Intel Core i9-9960X vs Intel Core i9-10850K

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i9-9960X vs Intel Core i9-10850K tests and understand which is better for games or simple use for streaming, programming, rendering, video editing, machine learning. Here is all information from real video editing and streaming tests or various benchmarks. A careful analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Gears 5, Blender, Prime95, PassMark, AIDA64, Dolphin Emulator, RealBench, 7zip, WPrime, Blender, GeekBench 6, 5.2, 3DMark, UserBenchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, SuperPi, VeraCrypt, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Handbrake, PCMark 10, MATLAB, Furmark.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10850K or Intel Core i9-9960X.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-9960X

59%

Core i9-10850K

57%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-9960X is 3% better than Core i9-10850K. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-9960X

60%

Core i9-10850K

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 run games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you 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 CPU comparisons were performed: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, League of Legends (LOL), Half-Life: Alyx, Horizon Zero Dawn, DOTA 2A, Forza Horizon 4, Hitman 3, Ghostrunner, Control, Battlefield V, NBA 2K20, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Monster Hunter World, Microsoft Flight Simulator, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Metro Exodus.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.4	99.8
Valorant	120.9	113.4
Cyberpunk 2077	67.7	63.5
Apex Legends	113.6	106.6
Call of Duty Warzone	90.7	85.1
Overwatch	97.9	91.9
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.4	78.3
DOOM Eternal	60.5	56.7
Warzone	94.3	88.5
Assassin's Creed	101.6	95.3
Valheim	100.3	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 computers participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. 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 i9-9960X

24%

Core i9-10850K

36%

To make a final resolution 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 i9-10850K is more energy efficient than the Core i9-9960X since it has less power consumption: 165W vs. 125W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, video rendering or video editing, programming, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the CPU uses all threads and cores that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using 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. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the benefit 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 i9-9960X	Intel Core i9-10850K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	200	229
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2872	2616
Cinbench 20 Single-core	457	536
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	6671	6318
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1086	1367
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	22943	16820

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

	Intel Core i9-9960X	Intel Core i9-10850K
Single-Core	2684	3074
Multi-Core	30816	23350

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

	Intel Core i9-9960X	Intel Core i9-10850K
Single-Core	1230	1383
Multi-Core	18032	11578

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. 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, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS even 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 i9-9960X	Intel Core i9-10850K
Announcement date	January 01, 2019	April 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	FCLGA1200
Core name	Skylake	Comet Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	10
Turbo Frequency	4.4 MHz	5.1 MHz
Frequency	3.1 MHz	3.6 MHz
Cores	16	10
Threads	32	20
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	8600 millions	9200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 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	22 MB	20 MB
Overclocking	Yes	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 13% better than Core i9-9960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9960X has 6 more core than Core i9-10850K. 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 i9-9960X is better: 20
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10850K is better: 11
However, it should be understood that all the figures in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i9-9960X and Intel Core i9-10850K before deciding which of the processors to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i9-9960X specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-10850K specs and review.