Intel Core i5-11600K vs Intel Core i7-9700K Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split is remarkably lopsided. The Intel Core i5-11600K takes 18 of the 19 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core i7-9700K manages a single victory. That one win, however, is worth examining closely. The i7-9700K leads in PassMark extended instructions by 2.7%, scoring 18088 against 17615. This suggests the older Coffee Lake design retains a slight edge in workloads that leverage specialized instruction sets, though the margin is narrow.

Every other category falls to the i5-11600K. The most dramatic gap appears in data encryption, where the i5-11600K scores 12212 against the i7-9700K's 4590, a 62.4% difference. Integer math also heavily favors the newer chip, with the i5-11600K posting 64664 versus 41411, a 36% advantage. These are not marginal improvements; they represent a generational leap in raw compute throughput.

The i5-11600K also wins in every Cinebench iteration, both single-core and multi-core, by a consistent 26.1% margin. Geekbench results show a smaller but still decisive gap, with the i5-11600K ahead by 15.6% in multi-core and 16.9% in single-core. The pattern is clear: the i5-11600K is the stronger processor across nearly all measured workloads, with the i7-9700K's sole win being an outlier rather than a trend.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations despite sharing the same 14 nm process node. The i7-9700K is built on Coffee Lake, a design that Intel refreshed for the 9th generation. It packs 8 cores and 8 threads, meaning no hyper-threading. The i5-11600K uses Rocket Lake, which is architecturally newer even though it still relies on the 14 nm node. It has 6 cores but 12 threads, enabling simultaneous multithreading that the i7-9700K lacks.

The die sizes tell an interesting story. The i7-9700K measures 180.3 mm², while the i5-11600K is substantially larger at 276 mm². This size difference reflects the more complex Rocket Lake architecture, which integrates newer features despite the older process node. The i5-11600K also carries a higher TDP of 125 watts compared to the i7-9700K's 95 watts, indicating it draws more power to achieve its performance.

Cache configurations differ in the L1 and L2 levels. The i7-9700K has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, while the i5-11600K has 80 KB per core. Both share 256 KB of L2 per core and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory bandwidth favors the i5-11600K at 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s for the i7-9700K, even though both support dual-channel DDR4.

Platform support also diverges. The i7-9700K uses Intel Socket 1151 with PCIe Gen 3 and 16 CPU lanes. The i5-11600K moves to Intel Socket 1200 with PCIe Gen 4 and 20 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well, with the i7-9700K featuring UHD Graphics 630 and the i5-11600K upgrading to UHD Graphics 750. Both processors have unlocked multipliers, and both are marked as end-of-life in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are the most consistent indicator of the performance gap. Across R15, R20, and R23, the i5-11600K wins by exactly 26.1% in both single-core and multi-core tests. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i5-11600K scores 16552 against the i7-9700K's 12238. The single-core R23 result shows 2336 versus 1727. This uniformity suggests the architectural improvements in Rocket Lake benefit both lightly threaded and heavily threaded workloads equally.

The encryption test reveals the largest single disparity. The i5-11600K's 12212 score dwarfs the i7-9700K's 4590, a 62.4% advantage. This is likely due to the newer instruction set support in Rocket Lake, which accelerates cryptographic operations. The i7-9700K's only win, extended instructions, comes with a modest 2.7% margin, reinforcing that the older chip's advantage is limited to a specific niche.

Integer math shows a 36% gap, with the i5-11600K scoring 64664 against 41411. Floating point math is closer, with the i5-11600K ahead by 7.2% (38269 versus 35498). The multithread test follows the broader trend, with the i5-11600K winning by 26.2% (19527 versus 14414). Even the physics test, which often favors higher core counts, goes to the i5-11600K by 6.8% (944 versus 880). The i5-11600K's hyper-threading appears to compensate for its two fewer physical cores, and then some.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion. The Intel Core i5-11600K outperforms the Intel Core i7-9700K in 18 of 19 benchmark comparisons, often by substantial margins. The i7-9700K's single win in extended instructions is too narrow to recommend it for any specific workload. The i5-11600K's advantages in encryption, integer math, and multithreaded rendering make it the stronger choice for content creation, data processing, and general productivity.

The i7-9700K does offer two additional physical cores, which might appeal to users who prioritize raw core count over thread count. However, the benchmark results show that the i5-11600K's 12 threads outperform the i7-9700K's 8 threads in every multithreaded test. The newer architecture, higher memory bandwidth, and PCIe Gen 4 support further tip the scales.

For users on a Socket 1151 platform, the i7-9700K remains a capable processor, but it is not competitive with the i5-11600K in the recorded measurements. The i5-11600K is the better performer across nearly every metric, and the data does not support choosing the i7-9700K unless a specific workload relies heavily on the extended instructions where it holds a 2.7% edge.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Core i5-11600K wins 18 of 19 head-to-head benchmarks. The Intel Core i7-9700K wins only one, the PassMark extended instructions test.

Q: How large is the performance gap in Cinebench R23?

A: The i5-11600K leads by 26.1% in both single-core and multi-core Cinebench R23 tests. It scores 2336 single-core and 16552 multi-core, while the i7-9700K scores 1727 and 12238 respectively.

Q: Does the i7-9700K have more cores than the i5-11600K?

A: Yes, the i7-9700K has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-11600K has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite fewer physical cores, the i5-11600K wins all multithreaded benchmarks.

Q: What is the biggest benchmark difference between the two?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark data encryption, where the i5-11600K scores 12212 against the i7-9700K's 4590, a 62.4% difference.

Q: Are both processors on the same manufacturing process?

A: Yes, both use a 14 nm process node from Intel. The i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake architecture, while the i5-11600K uses Rocket Lake.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The i5-11600K has a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the i7-9700K has 42.7 GB/s. Both support dual-channel DDR4 memory.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-9700K | Intel Core i5-11600K |

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

| Cores | 8 | 6 |

| Threads | 8 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 3.60 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| TDP | 95 W | 125 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1151 | Intel Socket 1200 |

| Architecture | Coffee Lake | Rocket Lake |

| Die Size | 180.3 mm² | 276 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 42.7 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes | Gen 4, 20 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 630 | UHD Graphics 750 |

| Release Date | 2018-10-18 | 2021-03-15 |

| Launch MSRP | $385 | $262 |