Core i9-9900K vs Ryzen 7 5825U

Core i9-9900K vs Ryzen 7 5825U Performance Spectrum

Core i9-9900K

8 / 16

18,109

+0.3%

18,050

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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 i9-9900K vs Ryzen 7 5825U 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 i9-9900K vs Ryzen 7 5825U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i9-9900K

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 7 5825U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $488 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 5825U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.

Ryzen 7 5825U

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9900K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,050 vs 18,109).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-9900K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-9900K better than Ryzen 7 5825U?

Yes. Core i9-9900K is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 18.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.3% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-9900K is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 18.9% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-9900K is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i9-9900K is the better buy right now. Core i9-9900K comes in at an unclear MSRP at $488 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 18.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (37.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 7 5825U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core i9-9900K vs Ryzen 7 5825U Technical Specifications

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

Core i9-9900K

The Core i9-9900K 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 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 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): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 18,109 points. Launch price was $488.

Ryzen 7 5825U

The Ryzen 7 5825U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Barcelo-U (Zen 3) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 18,050 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i9-9900K and Ryzen 7 5825U share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-9900K versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5825U — a 10.5% clock advantage for the Core i9-9900K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i9-9900K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5825U uses Barcelo-U (Zen 3) (2022−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9900K scores 18,109 against the Ryzen 7 5825U's 18,050 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i9-9900K. Both processors carry 16 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i9-9900K	Ryzen 7 5825U
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz+11%	4.5 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+80%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Barcelo-U (Zen 3) (2022−2023)
PassMark	18,109	18,050

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9900K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 5825U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.