Core i7-9700K vs Ryzen 3 4100

CPU

GPU

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

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Ryzen 3 4100

4 Cores8 Thrd65 WWMax: 4 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-9700K

8 / 8

14,397

+30.1%

11,062

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

Ryzen 9 7900

Ryzen 9 9950X

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +45.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+49.9% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 3 4100 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 111.7 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Ryzen 3 4100

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $286 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Delivers 198.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.7 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($99 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (11,062 vs 14,397).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Ryzen 3 4100

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +45.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+49.9% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 3 4100 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Costs $286 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Delivers 198.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.7 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($99 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 111.7 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (11,062 vs 14,397).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-9700K better than Ryzen 3 4100?

Yes. Core i7-9700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 45.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 30.1% better PassMark, 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 45.1% more average FPS across 4 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 30.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 49.9% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i7-9700K is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 3 4100 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-9700K is 288.9% more expensive on MSRP at $385 MSRP versus $99 MSRP, and it gives you a 45.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 3 4100 is also 198.8% better value on MSRP (111.7 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 3 4100 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?

Ryzen 3 4100 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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.

Core i7-9700K Benchmark Check

Ryzen 3 4100 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 3 4100
1080p
low	308 FPS	182 FPS
medium	278 FPS	145 FPS
high	231 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	155 FPS
medium	221 FPS	122 FPS
high	178 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	69 FPS
medium	140 FPS	58 FPS
high	108 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen 3 4100

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 3 4100
1080p
low	360 FPS	277 FPS
medium	321 FPS	235 FPS
high	291 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	157 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	235 FPS
medium	282 FPS	203 FPS
high	258 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	142 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	181 FPS
medium	221 FPS	164 FPS
high	208 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	100 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen 3 4100

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 3 4100
1080p
low	360 FPS	277 FPS
medium	360 FPS	277 FPS
high	360 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	277 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	277 FPS
medium	360 FPS	277 FPS
high	360 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	277 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	277 FPS
medium	360 FPS	277 FPS
high	360 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	247 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen 3 4100

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 3 4100
1080p
low	360 FPS	277 FPS
medium	360 FPS	277 FPS
high	360 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	277 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	277 FPS
medium	360 FPS	277 FPS
high	360 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	277 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	277 FPS
medium	360 FPS	277 FPS
high	360 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	277 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen 3 4100

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Ryzen 3 4100

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.

Ryzen 3 4100

The Ryzen 3 4100 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8.00391 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 11,062 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 3 4100 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-9700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 4100 — a 20.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 3 4100 uses Renoir (2020−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Ryzen 3 4100's 11,062 — a 26.2% lead for the Core i7-9700K. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 8.00391 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 4100.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 3 4100
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+100%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+23%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	3.8 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8.00391 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Renoir (2020−2023)
PassMark	14,397+30%	11,062

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 3 4100 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 3 4100
Socket	LGA1151	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) / not specified (Ryzen 3 4100). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Ryzen 3 4100 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen 3 4100
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Ryzen 3 4100 debuted at $99. On MSRP ($385 vs $99), the Ryzen 3 4100 is $286 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 111.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 3 4100 — making the Ryzen 3 4100 the 99.7% better value option.