Intel Core i9-7900X vs Intel Core i9-10850K

Processor comparisons   23-03-2021
   Perhaps you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a choice after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i9-7900X vs Intel Core i9-10850K and see which is better for games or normal use for rendering, machine learning, video editing, streaming, programming. Here you can find all information from real streaming and video editing tests or different benchmarks. A careful analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications such as 3DMark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), UserBenchmark, RealBench, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Gears 5, AIDA64, MATLAB, Dolphin Emulator, WPrime, VeraCrypt, PCMark 10, Furmark, PassMark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Prime95, Blender, SuperPi, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, 7zip, Handbrake.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10850K or Intel Core i9-7900X.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-7900X

56%

Core i9-10850K

57%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-10850K is 1% better than Core i9-7900X. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-7900X

57%

Core i9-10850K

56%

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 little game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: Shadow of the Tomb Raider, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Microsoft Flight Simulator, DOTA 2A, Metro Exodus, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Half-Life: Alyx, Forza Horizon 4, League of Legends (LOL), Control, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), NBA 2K20, Hitman 3, Battlefield V, Ghostrunner, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Horizon Zero Dawn, Monster Hunter World.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	100.3	99.8
Valorant	114.0	113.4
Cyberpunk 2077	63.8	63.5
Apex Legends	107.2	106.6
Call of Duty Warzone	85.5	85.1
Overwatch	92.3	91.9
Red Dead Redemption 2	78.7	78.3
DOOM Eternal	57.0	56.7
Warzone	88.9	88.5
Assassin's Creed	95.8	95.3
Valheim	94.6	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: 2K, FullHD or 4K. So 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 i9-7900X

29%

Core i9-10850K

36%

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 i9-10850K is more energy efficient than the Core i9-7900X as it consumes less power: 140W vs. 125W. Power consumption is especially 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 plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, 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 i9-7900X	Intel Core i9-10850K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	188	229
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2194	2616
Cinbench 20 Single-core	461	536
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	5286	6318
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1222	1367
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	14998	16820

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

	Intel Core i9-7900X	Intel Core i9-10850K
Single-Core	2579	3074
Multi-Core	21477	23350

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

	Intel Core i9-7900X	Intel Core i9-10850K
Single-Core	1237	1383
Multi-Core	12083	11578

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. 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, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even in new games. The economy are obvious! Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i9-7900X	Intel Core i9-10850K
Announcement date	April 01, 2017	April 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	FCLGA1200
Core name	Skylake	Comet Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	10	10
Turbo Frequency	4.3 MHz	5.1 MHz
Frequency	3.3 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	7800 millions	9200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	140 W	125 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	13.75 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 8% better than Core i9-7900X 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 i9-7900X is better: 13
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10850K is better: 16
The summary data in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i9-7900X and Intel Core i9-10850K before making a decision which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i9-7900X - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-7900X specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-10850K specs and review.