CPU Showdown

Core i7-11700KvsCore i9-11900K

The Core i7-11700K is the sensible high-end pick for gamers and builders who want strong performance without overspending, while the Core i9-11900K is the top-tier badge for those who need the absolute fastest single-core speed Intel offers.

Intel Core i7-11700K
8C / 16T · 125W
VS
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C / 16T · 125W
Intel

Core i7-11700K

Rocket Lake · 14 nm · 2021

15score
3.8/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
TDP
125W
Boost Clock
5.0 GHz
L3 Cache
16 MB

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Intel

Core i9-11900K

Rocket Lake · 14 nm · 2021

15score
3.8/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
TDP
125W
Boost Clock
5.2 GHz
L3 Cache
16 MB

As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Aggregate Performance

Overall Performance Score

A unified score from combined synthetic and real-world benchmarks. 100 represents the fastest desktop CPU available.

Core i7-11700KWinner
15
Core i9-11900K
15
Core i7-11700K leads by 0.0% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#160Core i5-1440015
#161Core i9-11900K15
#162Core i5-13400F15
#166Ryzen 5 8400F15
#167Core i7-11700K15
#168Ryzen 7 5700G15
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

Every detail compared. Highlighted cells indicate the leading value for that metric.

SpecsCore i7-11700KCore i9-11900K
Cores
Total Cores88
Threads1616
Base Clock3.6 GHz3.5 GHz
Boost Clock5.0 GHz5.2 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache4 MB4 MB
L3 Cache16 MB16 MB
Platform
MemoryDDR4DDR4
PCIePCIe 4.0PCIe 4.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 750Intel UHD Graphics 750
Power
Base TDP125W125W
General
Process14 nm14 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Core i7-11700K wins overall for most buyers because it offers nearly identical performance to the i9-11900K at a lower price.

Best value

The Core i7-11700K is the smarter pick for value, matching the i9-11900K's performance for less money.

When the other wins

The Core i9-11900K is the right choice for those needing the highest out-of-box boost speed for single-threaded tasks.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i7-11700K better than the Core i9-11900K?

The Core i7-11700K and Core i9-11900K trade blows — they land within a fraction of a percent of each other in our aggregate performance score, so neither is clearly better overall.

How much faster is the Core i7-11700K than the Core i9-11900K?

In aggregate performance the two are effectively tied — the gap is under 1%, well within run-to-run variance.

Which should you buy, the Core i7-11700K or the Core i9-11900K?

If you want the most performance, pick the Core i7-11700K. If the Core i9-11900K is meaningfully cheaper where you shop, it can be the better value for similar real-world results — check current prices and the full spec comparison above before deciding.