Intel Core i9-10900KF vs Intel Core i9-9900K

Processor comparisons 23-03-2021

   Perhaps you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i9-10900KF vs Intel Core i9-9900K tests and see which is better for games or normal use for streaming, machine learning, programming, rendering, video editing. Here is useful information from different benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful review of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests such as Blender, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 3DMark, WPrime, Gears 5, GeekBench 6, 5.2, SuperPi, PassMark, Handbrake, RealBench, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), DaVinci Resolve Studio, VeraCrypt, UserBenchmark, MATLAB, Prime95, 7zip, AIDA64, Furmark, Blender, PCMark 10, Dolphin Emulator.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-9900K or Intel Core i9-10900KF.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-10900KF

57%

Core i9-9900K

55%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-10900KF is 3% better than Core i9-9900K. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-10900KF

57%

Core i9-9900K

55%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. And it is clear that 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 low game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Half-Life: Alyx, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, DOTA 2A, Monster Hunter World, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Horizon Zero Dawn, NBA 2K20, Control, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Ghostrunner, Metro Exodus, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Forza Horizon 4, League of Legends (LOL), PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Hitman 3, Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	101.4	98.2
Valorant	115.2	111.6
Cyberpunk 2077	64.5	62.5
Apex Legends	108.3	104.9
Call of Duty Warzone	86.4	83.7
Overwatch	93.3	90.4
Red Dead Redemption 2	79.5	77.0
DOOM Eternal	57.6	55.8
Warzone	89.9	87.0
Assassin's Creed	96.8	93.7
Valheim	95.6	92.6

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 that were in the comparisons not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K 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 i9-10900KF

39%

Core i9-9900K

45%

To make a final decision 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 i9-9900K is more energy efficient than the Core i9-10900KF since it has less power consumption: 125W vs. 95W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful 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

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video rendering or video editing, machine learning, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum performance. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the advantages 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 i9-10900KF	Intel Core i9-9900K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	234	219
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2677	2245
Cinbench 20 Single-core	539	518
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	6399	4995
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1418	1284
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17325	12450

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

	Intel Core i9-10900KF	Intel Core i9-9900K
Single-Core	3105	2947
Multi-Core	23797	18753

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

	Intel Core i9-10900KF	Intel Core i9-9900K
Single-Core	1471	1301
Multi-Core	13125	9986

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. 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 still be able to produce maximum FPS 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 i9-10900KF	Intel Core i9-9900K
Announcement date	April 01, 2020	October 01, 2018
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1200	FCLGA1151-2
Core name	Comet Lake	Coffee Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	10	9
Turbo Frequency	5.3 MHz	5 MHz
Frequency	3.7 MHz	3.6 MHz
Cores	10	8
Threads	20	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	9200 millions	8600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	125 W	95 W
Memory type	DDR4-2933	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	45.8 GB/s	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	20 MB	16 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 i9-10900KF is 2% better than Core i9-9900K in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-10900KF has 2 more core than Core i9-9900K. 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 i9-10900KF is better: 30
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-9900K is better: 1
However, it should be understood 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 the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i9-10900KF and Intel Core i9-9900K before making a selection which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i9-10900KF - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-10900KF specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-9900K specs and review.