A12-9800 vs Core i7-9700K

CPU

GPU

A12-9800

4 Cores4 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.2 GHz2017

Popular choices:

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Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

A12-9800

4 / 4

3,695

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i7-9700K

8 / 8

14,397

+289.6%

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

A12-9800

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-9700K.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,695 vs 14,397).

Core i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +194.6% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while A12-9800 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike A12-9800.

A12-9800

2017

Core i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-9700K.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +194.6% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,695 vs 14,397).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while A12-9800 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike A12-9800.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-9700K better than A12-9800?

Yes. Core i7-9700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 194.6% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 289.6% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-9700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 194.6% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-9700K is the better fit. You are getting 289.6% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i7-9700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-9700K is at an unclear MSRP at $385 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 194.6% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (37.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, A12-9800 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i7-9700K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

A12-9800 Benchmark Check

Core i7-9700K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	A12-9800	Core i7-9700K
1080p
low	92 FPS	308 FPS
medium	92 FPS	278 FPS
high	92 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	182 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	270 FPS
medium	92 FPS	221 FPS
high	92 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	143 FPS
4K
low	65 FPS	170 FPS
medium	58 FPS	140 FPS
high	45 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	95 FPS

Open A12-9800 Open Core i7-9700K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	A12-9800	Core i7-9700K
1080p
low	92 FPS	360 FPS
medium	92 FPS	321 FPS
high	92 FPS	291 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	324 FPS
medium	92 FPS	282 FPS
high	92 FPS	258 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	225 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	249 FPS
medium	92 FPS	221 FPS
high	92 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	179 FPS

Open A12-9800 Open Core i7-9700K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	A12-9800	Core i7-9700K
1080p
low	92 FPS	360 FPS
medium	92 FPS	360 FPS
high	92 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	360 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	360 FPS
medium	92 FPS	360 FPS
high	92 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	360 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	360 FPS
medium	92 FPS	360 FPS
high	92 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	318 FPS

Open A12-9800 Open Core i7-9700K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	A12-9800	Core i7-9700K
1080p
low	92 FPS	360 FPS
medium	92 FPS	360 FPS
high	92 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	360 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	360 FPS
medium	92 FPS	360 FPS
high	92 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	360 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	360 FPS
medium	92 FPS	360 FPS
high	92 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	360 FPS

Open A12-9800 Open Core i7-9700K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of A12-9800 and Core i7-9700K

A12-9800

The A12-9800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,695 points. Launch price was $139.

Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

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Processing Power

The A12-9800 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-9700K offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-9700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the A12-9800 versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The A12-9800 uses the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Core i7-9700K uses Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the A12-9800 scores 3,695 against the Core i7-9700K's 14,397 — a 118.3% lead for the Core i7-9700K. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A12-9800 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K.

Feature	A12-9800	Core i7-9700K
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	8 / 8+100%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	4.9 GHz+17%
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+6%	3.6 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2048 kB+700%	256K (per core)
Process	28 nm	14 nm-50%
Architecture	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)
PassMark	3,695	14,397+290%
Geekbench 6 Single	635	—

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Memory & Platform

The A12-9800 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-9700K uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2400 memory speed. The Core i7-9700K supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (A12-9800) vs 16 (Core i7-9700K) — the Core i7-9700K offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370 (A12-9800) and Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K).

Feature	A12-9800	Core i7-9700K
Socket	AM4	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	128 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	8	16+100%

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Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-9700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: AMD-V (A12-9800) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon R7 (A12-9800) and UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9700K) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A12-9800 targets Budget, Core i7-9700K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: A12-9800 rivals Pentium G4600.