Core i9-9900KS vs Ryzen 7 5700X

Core i9-9900KS vs Ryzen 7 5700X Performance Spectrum

Core i9-9900KS

8 / 16

19,397

0.0%

26,609

+37.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 i9-9900KS vs Ryzen 7 5700X 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 i9-9900KS vs Ryzen 7 5700X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i9-9900KS

2019

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 5700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,397 vs 26,609).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.8 vs 89.0 PassMark/$ ($513 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌95.4% higher power demand at 127W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 5700X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $214 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $513 MSRP).
✅Delivers 135.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 89.0 vs 37.8 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $513 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 127W, a 62W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 5700X better than Core i9-9900KS?

Yes. Ryzen 7 5700X is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 37.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 5700X is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.0% 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, Ryzen 7 5700X is the stronger fit. You are getting 37.2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 5700X is the better buy right now. Ryzen 7 5700X comes in $214 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $513 MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 135.4% better value on MSRP (89.0 vs 37.8 PassMark/$), 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 5700X makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019), 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i9-9900KS vs Ryzen 7 5700X Technical Specifications

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

Core i9-9900KS

The Core i9-9900KS is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 October 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 4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 127 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,397 points. Launch price was $513.

Ryzen 7 5700X

The Ryzen 7 5700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 26,609 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i9-9900KS and Ryzen 7 5700X share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-9900KS versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5700X — a 8.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-9900KS (base: 4 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i9-9900KS uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5700X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9900KS scores 19,397 against the Ryzen 7 5700X's 26,609 — a 31.4% lead for the Ryzen 7 5700X. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9900KS vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 5700X.

Feature	Core i9-9900KS	Ryzen 7 5700X
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz+9%	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	4 GHz+18%	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	19,397	26,609+37%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	14,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,116
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	9,715

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9900KS uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 5700X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i9-9900KS	Ryzen 7 5700X
Socket	LGA1151	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-9900KS) / AMD-V (Ryzen 7 5700X). Primary use case: Ryzen 7 5700X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 5700X rivals Core i7-11700K.

Feature	Core i9-9900KS	Ryzen 7 5700X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Core i9-9900KS was priced at $513, while the Ryzen 7 5700X came in at $299. On launch pricing ($513 vs $299), Ryzen 7 5700X was $214 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-9900KS delivers 37.8 pts/$ vs 89.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 5700X — making the Ryzen 7 5700X the 80.7% better value option.

Feature	Core i9-9900KS	Ryzen 7 5700X
MSRP	$513	$299-42%
Performance per Dollar	37.8	89.0+135%
Release Date	2019	2022

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