Intel Core i7-9800X vs Intel Core i9-10900

Processor comparisons 24-03-2021

   Let's say you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i7-9800X vs Intel Core i9-10900 tests and decide which is better for games or normal use for video editing, rendering, streaming, programming, machine learning. Here is all information from various benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A careful analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests like VeraCrypt, AIDA64, GeekBench 6, 5.2, RealBench, Gears 5, PassMark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, UserBenchmark, 3DMark, Dolphin Emulator, 7zip, WPrime, Blender, SuperPi, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Handbrake, PCMark 10, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Prime95, MATLAB, Blender, Furmark.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10900 or Intel Core i7-9800X.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i7-9800X

55%

Core i9-10900

56%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-10900 is 1% better than Core i7-9800X. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-9800X

56%

Core i9-10900

56%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of less popular games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Shadow of the Tomb Raider, NBA 2K20, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Monster Hunter World, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx, Forza Horizon 4, Metro Exodus, Control, DOTA 2A, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Battlefield V, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Horizon Zero Dawn, Microsoft Flight Simulator, League of Legends (LOL), Ghostrunner, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	99.2	99.0
Valorant	112.7	112.5
Cyberpunk 2077	63.1	63.0
Apex Legends	106.0	105.7
Call of Duty Warzone	84.5	84.4
Overwatch	91.3	91.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	77.8	77.6
DOOM Eternal	56.4	56.2
Warzone	87.9	87.7
Assassin's Creed	94.7	94.5
Valheim	93.6	93.4

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 tested computers not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K or 4K. 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 i7-9800X

28%

Core i9-10900

64%

To make a finishing resolution 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 i9-10900 is more energy efficient than the Core i7-9800X since it has less power consumption: 165W vs. 65W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, streaming, video editing or video rendering, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the processor uses all threads and cores that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the benefit 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 i7-9800X	Intel Core i9-10900
Cinbench 15 Single-core		231
Cinbench 15 Multi-core		2541
Cinbench 20 Single-core		529
Cinbench 20 Multi-core		6378
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1271	1367
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	13067	14816

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

	Intel Core i7-9800X	Intel Core i9-10900
Single-Core	2664	3126
Multi-Core	18347	21216

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

	Intel Core i7-9800X	Intel Core i9-10900
Single-Core	1393	1265
Multi-Core	10972	10761

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS even in new games. It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i7-9800X	Intel Core i9-10900
Announcement date	October 01, 2018	April 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	FCLGA1200
Core name	Skylake	Comet Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	10
Turbo Frequency	4.4 MHz	5.2 MHz
Frequency	3.8 MHz	2.8 MHz
Cores	8	10
Threads	16	20
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	5600 millions	9200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2933
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	85 GB/s	45.8 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	16.5 MB	20 MB
Overclocking	No	No
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 i7-9800X is 26% better than Core i9-10900 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-10900 has 2 more core than Core i7-9800X. 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 i7-9800X is better: 15
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10900 is better: 16
Although it should be realized that all the number in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i7-9800X and Intel Core i9-10900 before making a decision which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i7-9800X - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i7-9800X specs and review.

Intel Core i9-10900 - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i9-10900 specs and review.