Intel Core i5-11600K vs Intel Core i7-9700

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   You may have difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the detailed tests Intel Core i5-11600K vs Intel Core i7-9700 and see which is better for games or simple use for machine learning, video editing, streaming, rendering, programming. Here you can find all information from real video editing and streaming tests or various benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in synthetic type tests like PassMark, Handbrake, Dolphin Emulator, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), RealBench, WPrime, SuperPi, GeekBench 6, 5.2, 3DMark, PCMark 10, Furmark, Blender, MATLAB, DaVinci Resolve Studio, AIDA64, VeraCrypt, 7zip, UserBenchmark, Blender, Prime95, Gears 5, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

Red Dead Redemption 2
Valorant
Halo Infinite
DOOM: Eternal
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Rainbow Six Siege
Watch Dogs Legion
Fortnite
Grand Theft Auto V
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
Death Stranding
Borderlands 3
Cyberpunk 2077
Valheim
Last Man Standing
Fallout 76
Overwatch
Apex Legends

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-9700 or Intel Core i5-11600K.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i5-11600K

56%

Core i7-9700

54%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-11600K is 3% better than Core i7-9700. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-11600K

54%

Core i7-9700

54%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: Horizon Zero Dawn, Monster Hunter World, Half-Life: Alyx, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Ghostrunner, Battlefield V, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Microsoft Flight Simulator, DOTA 2A, Control, Hitman 3, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Metro Exodus, Forza Horizon 4, NBA 2K20, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), League of Legends (LOL).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	95.2	95.8
Valorant	108.1	108.9
Cyberpunk 2077	60.6	61.0
Apex Legends	101.6	102.3
Call of Duty Warzone	81.1	81.6
Overwatch	87.6	88.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	74.6	75.1
DOOM Eternal	54.1	54.4
Warzone	84.3	84.9
Assassin's Creed	90.8	91.4
Valheim	89.7	90.3

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-11600K

43%

Core i7-9700

61%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-9700 is more energy efficient than the Core i5-11600K since it has less power consumption: 125W vs. 65W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, programming, streaming, video editing or video rendering, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU uses all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum efficiency. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that can use only one core to run, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-11600K	Intel Core i7-9700
Cinbench 15 Single-core	199	209
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1905	1491
Cinbench 20 Single-core	465	465
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4270	3644
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1213	1181
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	11302	8540

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-11600K	Intel Core i7-9700
Single-Core	2707	2835
Multi-Core	20616	13511

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-11600K	Intel Core i7-9700
Single-Core	1621	1195
Multi-Core	7012	7637

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS even in the newest games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-11600K	Intel Core i7-9700
Announcement date	January 20, 2021	April 01, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1200	FCLGA1151-2
Core name	Rocket Lake	Coffee Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	11	9
Turbo Frequency	4.9 MHz	4.7 MHz
Frequency	3.9 MHz	3 MHz
Cores	6	8
Threads	12	8
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	5400 millions	5600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	125 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	3200
Memory bandwidth	50 GB/s	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache	3 MB
L3 cache	12 MB	12 MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i5-11600K is 23% better than Core i7-9700 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i7-9700 has 2 more core than Core i5-11600K. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-11600K is better: 14
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-9700 is better: 18
Although it should be realized that all the figures that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i5-11600K and Intel Core i7-9700 before making a choice which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i5-11600K specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-9700 specs and review.