 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	360 FPS	346 FPS
medium	360 FPS	346 FPS
high	360 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	346 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	346 FPS
medium	360 FPS	346 FPS
high	360 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	346 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	346 FPS
medium	360 FPS	317 FPS
high	360 FPS	280 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	225 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	360 FPS	346 FPS
medium	360 FPS	346 FPS
high	360 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	346 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	346 FPS
medium	360 FPS	346 FPS
high	360 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	346 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	346 FPS
medium	360 FPS	346 FPS
high	360 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	326 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

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 Embedded V3C18I

The Ryzen Embedded V3C18I is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Rembrandt (2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 13,856 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, matching the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 3.8 GHz on the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I — a 25.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I uses Rembrandt (2022) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I's 13,856 — a 3.8% lead for the Core i7-9700K. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+29%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+89%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	6 nm-57%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Rembrandt (2022)
PassMark	14,397+4%	13,856

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
Socket	LGA1151	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) / not specified (Ryzen Embedded V3C18I). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I debuted at $500. On MSRP ($385 vs $500), the Core i7-9700K is $115 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 27.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I — making the Core i7-9700K the 29.7% better value option.