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 i9-9900X

2018

Why buy it

✅57.1% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,459 vs 2,900).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (13,985 vs 15,300).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.9 vs 94.7 PassMark/$ ($989 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌57.1% higher power demand at 165W vs 105W.

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅+98.8% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Costs $690 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $989 MSRP).
✅Delivers 332.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 94.7 vs 21.9 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $989 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 165W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i9-9900X

2018

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅57.1% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+98.8% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Costs $690 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $989 MSRP).
✅Delivers 332.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 94.7 vs 21.9 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $989 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 165W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,459 vs 2,900).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (13,985 vs 15,300).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.9 vs 94.7 PassMark/$ ($989 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌57.1% higher power demand at 165W vs 105W.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7600X better than Core i9-9900X?

Yes. Ryzen 5 7600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.4% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data, 9.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 30.8% higher 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, Ryzen 5 7600X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.4% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 7600X is the better fit. You are getting 9.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 7600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 7600X is $690 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $989 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.4% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 332.7% better value on MSRP (94.7 vs 21.9 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 7600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066, 66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 10/20. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 i9-9900X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	178 FPS	266 FPS
medium	143 FPS	246 FPS
high	116 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	148 FPS	226 FPS
medium	117 FPS	189 FPS
high	95 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	157 FPS
medium	69 FPS	131 FPS
high	55 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i9-9900X Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	516 FPS	649 FPS
medium	431 FPS	524 FPS
high	360 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	323 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	447 FPS	544 FPS
medium	384 FPS	455 FPS
high	323 FPS	388 FPS
ultra	279 FPS	329 FPS
4K
low	278 FPS	341 FPS
medium	239 FPS	290 FPS
high	220 FPS	271 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	232 FPS

Open Core i9-9900X Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	541 FPS	708 FPS
medium	541 FPS	652 FPS
high	541 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	527 FPS	484 FPS
1440p
low	541 FPS	708 FPS
medium	518 FPS	554 FPS
high	469 FPS	479 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	409 FPS
4K
low	458 FPS	463 FPS
medium	363 FPS	392 FPS
high	328 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	262 FPS	281 FPS

Open Core i9-9900X Open Ryzen 5 7600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	541 FPS	708 FPS
medium	541 FPS	708 FPS
high	541 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	541 FPS	708 FPS
1440p
low	541 FPS	708 FPS
medium	541 FPS	708 FPS
high	541 FPS	658 FPS
ultra	541 FPS	571 FPS
4K
low	541 FPS	560 FPS
medium	541 FPS	502 FPS
high	506 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	391 FPS

Open Core i9-9900X Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9900X and Ryzen 5 7600X

Core i9-9900X

The Core i9-9900X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 21,655 points. Launch price was $989.

Ryzen 5 7600X

The Ryzen 5 7600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 28,325 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-9900X packs 10 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-9900X has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i9-9900X versus 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7600X — a 16.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600X (base: 3.5 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The Core i9-9900X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9900X scores 21,655 against the Ryzen 5 7600X's 28,325 — a 26.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 7600X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 13,985 vs 15,300 (9% advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,459 vs 2,900, a 66.1% lead for the Ryzen 5 7600X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 9,475 vs 13,800 (37.2% advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600X). L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-9900X vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7600X.

Feature	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores / Threads	10 / 20+67%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	5.3 GHz+18%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	4.7 GHz+34%
L3 Cache	19.25 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+66%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	6 MB+500%
Process	14 nm	5 nm, 6 nm-64%
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	21,655	28,325+31%
Cinebench R23 Multi	13,985	15,300+9%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,459	2,900+99%
Geekbench 6 Multi	9,475	13,800+46%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9900X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i9-9900X versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 5 7600X — the Ryzen 5 7600X supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 4 (Core i9-9900X) vs 2 (Ryzen 5 7600X). PCIe lanes: 44 (Core i9-9900X) vs 28 (Ryzen 5 7600X) — the Core i9-9900X offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X299 (Core i9-9900X) and X670E,X670,B650E,B650,A620 (Ryzen 5 7600X).

Feature	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 5 7600X
Socket	LGA2066	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-5200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	44+57%	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-9900X) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 7600X). The Ryzen 5 7600X includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)), while the Core i9-9900X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 7600X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 7600X rivals Intel Core i5-13600K.

Feature	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 5 7600X
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-9900X launched at $989 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 7600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($989 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 7600X is $690 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-9900X delivers 21.9 pts/$ vs 94.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 7600X — making the Ryzen 5 7600X the 124.9% better value option.