Intel Core i9-11900K vs Intel Core i9-9900K Comparison

The Verdict

The Intel Core i9-11900K is the clear winner across the entire benchmark suite, taking 19 of 19 head-to-head tests against the Intel Core i9-9900K. The data leaves no ambiguity: the 11900K outperforms the 9900K in every recorded workload, with the smallest margin being a 4.5% advantage in random string sorting and the largest a 59.8% lead in data encryption. For anyone choosing between these two processors, the 11900K is the only rational pick based on performance, despite both CPUs sitting at the same 79th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

The 9900K does have one thing going for it: a lower launch MSRP of $488 compared to $539 for the 11900K. But the recorded benchmark data shows that the 11900K delivers substantially higher scores across the board, making the price gap irrelevant for performance-focused buyers. The 9900K's average benchmark score of 27097 is actually slightly higher than the 11900K's 26639, but that figure is skewed by the 9900K having fewer recorded benchmark entries and the 11900K's additional 3DMark tests pulling its average down. When comparing identical workloads, the 11900K wins every single time.

The 11900K also offers architectural advantages that go beyond raw speed, including a newer socket, faster memory bandwidth, and PCIe Gen 4 support. While both processors are end-of-life products, the 11900K represents the more capable platform for anyone building or upgrading a desktop system today.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900K wins every multi-core test. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 21168 versus 15333 for the 9900K, a 27.6% advantage. Geekbench multi-core shows a 13550 score versus 9276, a 31.5% lead.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare?

A: The 11900K leads in single-core performance across all tests. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 2988 versus 2164, a 27.6% difference. PassMark single-thread scores are 3511 versus 2919, a 16.9% advantage.

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes, both have 8 cores and 16 threads. The performance difference comes from other architectural improvements, not from core count.

Q: Which processor has better memory bandwidth?

A: The 11900K has a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the 9900K is rated at 42.7 GB/s. Both support dual-channel DDR4 memory.

Q: Are these processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: Yes, both have an unlocked multiplier. The 9900K has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the 11900K has a 3.50 GHz base and 5.30 GHz boost.

Q: What is the production status of these CPUs?

A: Both are end-of-life products. The 9900K was released on 2018-10-18, and the 11900K was released on 2021-03-15.

Architecture Differences

Both processors use Intel's 14 nm process node, but they represent different architectural generations. The 9900K is built on the Coffee Lake architecture (codename Coffee Lake-R) from the Core i9 Coffee Lake Refresh generation, while the 11900K uses the Rocket Lake architecture (codename Rocket Lake) from the Core i9 Rocket Lake-S generation.

The die size differs significantly: the 9900K measures 180.3 mm², while the 11900K is substantially larger at 276 mm². This larger die accommodates the 11900K's more complex core design, which includes larger per-core caches. The 11900K has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, compared to 64 KB and 256 KB respectively for the 9900K. Both share 16 MB of L3 cache.

The 11900K features a newer socket, Intel Socket 1200, compared to the 9900K's Intel Socket 1151. This means the two processors are not interchangeable in the same motherboard. The 11900K also supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU, while the 9900K is limited to PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes. This gives the 11900K a bandwidth advantage for modern GPUs and NVMe storage.

The integrated graphics differ as well: the 11900K includes UHD Graphics 750, while the 9900K has UHD Graphics 630. Both processors have ECC memory disabled, support dual-channel DDR4, and have unlocked multipliers for overclocking.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The 9900K has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the 11900K has a lower base of 3.50 GHz but a higher boost of 5.30 GHz. The 11900K compensates for its lower base clock with a much higher boost ceiling.

Thermal design power differs notably: the 9900K is rated at 95 W TDP, while the 11900K is rated at 125 W TDP. This higher power envelope reflects the 11900K's more powerful core design and explains its higher performance in sustained workloads.

Memory bandwidth is another differentiator: the 9900K offers 42.7 GB/s, while the 11900K delivers 51.2 GB/s. This 20% improvement in memory throughput helps the 11900K in bandwidth-sensitive workloads.

The socket and PCIe support differ as noted above: Socket 1151 with PCIe Gen 3 for the 9900K, versus Socket 1200 with PCIe Gen 4 for the 11900K. The 11900K also has a larger die size, larger per-core caches, and a different integrated GPU.

The launch MSRP for the 9900K was $488, and for the 11900K it was $539. Both processors have their part numbers recorded in the database: SRG19SRELS for the 9900K and SRKND for the 11900K.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The 11900K wins every head-to-head benchmark, with margins ranging from modest to massive. The smallest advantage is in PassMark random string sorting, where the 11900K scores 37942 versus 36238, a 4.5% lead. This is the only test where the 11900K's advantage falls below 10%.

The largest margin is in PassMark data encryption, where the 11900K scores 16000 versus 6430, a staggering 59.8% advantage. This suggests a major improvement in the encryption-related instruction set or execution pipeline. The PassMark find prime numbers test also shows a significant gap: 68 versus 47, a 30.9% difference.

In Cinebench tests, the 11900K shows consistent 27.6% advantages across all three versions (R15, R20, R23) for both single-core and multi-core. For example, Cinebench R15 multi-core scores 2133 versus 1545, and R23 multi-core scores 21168 versus 15333. Geekbench results show a 26% single-core advantage (2273 versus 1681) and a 31.5% multi-core advantage (13550 versus 9276).

PassMark tests show varied margins: floating point math is 52841 versus 41036 (22.3% lead), integer math is 89279 versus 66134 (25.9% lead), and multi-thread performance is 25038 versus 18153 (27.5% lead). Extended instructions score 23406 versus 18965 (19% lead), and physics score 1052 versus 934 (11.2% lead). PassMark data compression shows 330836 versus 283506 (14.3% lead).

The 11900K's additional 3DMark tests are not directly comparable to the 9900K, as the 9900K has no 3DMark entries in the database. However, the 11900K's 3DMark scores of 8331 for 16 threads, 8319 for max threads, 6528 for 8 threads, 3778 for 4 threads, 1975 for 2 threads, and 1011 for single thread provide a baseline for its thread-scaling behavior.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-11900K wins in every benchmark category recorded in the database. There is no workload where the 9900K comes out ahead. The 11900K's strengths are most pronounced in encryption-heavy workloads, where it nearly doubles the 9900K's score, and in multi-threaded rendering tasks like Cinebench, where it maintains a consistent 27.6% advantage.

The 11900K is the better choice for any compute-intensive application: video rendering, 3D modeling, scientific computing, code compilation, and data processing. Its higher boost clock of 5.30 GHz and faster memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s contribute to its lead in both single-threaded and multi-threaded scenarios. The PCIe Gen 4 support also makes it a better match for modern high-bandwidth peripherals.

The 9900K's only advantages are its lower launch MSRP of $488 and its lower 95 W TDP, which may appeal to users with stricter power or cooling constraints. However, the benchmark data shows that the 11900K delivers substantially higher performance in every measured test, making it the superior processor for any workload where performance matters. For users on a Socket 1151 platform who cannot upgrade to Socket 1200, the 9900K remains a capable 8-core processor, but it is outclassed by the 11900K in every recorded benchmark.