Intel Core i9-7960X vs Intel Core i9-9900K

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   Let's say there are difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the detailed tests Intel Core i9-7960X vs Intel Core i9-9900K and understand which is better for games or normal use for streaming, programming, rendering, machine learning, video editing. Here you can find useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or various benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like Dolphin Emulator, VeraCrypt, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, Prime95, AIDA64, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Gears 5, WPrime, SuperPi, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, RealBench, Furmark, 7zip, 3DMark, PassMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Handbrake, MATLAB, Blender, UserBenchmark, PCMark 10.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-9900K or Intel Core i9-7960X.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-7960X

58%

Core i9-9900K

55%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-7960X is 5% 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 i9-7960X

60%

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 of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will play 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 less popular games in which processors were compared: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Monster Hunter World, NBA 2K20, Battlefield V, Horizon Zero Dawn, Ghostrunner, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Metro Exodus, League of Legends (LOL), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Forza Horizon 4, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Control, DOTA 2A, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.9	98.2
Valorant	121.4	111.6
Cyberpunk 2077	68.0	62.5
Apex Legends	114.2	104.9
Call of Duty Warzone	91.1	83.7
Overwatch	98.4	90.4
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.8	77.0
DOOM Eternal	60.7	55.8
Warzone	94.7	87.0
Assassin's Creed	102.0	93.7
Valheim	100.8	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 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 i9-7960X

22%

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 i9-7960X as it consumes less power: 165W vs. 95W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, machine learning, video rendering or video editing, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum efficiency. You will learn 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 can 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 i9-7960X	Intel Core i9-9900K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	184	219
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3161	2245
Cinbench 20 Single-core	611	518
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	5496	4995
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1103	1284
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	22189	12450

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

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Intel Core i9-9900K
Single-Core	2605	2947
Multi-Core	27039	18753

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

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Intel Core i9-9900K
Single-Core	1113	1301
Multi-Core	18501	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 in your computer. 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 in the newest games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Intel Core i9-9900K
Announcement date	October 01, 2017	October 01, 2018
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	FCLGA1151-2
Core name	Skylake	Coffee Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	7	9
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz	5 MHz
Frequency	2.8 MHz	3.6 MHz
Cores	16	8
Threads	32	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography		14 nm
Transistors count	7800 millions	8600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	95 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	85 GB/s	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	22 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 i9-9900K is 22% better than Core i9-7960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-7960X has 8 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 i9-7960X is better: 22
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-9900K is better: 10
However, it should be understood that all the data in the text above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i9-7960X and Intel Core i9-9900K before making a choice which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i9-7960X specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-9900K specs and review.