Intel Atom x7433RE vs Intel Core i9-9900X Comparison

The Intel Atom x7433RE and the Intel Core i9-9900X occupy opposite ends of the Intel spectrum. One is a 9-watt, four-core mobile processor built for efficiency and embedded use, while the other is a 165-watt, ten-core desktop flagship from the X-Series line. The benchmark database shows a massive performance gulf, but the two chips are not competing for the same workloads. This analysis breaks down the recorded scores, architectural differences, and who should choose which.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Atom x7433RE has a higher average benchmark score of 5601, compared to the Intel Core i9-9900X’s average score of 5301. This is despite the fact that the Core i9 wins every head-to-head Cinebench test.

Q: How large is the performance gap in multi-core rendering?

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel Core i9-9900X scores 18365, while the Intel Atom x7433RE scores 3535. That is a difference of 80.8 percent, with the Core i9 being the clear winner.

Q: Do the two processors use the same process node?

A: No. The Intel Atom x7433RE is built on a 10 nm process (Amston Lake architecture), while the Intel Core i9-9900X uses a 14 nm process (Skylake-X architecture).

Q: Which chip supports more memory channels?

A: The Intel Core i9-9900X supports quad-channel memory with a bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s. The Intel Atom x7433RE supports single-channel memory at 38.4 GB/s.

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-9900X still in production?

A: No. The database lists the Intel Core i9-9900X as end-of-life, whereas the Intel Atom x7433RE is listed as active production.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of each processor?

A: The Intel Atom x7433RE has a launch MSRP of $63, while the Intel Core i9-9900X has a launch MSRP of $989.

The Verdict

The data points to a simple conclusion: the Intel Core i9-9900X is the overwhelmingly faster processor for demanding desktop tasks. In every recorded head-to-head Cinebench benchmark, the Core i9 wins by a consistent 80.7 to 80.8 percent margin. That includes single-core and multi-core tests. For anyone running rendering, compilation, or heavy desktop workloads, the Core i9-9900X is the obvious choice based on raw performance.

The Intel Atom x7433RE, however, is not a failed competitor. It is a different class of product. The database shows it has a 61st percentile ranking among all CPUs, while the Core i9-9900X sits at the 60th percentile. The Atom’s higher average benchmark score comes from its Passmark results, which include tests like data compression, integer math, and floating-point math. In those workloads, the Atom scores 43671, 13054, and 8582 respectively. Those numbers are not from the same test suite as the Cinebench scores, but they contribute to a higher overall average. The Atom is also a 9-watt mobile chip with active production status, meaning it is designed for low-power embedded systems, not for competing with a 165-watt desktop part.

The verdict is clear: if you need maximum compute, the Core i9-9900X. If you need a low-power, active, embedded processor, the Atom x7433RE. The two should never be in the same purchasing decision.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is one-sided. Across five Cinebench tests, the Intel Core i9-9900X wins all five. The delta percentages are nearly identical across the board, hovering around negative 80.8 percent for the Atom.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Core i9-9900X scores 1851, while the Atom x7433RE scores 356. That is an 80.8 percent deficit for the Atom. The R20 multi-core test shows the same pattern: the Core i9 scores 7713, the Atom scores 1484, again an 80.8 percent difference. The R23 multi-core test is the largest absolute gap, with the Core i9 at 18365 and the Atom at 3535. The single-core tests follow the same trend. In R20 single-core, the Core i9 scores 1088, the Atom scores 209, a difference of 80.8 percent. In R23 single-core, the Core i9 scores 2592, the Atom scores 499, a difference of 80.7 percent.

These numbers are stark. The Atom x7433RE is not just slower in multi-threaded workloads; it is also slower in single-threaded performance, which is unusual for a newer architecture. The Atom’s 3.40 GHz boost clock does not compensate for the Core i9’s 4.50 GHz boost clock, nor for the fact that the Core i9 has 10 cores and 20 threads versus the Atom’s 4 cores and 4 threads. The data shows a performance chasm that no architectural efficiency can bridge.

It is importantly the Atom’s benchmark scores are not zero. The Atom does have recorded scores of 3535 in R23 multi-core and 499 in R23 single-core. But when placed against the Core i9, those scores look like a fraction of what the desktop part achieves. The database records no wins for the Atom in any head-to-head test.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every specification field. The Intel Atom x7433RE has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Core i9-9900X has 10 cores and 20 threads. Base clocks are 1.50 GHz for the Atom and 3.50 GHz for the Core i9. Boost clocks are 3.40 GHz and 4.50 GHz respectively. Thermal design power is the most dramatic difference: the Atom is rated at 9 watts, the Core i9 at 165 watts.

The sockets are incompatible. The Atom uses Intel BGA 1264, a soldered mobile socket, while the Core i9 uses Intel Socket 2066, a desktop LGA socket. The Atom has a single-channel memory bus, the Core i9 has a quad-channel bus. Memory bandwidth is listed as 38.4 GB/s for the Atom and 85.3 GB/s for the Core i9. The Atom supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the Core i9 supports DDR4 only. Neither chip supports ECC memory.

The Atom includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 32EU), while the Core i9 has no integrated graphics. The Atom has 9 PCIe Gen 3 lanes (CPU only), while the Core i9 has 44 PCIe Gen 3 lanes (CPU only). The Atom has an unlocked multiplier set to false; the Core i9 has an unlocked multiplier set to true. The Core i9 is end-of-life, the Atom is active. Release dates are also far apart: the Atom was released on 2024-04-07, the Core i9 on 2018-10-18.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide is just as wide as the performance divide. The Intel Atom x7433RE is based on the Amston Lake architecture, codenamed Amston Lake, with a generation label of “Atom (Gracemont).” It is built on a 10 nm process by Intel. The Intel Core i9-9900X is based on Skylake, codenamed Skylake-X, with a generation label of “Core i9 (X-Series 9th Gen).” It is built on a 14 nm process, also by Intel.

The cache layouts differ significantly. The Atom has an L1 cache of 96 KB per core, an L2 cache of 2 MB shared, and an L3 cache of 6 MB shared. The Core i9 has an L1 cache of 64 KB per core, an L2 cache of 1 MB per core, and an L3 cache of 19.25 MB shared. The Core i9’s L3 cache is more than three times larger, which helps explain its performance in multi-threaded workloads.

The market segments are different. The Atom is listed as Mobile, the Core i9 as Desktop. The Atom’s production status is Active, the Core i9’s is End-of-life. The Atom’s part number is SRNEQ, the Core i9’s is SREZ7. The Atom is a Gracemont core design, which is Intel’s efficiency-focused core, while the Core i9 uses the older Skylake core, which is a performance-focused design from a different era. The 10 nm process on the Atom gives it a transistor density advantage, but the Core i9 compensates with more cores, higher clocks, and a larger cache. The database shows that architectural efficiency does not translate into raw benchmark superiority in this matchup. The Core i9’s brute-force approach wins every measured test.