Intel Core i5-11600K vs Intel Core i9-11900K

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   Let's say you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i5-11600K vs Intel Core i9-11900K tests and see which is better for games or normal use for video editing, rendering, machine learning, streaming, programming. Here you can find useful information from different benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A careful review of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like WPrime, Blender, 7zip, Handbrake, SuperPi, UserBenchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 3DMark, RealBench, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Gears 5, Furmark, Dolphin Emulator, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, AIDA64, Prime95, PCMark 10, MATLAB, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender, VeraCrypt, PassMark.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-11900K 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 i9-11900K

58%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-11900K is 3% better than Core i5-11600K. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-11600K

54%

Core i9-11900K

57%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	95.2	100.9
Valorant	108.1	114.6
Cyberpunk 2077	60.6	64.2
Apex Legends	101.6	107.8
Call of Duty Warzone	81.1	86.0
Overwatch	87.6	92.9
Red Dead Redemption 2	74.6	79.1
DOOM Eternal	54.1	57.3
Warzone	84.3	89.4
Assassin's Creed	90.8	96.3
Valheim	89.7	95.2

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 comparisons not only were the equipped with different video cards and different amounts of RAM. 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 i9-11900K

52%

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 i9-11900K is more energy efficient than the Core i5-11600K as it consumes less power: 125W vs. 125W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, programming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the CPU uses all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that 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 work, 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 i9-11900K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	199	284
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1905	2575
Cinbench 20 Single-core	465	636
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4270	5725
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1213	1653
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	11302	16475

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

	Intel Core i5-11600K	Intel Core i9-11900K
Single-Core	2707	3801
Multi-Core	20616	28166

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

	Intel Core i5-11600K	Intel Core i9-11900K
Single-Core	1621	1961
Multi-Core	7012	12631

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even in the newest games. It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-11600K	Intel Core i9-11900K
Announcement date	January 20, 2021	February 21, 2021
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1200	FCLGA1200
Core name	Rocket Lake	Rocket Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	11	11
Turbo Frequency	4.9 MHz	5.3 MHz
Frequency	3.9 MHz	3.5 MHz
Cores	6	8
Threads	12	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	5400 millions	9800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	125 W	125 W
Memory type	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	3200	3200
Memory bandwidth	50 GB/s	50 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache	3 MB	4 MB
L3 cache	12 MB	16 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 10% better than Core i9-11900K in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-11900K 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: 1
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-11900K is better: 29
However, it should be realized that the summary data in the table above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i5-11600K and Intel Core i9-11900K before making a choice which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i5-11600K specs and review.

Intel Core i9-11900K - all data

• Call of Duty: Warzone gaming benchmark
• Apex Legends gaming benchmark
• GTA 5 gaming benchmark
• Valorant gaming benchmark
• Red Dead Redemption 2 gaming benchmark
• Roblox gaming benchmark
• Overwatch gaming benchmark
• Fortnite gaming benchmark
• Assassin's Creed gaming benchmark
• DOOM Eternal gaming benchmark
• PUBG gaming benchmark
• Cyberpunk 2077 gaming benchmark

• Intel Core i9-11900K specs and review.