How do the scores compare?

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 86.7/100 overall; Intel Core i9-9900K scores 42.5/100. AMD Ryzen 9 7950X wins 17 individual spec rows, Intel Core i9-9900K wins 1.

What are the main differences between the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and the Intel Core i9-9900K?

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X advantages: Stronger single-core score: 79 vs 40; Stronger multi-core score: 93 vs 41; 700% higher L2 cache: 16 MB vs 2 MB; 300% higher L3 cache: 64 MB vs 16 MB; 236% higher PassMark: 62,500 vs 18,600. Intel Core i9-9900K advantages: 44% lower Base TDP: 95 W vs 170 W; Lower launch price: $488 vs $699.

Which is cheaper: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X or Intel Core i9-9900K?

Intel Core i9-9900K launched cheaper at $488, versus $699 for the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X.

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X vs Intel Core i9-9900K

WINNER

AMD

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

$699

Intel

Intel Core i9-9900K

$488

78.6Single-core40.4

92.9Multi-core41.2

85.2Gamingspec-based47.4

17 spec wins — AMD Ryzen 9 7950X1 spec wins — Intel Core i9-9900K

InnoReviews verdict

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X wins this desktop processor face-off, 86.7 to 42.5, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+52) and single-core (+38). Intel Core i9-9900K still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.

Which would you pick?

Key differences

Reasons to pick the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

Stronger single-core score: 79 vs 40
Stronger multi-core score: 93 vs 41
700% higher L2 cache: 16 MB vs 2 MB
300% higher L3 cache: 64 MB vs 16 MB
236% higher PassMark: 62,500 vs 18,600

Reasons to pick the Intel Core i9-9900K

44% lower Base TDP: 95 W vs 170 W
Lower launch price: $488 vs $699

General

General comparison: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X versus Intel Core i9-9900K
Spec	AMD Ryzen 9 7950X	Intel Core i9-9900K
Announced	2022	2018
Socket	AM5	LGA1151-v2
Process	5 nm+64%	14 nm
Base TDP	170 W	95 W+44%
Max turbo power	230 W+93%	119 W
Unlocked multiplier	Yes	Yes
Cooler included	No	No

Cores & Clocks

Cores & Clocks comparison: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X versus Intel Core i9-9900K
Spec	AMD Ryzen 9 7950X	Intel Core i9-9900K
Cores	16+100%	8
Performance cores	16+100%	8
Efficiency cores	0	0
Threads	32+100%	16
Base clock	4.5 GHz+25%	3.6 GHz
Boost clock	5.7 GHz+14%	5 GHz
L2 cache	16 MB+700%	2 MB
L3 cache	64 MB+300%	16 MB

Integrated GPU

Integrated GPU comparison: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X versus Intel Core i9-9900K
Spec	AMD Ryzen 9 7950X	Intel Core i9-9900K
iGPU	AMD Radeon Graphics (2 CU RDNA 2)	Intel UHD Graphics 630
iGPU clock	2,200 MHz	1,200 MHz

Memory

Memory comparison: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X versus Intel Core i9-9900K
Spec	AMD Ryzen 9 7950X	Intel Core i9-9900K
Memory support	DDR5-5200	DDR4-2666
Max memory	128 GB	128 GB
Memory channels	2	2

Platform

Platform comparison: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X versus Intel Core i9-9900K
Spec	AMD Ryzen 9 7950X	Intel Core i9-9900K
PCIe version	5+67%	3
CPU PCIe lanes	28+75%	16

Benchmarks

Benchmarks comparison: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X versus Intel Core i9-9900K
Spec	AMD Ryzen 9 7950X	Intel Core i9-9900K
Geekbench 6 (single)	2,920+70%Top 25%	1,720Bottom 41%
Geekbench 6 (multi)	21,000+139%Top 7%	8,800Bottom 44%
Cinebench R23 (single)	2,020+58%Top 24%	1,280Bottom 31%
Cinebench R23 (multi)	38,000+206%Top 9%	12,400Bottom 47%
PassMark	62,500+236%Top 6%	18,600Bottom 32%

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