Intel Core i9-10900KF vs Intel Core i9-11900KB Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a remarkably consistent picture across every recorded comparison. The Intel Core i9-11900KB wins all six head-to-head tests, but the margins are uniformly narrow, ranging from 2.2% to 2.4%. This is not a case of one processor dominating another; rather, it is a case of the newer mobile chip edging out the older desktop part in every single metric that the database records.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i9-11900KB scores 1946 against the i9-10900KF's 1901, a 2.4% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows the same story: 274 versus 268, a 2.2% lead for the 11900KB. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multicore result is 8112 versus 7924, again a 2.4% delta, while the single-core result of 1145 versus 1118 is also a 2.4% margin. The R23 results follow suit: 19316 versus 18867 in multicore (2.4%) and 2727 versus 2663 in single-core (2.4%).

The consistency of the 2.4% delta across the R20 and R23 suites, and the 2.2% to 2.4% range across all tests, suggests the two chips are extremely closely matched in raw compute throughput. The i9-11900KB holds a slight edge in every workload the database measures, but that edge is small enough that real-world differences would be nearly imperceptible outside of synthetic benchmarking.

The overall average benchmark scores reinforce this narrative. The i9-11900KB carries an average score of 5587, while the i9-10900KF sits at 5316. That is a 5.1% gap in the aggregate, which is larger than any individual head-to-head delta. This discrepancy exists because the average score incorporates additional benchmarks beyond the Cinebench suite. The i9-10900KF has recorded results in 3DMark and Geekbench that are not part of the head-to-head array, and those scores pull its average lower relative to its Cinebench performance.

The i9-11900KB achieves a percentile rank of 61 among all CPUs in the database, while the i9-10900KF ranks at 60. That one-point percentile difference is consistent with the narrow benchmark margins. The nearest rivals for each chip further contextualize their standing. The i9-11900KB sits within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700, Intel Core i7-12700T, Intel Atom x7433RE, and Intel Celeron G6900, based on average scores. The i9-10900KF sits within 0.5% of the AMD EPYC 7281, AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920X, Intel Core i9-9900X, and Intel Core i9-13900TE. Both chips are clearly in the same performance tier, surrounded by a mix of desktop and workstation parts.

The Verdict

The data points to a simple conclusion: the Intel Core i9-11900KB is the faster processor in every measured benchmark, but the Intel Core i9-10900KF is not far behind. The 11900KB's six wins out of six head-to-head comparisons give it an unambiguously better record in the database. The largest single margin is 2.4%, which means the 11900KB is never more than a few percentage points ahead.

Who should choose the i9-11900KB? Anyone prioritizing raw benchmark leadership, however narrow, and anyone who values the lower power footprint. The 11900KB has a TDP of 65 watts, compared to 125 watts for the 10900KF. That is a substantial difference in thermal design power, and it comes with no penalty in the recorded benchmark results. The 11900KB wins Cinebench tests across the board while drawing half the rated power budget.

Who should choose the i9-10900KF? The data shows it trades blows with the 11900KB within a narrow band, and it offers two additional cores and four additional threads. The 10-core, 20-thread configuration versus the 8-core, 16-thread configuration is a structural advantage in heavily threaded workloads, even if the recorded Cinebench scores do not reflect it. The 10900KF also has a higher base clock of 3.70 GHz versus 3.30 GHz, and both chips boost to 5.30 GHz. The 10900KF is a desktop part on Socket 1200, which means it pairs with conventional desktop motherboards, whereas the 11900KB uses Intel BGA 1787, a mobile socket.

The percentile ranks are nearly identical: 61 versus 60. The average scores differ by 271 points, roughly 5%, but that gap is driven by the broader benchmark set for the 10900KF, not by a fundamental performance gulf. For users who already have a Socket 1200 platform, the 10900KF remains a perfectly competitive choice. For users building fresh, the 11900KB's benchmark wins and lower TDP make it the more compelling part on paper.

Where Each One Wins

The i9-11900KB wins every Cinebench test, which covers both single-core and multi-core rendering workloads. Its 2.4% multicore lead in R20 and R23 indicates that its 8-core, 16-thread configuration is slightly more efficient per core than the 10900KF's 10-core, 20-thread setup. The 11900KB also wins single-core tests by 2.2% to 2.4%, showing that its Tiger Lake architecture extracts more performance from each individual core.

The i9-10900KF wins in structural terms even though it loses in recorded benchmarks. It has 10 cores and 20 threads, which is 25% more cores and 25% more threads than the 11900KB. Its 3.70 GHz base clock is 12% higher. Its L3 cache is 20 MB shared, and its L2 cache is 256 KB per core, giving it a total L2 of 2.5 MB across all cores. The 11900KB has a larger L3 at 24 MB shared, but its L2 is 1.25 MB per core, totaling 10 MB across eight cores. The 10900KF also supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the 11900KB supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, a generational advantage for the newer chip.

The 10900KF has no integrated graphics, whereas the 11900KB includes UHD Graphics 750. For users who need a display output without a discrete GPU, the 11900KB is the only option between the two. The 10900KF requires a separate graphics card for any video output.

Memory bandwidth favors the 11900KB at 51.2 GB/s versus 46.9 GB/s for the 10900KF, a 9.2% advantage. Both support dual-channel DDR4, but the 11900KB's Tiger Lake memory controller delivers higher throughput. The 10900KF has a recorded release date of 2020-04-29, making it the older part, and both CPUs are end-of-life.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900KB scores 19316, while the Intel Core i9-10900KF scores 18867. The 11900KB leads by 449 points, a 2.4% margin.

Q: Does the i9-10900KF have more cores than the i9-11900KB?

A: Yes. The i9-10900KF has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the i9-11900KB has 8 cores and 16 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the 11900KB wins all six head-to-head Cinebench comparisons.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption between the two CPUs?

A: The i9-11900KB has a TDP of 65 watts, while the i9-10900KF has a TDP of 125 watts. The 11900KB consumes a lower rated power while still achieving higher benchmark scores.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The i9-11900KB includes UHD Graphics 750. The i9-10900KF has no integrated graphics, so it requires a discrete GPU for display output.

Q: How do their single-core scores compare?

A: The i9-11900KB wins every single-core test. It scores 2727 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 2663 for the i9-10900KF, a 2.4% lead. In R20 single-core, the margin is 1145 versus 1118, also 2.4%.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each CPU?

A: The i9-11900KB has an average score of 5587, and the i9-10900KF has an average score of 5316. The 11900KB sits at the 61st percentile of all CPUs, while the 10900KF sits at the 60th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and use different manufacturing processes. The i9-11900KB is built on Tiger Lake-H architecture with a 10 nm process node, while the i9-10900KF uses Comet Lake architecture on a 14 nm process node. This process shrink is a primary reason the 11900KB can deliver slightly higher performance at a much lower TDP.

The i9-11900KB uses the Intel BGA 1787 socket, which is a ball-grid array for mobile platforms. The i9-10900KF uses Intel Socket 1200, a desktop LGA socket. This means the two chips are not interchangeable in any system. The 11900KB belongs to the mobile segment, despite being an i9, while the 10900KF is a desktop part.

Cache hierarchies differ notably. The i9-11900KB has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. The i9-10900KF has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3. The 11900KB's larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations help explain its single-core wins, while its 24 MB L3 gives it a 20% advantage in total last-level cache.

PCIe support is a generational step forward for the 11900KB. It offers PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the 10900KF offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The newer chip provides both a newer interface and more lanes. Memory bandwidth also favors the 11900KB at 51.2 GB/s versus 46.9 GB/s for the 10900KF, both using dual-channel DDR4.

The 11900KB has a die size of 190 mm², while no die size is recorded for the 10900KF. Both chips use Intel as the foundry. The 11900KB carries a launch MSRP of $539, and the 10900KF carries a launch MSRP of $509. Both processors have unlocked multipliers for overclocking, and both are end-of-life products with no active production status.