Intel Core i9-9960X vs AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i9-9960X vs AMD Ryzen 7 5800X tests and understand which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, streaming, programming, video editing, rendering. Here you can find all information from many benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like MATLAB, Prime95, Blender, AIDA64, Gears 5, 3DMark, Blender, Dolphin Emulator, VeraCrypt, Furmark, PCMark 10, RealBench, WPrime, UserBenchmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 7zip, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PassMark, SuperPi, Handbrake, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Cinebench 23 (20, 15).
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 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%

Ryzen 7 5800X

58%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-9960X is 1% better than Ryzen 7 5800X. 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%

Ryzen 7 5800X

56%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. 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 little game result, 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: League of Legends (LOL), Ghostrunner, Monster Hunter World, Forza Horizon 4, Hitman 3, Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Metro Exodus, Control, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Half-Life: Alyx, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), NBA 2K20, Microsoft Flight Simulator, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), DOTA 2A, Horizon Zero Dawn.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.4	99.7
Valorant	120.9	113.3
Cyberpunk 2077	67.7	63.5
Apex Legends	113.6	106.5
Call of Duty Warzone	90.7	85.0
Overwatch	97.9	91.8
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.4	78.2
DOOM Eternal	60.5	56.7
Warzone	94.3	88.4
Assassin's Creed	101.6	95.2
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 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. 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i9-9960X

24%

Ryzen 7 5800X

57%

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 Ryzen 7 5800X is more energy efficient than the Core i9-9960X as it consumes less power: 165W vs. 105W. 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 video rendering or video editing, machine learning, programming, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum efficiency. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because 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 i9-9960X	AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	200	270
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2872	2611
Cinbench 20 Single-core	457	628
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	6671	5724
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1086	1594
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	22943	15245

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

	Intel Core i9-9960X	AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Single-Core	2684	3479
Multi-Core	30816	28799

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

	Intel Core i9-9960X	AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Single-Core	1230	1823
Multi-Core	18032	11496

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. 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 benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. The economy are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i9-9960X	AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Announcement date	January 01, 2019	November 05, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	AM4
Core name	Skylake	Vermeer
Architecture	x86	Zen 3
Generation	9	5
Turbo Frequency	4.4 MHz	4.7 MHz
Frequency	3.1 MHz	3.8 MHz
Cores	16	8
Threads	32	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	8600 millions	6200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	105 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency		3200
Memory bandwidth	85 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache		4MB
L3 cache	22 MB	32MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		100-000000063 100-100000063WOF

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 7 5800X is 18% better than Core i9-9960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9960X has 8 more core than Ryzen 7 5800X. 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: 23
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is better: 13
Although it should be realized that all the number in the article 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 reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i9-9960X and AMD Ryzen 7 5800X before making a decision which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i9-9960X specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen 7 5800X specs and review.