Intel Core i9-9900KF vs Intel Core i9-9900X

Processor comparisons 24-03-2021

   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i9-9900KF vs Intel Core i9-9900X and understand which is better for games or normal use for streaming, programming, rendering, video editing, machine learning. Here is useful information from several benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful review of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special test applications like MATLAB, WPrime, RealBench, Blender, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PassMark, 7zip, Prime95, PCMark 10, UserBenchmark, AIDA64, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 3DMark, Furmark, Gears 5, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Dolphin Emulator, Blender, VeraCrypt, Handbrake, SuperPi, GeekBench 6, 5.2.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-9900X or Intel Core i9-9900KF.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-9900KF

55%

Core i9-9900X

56%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-9900X is 1% better than Core i9-9900KF. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-9900KF

55%

Core i9-9900X

56%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. 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 small 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: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Metro Exodus, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, League of Legends (LOL), Hitman 3, Forza Horizon 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, DOTA 2A, Battlefield V, Ghostrunner, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Half-Life: Alyx, Control, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Monster Hunter World, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), NBA 2K20.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.5	100.3
Valorant	110.8	114.0
Cyberpunk 2077	62.0	63.8
Apex Legends	104.1	107.2
Call of Duty Warzone	83.1	85.5
Overwatch	89.7	92.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.4	78.7
DOOM Eternal	55.4	57.0
Warzone	86.4	88.9
Assassin's Creed	93.1	95.8
Valheim	92.0	94.6

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 participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i9-9900KF

48%

Core i9-9900X

25%

To make a final decision 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 i9-9900KF is more energy efficient than the Core i9-9900X since it has less power consumption: 95W vs. 165W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need 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

For example you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, video editing or video rendering, programming, machine learning, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the processor uses 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 program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, and all the advantages 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 i9-9900KF	Intel Core i9-9900X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	219	197
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2245	2114
Cinbench 20 Single-core	518	455
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4995	4855
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1284	1092
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	12450	13662

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

	Intel Core i9-9900KF	Intel Core i9-9900X
Single-Core	2970	2633
Multi-Core	18847	21769

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

	Intel Core i9-9900KF	Intel Core i9-9900X
Single-Core	1383	1281
Multi-Core	9304	12077

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 i9-9900KF	Intel Core i9-9900X
Announcement date	April 01, 2019	October 01, 2018
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1151-2	FCLGA2066
Core name	Coffee Lake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	10
Turbo Frequency	5 MHz	4.4 MHz
Frequency	3.6 MHz	3.5 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	8600 millions	8600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	95 W	165 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	41.6 GB/s	85 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	16 MB	19.25 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 i9-9900KF is 2% better than Core i9-9900X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9900X has 2 more core than Core i9-9900KF. 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 i9-9900KF is better: 11
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-9900X is better: 19
Although it should be understood that all the number that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i9-9900KF and Intel Core i9-9900X before making a decision which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i9-9900KF - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-9900KF specs and review.

Intel Core i9-9900X - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-9900X specs and review.