AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE vs Intel Core i9-9900K Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-threaded workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE wins every recorded single-core test. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 2532 against the Intel Core i9-9900K's 2164, a 17% advantage. PassMark single-thread shows a larger gap: 3914 versus 2919, which is 34.1% higher.

Q: How do the two compare in multi-threaded rendering?

A: The Ryzen 5 8500GE leads consistently across all Cinebench versions. In R23 multi-core, it scores 17940 versus 15333 for the i9-9900K, a 17% edge. The PassMark multithread test shows 21135 versus 18153, a 16.4% lead.

Q: Does the Intel processor win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the i9-9900K wins 5 of the 17 head-to-head tests. Its largest victory is in PassMark data compression, where it scores 283506 versus 246397, a 13.1% difference. It also wins in extended instructions, floating point math, integer math, and random string sorting.

Q: What is the biggest single benchmark margin between these two?

A: The largest margin is in PassMark data encryption, where the Ryzen 5 8500GE scores 14197 versus 6430, a 120.8% advantage. The second largest is PassMark find prime numbers, with the AMD part scoring 79 versus 47, a 68.1% lead.

Q: Do both processors have the same number of cores?

A: No. The Intel Core i9-9900K has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite fewer cores, the AMD part wins most multi-threaded tests.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Ryzen 5 8500GE has an average benchmark score of 27712, compared to 27097 for the i9-9900K. Both sit at the 79th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design eras. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE belongs to the 8000 series, built on Zen 4 architecture with the Phoenix2 codename. It is manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC, with 20,900 million transistors packed into a 137 mm² die. The Intel Core i9-9900K, in contrast, uses Coffee Lake architecture with the Coffee Lake-R codename, fabricated on Intel's 14 nm process with a die size of 180.3 mm².

Cache layouts differ notably. Both share 64 KB of L1 per core and 16 MB of shared L3 cache, but the L2 allocation is different: the Ryzen 5 8500GE provides 1 MB per core, while the i9-9900K provides 256 KB per core. This means the AMD part has substantially more L2 cache per core despite having fewer total cores.

Memory support marks another clear split. The Ryzen 5 8500GE uses DDR5 with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s, plus ECC support. The i9-9900K uses DDR4, also dual-channel, but with a much lower bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s and no ECC support. The PCIe implementation also differs: the AMD chip offers PCIe Gen 4 with 14 CPU lanes, while the Intel chip offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The Ryzen 5 8500GE includes a Radeon 740M GPU, while the i9-9900K includes UHD Graphics 630. The AMD part is classified as a mobile segment processor with a 35 W TDP, while the Intel part is a desktop processor with a 95 W TDP. The i9-9900K was released on 2018-10-18 and is now end-of-life, while the Ryzen 5 8500GE was released on 2024-04-15 and remains active. The Intel part carries a launch MSRP of $488, stated once here as a reference point.

Both processors have unlocked multipliers, but their sockets are incompatible: the AMD part uses AMD Socket AM5, and the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1151.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a clear pattern: the Ryzen 5 8500GE dominates CPU-bound workloads, while the i9-9900K retains advantages in specific memory-intensive or integer-heavy tasks.

Starting with Cinebench, the AMD processor wins every single test. In R15 multi-core, it scores 1808 against 1545, a 17% lead. In R15 single-core, the scores are 255 versus 217, a 17.5% margin. R20 multi-core shows 7534 versus 6439, again 17%, and R20 single-core shows 1063 versus 908, a 17.1% difference. R23 multi-core repeats the 17% pattern with 17940 versus 15333, and R23 single-core matches the 17% figure with 2532 versus 2164. The consistency across all Cinebench versions indicates a stable architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

PassMark results are more mixed. The AMD part wins data encryption decisively: 14197 versus 6430, a 120.8% advantage. It also wins find prime numbers, scoring 79 versus 47, a 68.1% lead. The multithread test goes to AMD with 21135 versus 18153, a 16.4% margin, and physics shows 1150 versus 934, a 23.1% advantage. Both PassMark single-thread entries show 3914 versus 2919, a 34.1% lead for AMD.

The Intel part, however, takes five tests. The most significant is data compression: 283506 versus 246397, a 13.1% edge. Random string sorting also favors Intel with 36238 versus 29501, an 18.6% difference. Integer math goes to Intel with 66134 versus 62666, a 5.2% margin. Floating point math follows with 41036 versus 39065, a 4.8% lead. Extended instructions round out the Intel wins with 18965 versus 17962, a 5.3% difference.

The wins tally stands at 12 for the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE and 5 for the Intel Core i9-9900K. Notably, the Intel victories are all in the 4.8% to 18.6% range, while the AMD victories include three tests with margins above 30% and one above 100%. The average benchmark scores reflect this overall balance: 27712 for the AMD part versus 27097 for the Intel part.

Looking at the nearest rivals for context, the Ryzen 5 8500GE sits within 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, 0.3% below the Intel Core i5-12600KF, and 0.5% above both the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and Intel Core i5-12600K. The i9-9900K, meanwhile, sits 0.2% above the AMD Ryzen 7 5700G, 0.3% below the Intel Core i5-14400T, 0.6% above the AMD Ryzen AI 7 445, and 0.7% above the Intel Core i7-1370P. Both processors occupy the same performance tier relative to their respective peer groups.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear recommendation for most users. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE outperforms the Intel Core i9-9900K in 12 of 17 benchmark comparisons, including all Cinebench tests and the primary PassMark multithread and single-thread metrics. It achieves this with 6 cores and 12 threads against the Intel part's 8 cores and 16 threads, while consuming 35 W of TDP versus 95 W. The AMD part also offers newer memory technology with DDR5 support and double the memory bandwidth.

The i9-9900K remains competitive in specific niches. Its data compression score of 283506 is the highest single result between the two, and it handles integer math, floating point math, extended instructions, and random string sorting with modest advantages ranging from 4.8% to 18.6%. Users whose workloads are dominated by these specific operations might prefer the Intel part, particularly if they already have a Socket 1151 platform with DDR4 memory.

For new builds, the Ryzen 5 8500GE is the logical choice based on benchmark data alone. It is an active production part with a 2024 release date, while the i9-9900K is end-of-life from 2018. The AMD processor's single-thread advantage of 34.1% in PassMark and 17% in Cinebench R23 indicates better responsiveness in everyday tasks, and its multithread performance is superior despite fewer cores. The integrated Radeon 740M also represents a newer graphics architecture than the UHD Graphics 630.

The one consideration for Intel loyalists is the five benchmark wins, particularly the 13.1% lead in data compression and the 18.6% lead in random string sorting. These are real, measurable advantages. However, they are narrower than the AMD wins in encryption (120.8%) and prime numbers (68.1%). The overall average benchmark score difference of 2.3% in favor of the AMD part, combined with the much lower TDP and newer platform, makes the Ryzen 5 8500GE the stronger recommendation from the recorded data.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE | Intel Core i9-9900K |

|----------------|-------------------|---------------------|

| Cores | 6 | 8 |

| Threads | 12 | 16 |

| Base clock | 3.40 GHz | 3.60 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.00 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 95 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM5 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Coffee Lake |

| Codename | Phoenix2 | Coffee Lake-R |

| Process node | 4 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Transistors | 20,900 million | Not recorded |

| Die size | 137 mm² | 180.3 mm² |

| L2 cache | 1 MB per core | 256 KB per core |

| L3 cache | 16 MB shared | 16 MB shared |

| Memory support | DDR5 | DDR4 |

| Memory bandwidth | 83.2 GB/s | 42.7 GB/s |

| ECC memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 14 lanes | Gen 3, 16 lanes |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon 740M | UHD Graphics 630 |

| Market segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Production status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release date | 2024-04-15 | 2018-10-18 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $488 |

| Part number | 100-000001495 | SRG19SRELS |

Both processors share 64 KB of L1 cache per core, dual-channel memory buses, and unlocked multipliers. The remaining differences above define their respective positions: one is a modern, efficient, mobile-derived part with DDR5 and a small die, the other is a legacy desktop flagship with more cores but older memory and process technology.