Pentium J2900
VS
Core i7-9700K

Pentium J2900 vs Core i7-9700K

Intel

Pentium J2900

4 Cores4 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.66 GHz2013
VS
Intel

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

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. The Pentium J2900 is positioned at rank #1013 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. 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 Pentium J2900

#1001
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
2199%
#1002
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
2167%
#1003
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1990%
#1004
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1981%
#1005
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1962%
#1007
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
1895%
#1008
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
1817%
#1009
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
1814%
#1010
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
1765%
#1013
Pentium J2900
MSRP: $94|Avg: $20
100%
#1014
Celeron T1700
MSRP: $80|Avg: $5
99%
#1015
Celeron T3500
MSRP: $80|Avg: $10
99%
#1016
A12-9720P
MSRP: $200|Avg: $25
98%
#1017
Core i5-4300M
MSRP: $227|Avg: N/A
98%
#1018
Celeron 1005M
MSRP: $86|Avg: N/A
97%
#1019
Athlon 64 X2 TK-42
MSRP: $60|Avg: $10
97%
#1020
Athlon Neo MV-40
MSRP: $100|Avg: $5
96%
#1021
Core i7-4860EQ
MSRP: $434|Avg: $80
95%
#1022
Pentium SU2700
MSRP: $100|Avg: $10
95%
#1023
A4-1250
MSRP: $100|Avg: $30
94%
#1025
Core i5-4200M
MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A
94%
#1026
Celeron 1000M
MSRP: $86|Avg: N/A
93%
#1028
Celeron B840
MSRP: $86|Avg: $15
93%
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

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Core i7-9700K (2018) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightPentium J2900Core i7-9700K
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
More affordable ($20)
⚠️ Higher cost ($200)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-D (2013) / 22 nm)
✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Pentium J2900 (2013) relies on 22 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightPentium J2900Core i7-9700K
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+15%)
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($20)
⚠️ 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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium J2900 and Core i7-9700K

Intel

Pentium J2900

The Pentium J2900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 November 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-D (2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.41 GHz, with boost up to 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,254 points. Launch price was $94.

Intel

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 Pentium J2900 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-9700K offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-9700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.66 GHz on the Pentium J2900 versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K — a 59.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 2.41 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Pentium J2900 uses the Bay Trail-D (2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-9700K uses Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium J2900 scores 1,254 against the Core i7-9700K's 14,397 — a 168% lead for the Core i7-9700K. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium J2900 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K.

FeaturePentium J2900Core i7-9700K
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
8 / 8+100%
Boost Clock
2.66 GHz
4.9 GHz+84%
Base Clock
2.41 GHz
3.6 GHz+49%
L3 Cache
2 MB L2 Cache
12 MB (total)+500%
L2 Cache
2 MB+700%
256K (per core)
Process
22 nm
14 nm-36%
Architecture
Bay Trail-D (2013)
Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)
PassMark
1,254
14,397+1048%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium J2900 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-9700K uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeaturePentium J2900Core i7-9700K
Socket
FCBGA1170
LGA1151
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium J2900) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Pentium J2900 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

FeaturePentium J2900Core i7-9700K
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Desktop
💰

Value Analysis

The Pentium J2900 launched at $94 MSRP, while the Core i7-9700K debuted at $385. At current prices ($20 vs $200), the Pentium J2900 is $180 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium J2900 delivers 62.7 pts/$ vs 72.0 pts/$ for the Core i7-9700K — making the Core i7-9700K the 13.8% better value option.

FeaturePentium J2900Core i7-9700K
MSRP
$94-76%
$385
Avg Price (30d)
$20-90%
$200
Performance per Dollar
62.7
72.0+15%
Release Date
2013
2018