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

✅Better for gaming: +10.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20.3% larger total L3 cache (19 MB vs 16 MB).
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $989 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 7736U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1000% higher power demand at 165W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 7736U moves to FP7 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 7736U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 7 7736U

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 165W, a 150W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP7 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 680M, while Core i9-9900X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,768 vs 13,985).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 19 MB).

Core i9-9900X

2018

Ryzen 7 7736U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20.3% larger total L3 cache (19 MB vs 16 MB).
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 165W, a 150W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP7 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 680M, while Core i9-9900X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $989 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 7736U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1000% higher power demand at 165W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 7736U moves to FP7 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 7736U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,768 vs 13,985).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 19 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-9900X better than Ryzen 7 7736U?

Yes. Core i9-9900X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 10.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 9.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-9900X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 10.1% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-9900X is the better fit. You are getting 9.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 20.3% larger total L3 cache (19 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Core i9-9900X is the smarter buy today. Core i9-9900X is at an unclear MSRP at $989 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 10.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (21.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 7 7736U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2018) and a healthier platform with FP7 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066. 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 7 7736U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 7 7736U
1080p
low	178 FPS	166 FPS
medium	143 FPS	147 FPS
high	116 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	148 FPS	142 FPS
medium	117 FPS	121 FPS
high	95 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	79 FPS
medium	69 FPS	72 FPS
high	55 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i9-9900X Open Ryzen 7 7736U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 7 7736U
1080p
low	516 FPS	428 FPS
medium	431 FPS	362 FPS
high	360 FPS	316 FPS
ultra	323 FPS	281 FPS
1440p
low	447 FPS	368 FPS
medium	384 FPS	321 FPS
high	323 FPS	286 FPS
ultra	279 FPS	245 FPS
4K
low	278 FPS	253 FPS
medium	239 FPS	227 FPS
high	220 FPS	214 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	185 FPS

Open Core i9-9900X Open Ryzen 7 7736U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 7 7736U
1080p
low	541 FPS	542 FPS
medium	541 FPS	542 FPS
high	541 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	527 FPS	388 FPS
1440p
low	541 FPS	542 FPS
medium	518 FPS	510 FPS
high	469 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	355 FPS
4K
low	458 FPS	432 FPS
medium	363 FPS	368 FPS
high	328 FPS	323 FPS
ultra	262 FPS	262 FPS

Open Core i9-9900X Open Ryzen 7 7736U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 7 7736U
1080p
low	541 FPS	542 FPS
medium	541 FPS	542 FPS
high	541 FPS	542 FPS
ultra	541 FPS	542 FPS
1440p
low	541 FPS	542 FPS
medium	541 FPS	542 FPS
high	541 FPS	542 FPS
ultra	541 FPS	504 FPS
4K
low	541 FPS	529 FPS
medium	541 FPS	483 FPS
high	506 FPS	431 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	372 FPS

Open Core i9-9900X Open Ryzen 7 7736U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9900X and Ryzen 7 7736U

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 7 7736U

The Ryzen 7 7736U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Rembrandt-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 21,696 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-9900X packs 10 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 7 7736U offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-9900X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i9-9900X versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7736U — a 4.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7736U (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i9-9900X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 7736U uses Rembrandt-R (2023−2025) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9900X scores 21,655 against the Ryzen 7 7736U's 21,696 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen 7 7736U. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 13,985 vs 12,768 (9.1% advantage for the Core i9-9900X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,459 vs 1,869, a 24.6% lead for the Ryzen 7 7736U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 9,475 vs 8,020 (16.6% advantage for the Core i9-9900X). L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-9900X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 7736U.

Feature	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 7 7736U
Cores / Threads	10 / 20+25%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	4.7 GHz+4%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+30%	2.7 GHz
L3 Cache	19.25 MB (total)+20%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	6 nm-57%
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Rembrandt-R (2023−2025)
PassMark	21,655	21,696
Cinebench R23 Multi	13,985+10%	12,768
Geekbench 6 Single	1,459	1,869+28%
Geekbench 6 Multi	9,475+18%	8,020

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9900X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 7736U uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i9-9900X versus LPDDR5-6400 on the Ryzen 7 7736U — the Ryzen 7 7736U supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i9-9900X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Core i9-9900X) vs 2 (Ryzen 7 7736U). PCIe lanes: 44 (Core i9-9900X) vs 20 (Ryzen 7 7736U) — the Core i9-9900X offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X299 (Core i9-9900X) and SoC (Ryzen 7 7736U).

Feature	Core i9-9900X	Ryzen 7 7736U
Socket	LGA2066	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	LPDDR5-6400+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	44+120%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i9-9900X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i9-9900X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-9900X) vs AMD-V (SVM) (Ryzen 7 7736U). The Ryzen 7 7736U includes integrated graphics (Radeon 680M), while the Core i9-9900X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 7736U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 7736U rivals Core i7-1255U.