Intel Core i9-10900 vs Intel Core i9-10850K

Processor comparisons   23-03-2021
   If you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a choice after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i9-10900 vs Intel Core i9-10850K and decide which is better for games or normal use for rendering, machine learning, video editing, streaming, programming. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A careful analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications like World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, RealBench, 3DMark, Handbrake, Furmark, PCMark 10, Gears 5, DaVinci Resolve Studio, AIDA64, 7zip, MATLAB, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Dolphin Emulator, UserBenchmark, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), VeraCrypt, SuperPi, Blender, WPrime, PassMark, Prime95.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10850K or Intel Core i9-10900.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-10900

56%

Core i9-10850K

57%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-10850K is 1% better than Core i9-10900. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-10900

56%

Core i9-10850K

56%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	99.0	99.8
Valorant	112.5	113.4
Cyberpunk 2077	63.0	63.5
Apex Legends	105.7	106.6
Call of Duty Warzone	84.4	85.1
Overwatch	91.1	91.9
Red Dead Redemption 2	77.6	78.3
DOOM Eternal	56.2	56.7
Warzone	87.7	88.5
Assassin's Creed	94.5	95.3
Valheim	93.4	94.1

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 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i9-10900

64%

Core i9-10850K

36%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i9-10900 is more energy efficient than the Core i9-10850K since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 125W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. 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

For example you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video editing or video rendering, machine learning, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, 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 find out whether the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the benefit of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i9-10900	Intel Core i9-10850K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	231	229
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2541	2616
Cinbench 20 Single-core	529	536
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	6378	6318
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1367	1367
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	14816	16820

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

	Intel Core i9-10900	Intel Core i9-10850K
Single-Core	3126	3074
Multi-Core	21216	23350

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

	Intel Core i9-10900	Intel Core i9-10850K
Single-Core	1265	1383
Multi-Core	10761	11578

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 newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. 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 in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-10900	Intel Core i9-10850K
Announcement date	April 01, 2020	April 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1200	FCLGA1200
Core name	Comet Lake	Comet Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	10	10
Turbo Frequency	5.2 MHz	5.1 MHz
Frequency	2.8 MHz	3.6 MHz
Cores	10	10
Threads	20	20
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	9200 millions	9200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	125 W
Memory type	DDR4-2933	DDR4-2933
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	45.8 GB/s	45.8 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	20 MB	20 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 i9-10850K is 22% better than Core i9-10900 in terms of CPU frequency. 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 i9-10900 is better: 5
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10850K is better: 19
Although it should be realized that all the data in the article above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i9-10900 and Intel Core i9-10850K before deciding which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

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.

• Intel Core i9-10850K specs and review.