M3 Pro 11-Core vs Core i7-9700K

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar M3 Pro 11-Core

#4

M3 Pro 11-Core

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#10

Ryzen 7 260

MSRP: $199|Avg: $70

79%

#13

Ryzen 3 210

MSRP: $99|Avg: $99

74%

#14

Ryzen 5 PRO 230

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

73%

#15

Ryzen 5 220

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

69%

#18

Ryzen 5 8500G

MSRP: $179|Avg: $150

67%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-9700K

#259

Core i3-9100TE

MSRP: $122|Avg: $60

106%

#260

Core i5-12500T

MSRP: $302|Avg: $214

106%

#261

Core i9-13900

MSRP: $549|Avg: $599

105%

#262

Core i7-11700

MSRP: $323|Avg: $274

105%

#262

Core i7-8700K

MSRP: $359|Avg: $160

53%

#263

Core i9-13900T

MSRP: $549|Avg: $570

104%

#264

Processor 300T

MSRP: $82|Avg: $82

103%

#265

Athlon 3000G

MSRP: $49|Avg: $60

103%

#266

Athlon 220GE

MSRP: $65|Avg: $60

103%

#267

Ryzen 9 3900X

MSRP: $499|Avg: $441

102%

#268

Core i5-10500

MSRP: $200|Avg: $178

102%

#269

Celeron G6900T

MSRP: $42|Avg: $50

102%

#270

Core i9-10850K

MSRP: $453|Avg: $300

102%

#271

Core i9-13900E

MSRP: $554|Avg: $554

101%

#272

Core i9-9820X

MSRP: $889|Avg: $280

101%

#273

Core i9-9900X

MSRP: $989|Avg: $300

100%

#274

Ryzen 7 1800X

MSRP: $499|Avg: $120

45%

#274

Core i7-9700K

MSRP: $385|Avg: $200

100%

#275

Core i3-10320

MSRP: $154|Avg: $140

99%

#276

Core i5-9600KF

MSRP: $262|Avg: $150

99%

#277

Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE

MSRP: $180|Avg: $180

98%

#278

Ryzen Threadripper 1900X

MSRP: $549|Avg: $116

43%

#278

Core i7-14701TE

MSRP: $392|Avg: $390

98%

#279

Ryzen Threadripper 1920X

MSRP: $799|Avg: $265

40%

#279

Core i9-11900KF

MSRP: $513|Avg: $349

98%

#280

Athlon Silver 3050GE

MSRP: $75|Avg: $65

97%

#280

Core i7-7820X

MSRP: $599|Avg: $198

40%

#281

Core i7-9700E

MSRP: $259|Avg: $180

97%

#282

Core i7-11700K

MSRP: $399|Avg: $350

97%

#283

Ryzen Threadripper 1920

MSRP: $799|Avg: $200

38%

#283

Ryzen 7 PRO 3700

MSRP: $329|Avg: $330

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i7-9700K leads in gaming performance. However, the M3 Pro 11-Core is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 53.3% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	M3 Pro 11-Core	Core i7-9700K
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($200)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / 3 nm)	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	M3 Pro 11-Core	Core i7-9700K
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($200)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

M3 Pro 11-Core Benchmark Check

Core i7-9700K Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M3 Pro 11-Core and Core i7-9700K

M3 Pro 11-Core

The M3 Pro 11-Core is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 30 October 2023 (2 years ago). It features 11 cores and 11 threads. Base frequency is 2.748 GHz, with boost up to 4.06 GHz. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,861 points. Launch price was $299.

Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K 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 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 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: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

⚡

Processing Power

The M3 Pro 11-Core packs 11 cores / 11 threads, while the Core i7-9700K offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the M3 Pro 11-Core has 3 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.06 GHz on the M3 Pro 11-Core versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K — a 18.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 2.748 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i7-9700K is built on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the M3 Pro 11-Core scores 24,861 against the Core i7-9700K's 14,397 — a 53.3% lead for the M3 Pro 11-Core.

Feature	M3 Pro 11-Core	Core i7-9700K
Cores / Threads	11 / 11+38%	8 / 8
Boost Clock	4.06 GHz	4.9 GHz+21%
Base Clock	2.748 GHz	3.6 GHz+31%
L3 Cache	—	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	—	256K (per core)
Process	3 nm-79%	14 nm
Architecture	—	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)
PassMark	24,861+73%	14,397

🧠

Memory & Platform

The M3 Pro 11-Core uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i7-9700K uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	M3 Pro 11-Core	Core i7-9700K
Socket	none	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (M3 Pro 11-Core) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the M3 Pro 11-Core requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.