Core i9-10900F vs Core i9-11900H

Intel

Core i9-10900F

10 Cores20 Thrd65 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2020
VS
Intel

Core i9-11900H

8 Cores16 Thrd35 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2021

Core i9-10900F vs Core i9-11900H Performance Spectrum

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.

Core i9-10900F vs Core i9-11900H FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i9-10900F vs Core i9-11900H: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i9-10900F

2020

Why buy it

  • βœ…Better for gaming: +19.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • βœ…100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • βœ…Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-11900H.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark (19,800 vs 20,009).
  • ❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
  • ❌Launch MSRP is still $464 MSRP, while Core i9-11900H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • ❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Core i9-11900H

2021

Why buy it

  • βœ…+1.1% higher PassMark.
  • βœ…+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
  • βœ…Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10900F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i9-10900F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-11900H better than Core i9-10900F?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i9-10900F is ahead with a 19.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-11900H pulls ahead with 1.1% better PassMark. Core i9-11900H also has the bigger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-11900H is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Core i9-11900H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i9-10900F is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Core i9-11900H comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $464 MSRP, and it still gives you 1.1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i9-10900F is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 19.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i9-10900F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (42.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Core i9-11900H makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020), 20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 10/20. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i9-10900F vs Core i9-11900H Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Intel

Core i9-10900F

The Core i9-10900F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020βˆ’2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 19,800 points. Launch price was $299.

Intel

Core i9-11900H

The Core i9-11900H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-H (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1787. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 20,009 points. Launch price was $546.

⚑

Processing Power

The Core i9-10900F packs 10 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i9-11900H offers 8 cores / 16 threads β€” the Core i9-10900F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-10900F versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i9-11900H β€” a 4% clock advantage for the Core i9-10900F (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i9-10900F uses the Comet Lake (2020βˆ’2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i9-11900H uses Tiger Lake-H (2021) (10 nm SuperFin). In PassMark, the Core i9-10900F scores 19,800 against the Core i9-11900H's 20,009 β€” a 1.1% lead for the Core i9-11900H. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i9-10900F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i9-11900H.

FeatureCore i9-10900FCore i9-11900H
Cores / Threads
10 / 20+25%
8 / 16
Boost Clock
5.1 GHz+4%
4.9 GHz
Base Clock
2.8 GHz+33%
2.1 GHz
L3 Cache
20 MB (total)
24 MB (total)+20%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)+20380%
1.25 MB (per core)
Process
14 nm
10 nm SuperFin-29%
Architecture
Comet Lake (2020βˆ’2025)
Tiger Lake-H (2021)
PassMark
19,800
20,009+1%
Cinebench R23 Multi
13,500
β€”
Geekbench 6 Single
1,701
β€”
Geekbench 6 Multi
8,456
β€”
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10900F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i9-11900H uses FCBGA1787 (PCIe 4.0) β€” making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i9-10900FCore i9-11900H
Socket
LGA1200
FCBGA1787
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2933
β€”
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
β€”
RAM Channels
2
β€”
ECC Support
No
β€”
PCIe Lanes
16
β€”
πŸ”§

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-10900F) / not specified (Core i9-11900H). Primary use case: Core i9-10900F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i9-10900F rivals Ryzen 7 3800X.

FeatureCore i9-10900FCore i9-11900H
Integrated GPU
No
β€”
Unlocked
No
β€”
AVX-512
No
β€”
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
β€”
Target Use
Gaming
β€”