Core i9-9900 vs Core Ultra 7 155U
Core i9-9900
Core Ultra 7 155U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i9-9900
Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 7 155U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i9-9900 | Core Ultra 7 155U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($330) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Meteor Lake-P (2023) / 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i9-9900 | Core Ultra 7 155U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($330) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9900 and Core Ultra 7 155U
Core i9-9900
The Core i9-9900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 16,238 points. Launch price was $439.
Core Ultra 7 155U
The Core Ultra 7 155U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 16,185 points. Launch price was $490.
Processing Power
The Core i9-9900 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 155U offers 12 cores / 14 threads — the Core Ultra 7 155U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-9900 versus 4.8 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 155U — a 4.1% clock advantage for the Core i9-9900 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Core i9-9900 uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core Ultra 7 155U uses Meteor Lake-P (2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9900 scores 16,238 against the Core Ultra 7 155U's 16,185 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i9-9900. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9900 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 7 155U.
| Feature | Core i9-9900 | Core Ultra 7 155U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 12 / 14+50% |
| Boost Clock | 5 GHz+4% | 4.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.1 GHz+82% | 1.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB (total)+33% | 12 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 2 MB (per core)+700% |
| Process | 14 nm | 7 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) | Meteor Lake-P (2023) |
| PassMark | 16,238 | 16,185 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 7,619 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,637 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 7,619 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i9-9900 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 7 155U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i9-9900 | Core Ultra 7 155U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | FCBGA2049 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2666 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-9900) / not specified (Core Ultra 7 155U). The Core i9-9900 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core Ultra 7 155U requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core i9-9900 | Core Ultra 7 155U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics 630 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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