Core i9-9900KF vs Core Ultra 7 265U
Core i9-9900KF
Core Ultra 7 265U
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 i9-9900KF
Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 7 265U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i9-9900KF | Core Ultra 7 265U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($350) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Arrow Lake-U (2025) / 5 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i9-9900KF | Core Ultra 7 265U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($350) | ✅ 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 i9-9900KF and Core Ultra 7 265U
Core i9-9900KF
The Core i9-9900KF is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 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 3.6 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: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 18,029 points. Launch price was $488.
Core Ultra 7 265U
The Core Ultra 7 265U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): 14 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,900 points. Launch price was $299.
Processing Power
The Core i9-9900KF packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 265U offers 12 cores / 14 threads — the Core Ultra 7 265U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-9900KF versus 5.3 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 265U — a 5.8% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 265U (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i9-9900KF uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core Ultra 7 265U uses Arrow Lake-U (2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9900KF scores 18,029 against the Core Ultra 7 265U's 17,900 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i9-9900KF. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9900KF vs 12 MB on the Core Ultra 7 265U.
| Feature | Core i9-9900KF | Core Ultra 7 265U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 12 / 14+50% |
| Boost Clock | 5 GHz | 5.3 GHz+6% |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz+50% | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB (total)+33% | 12 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | — |
| Process | 14 nm | 5 nm-64% |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) | Arrow Lake-U (2025) |
| PassMark | 18,029 | 17,900 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 12,812 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,720 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 8,150 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i9-9900KF uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 7 265U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i9-9900KF | Core Ultra 7 265U |
|---|---|---|
| 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 i9-9900KF) / not specified (Core Ultra 7 265U). Primary use case: Core i9-9900KF targets Gaming.
| Feature | Core i9-9900KF | Core Ultra 7 265U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Gaming | — |
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