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AMD Ryzen 9 5900X vs Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K: Comparison

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X vs Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K l3 cache compared

L3 cache is where these two genuinely part company, AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 64 MB against Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K 16 MB, a 75% lead for AMD Ryzen 9 5900X. Add l2 cache to that, 6 MB on the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X versus 2 MB on the Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K, and the pattern holds. There is a split on tdp as well, 105 W on the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X versus 125 W on the Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K. There is a split on integrated graphics as well, No on the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X versus Yes on the Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K.

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X vs Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K: which one fits your build

Take the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X for buyers wanting a genuinely balanced high-end desktop chip strong at both gaming and heavy productivity work. Avoid it for buyers who need integrated graphics, this chip requires a discrete GPU. Buy the Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K for gaming-focused desktop builds prioritizing single-thread and per-core performance. It is the wrong buy for buyers specifically needing maximum core count for heavy multi-threaded work, the outgoing 10-core i9-10900K or AMD's competing Ryzen 9 chips offer more raw cores.

What AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K have in common

The common ground is wider than the gap: efficiency cores, socket status, form factor, market segment and smt enabled are identical here. They match on 3 further specifications as well.

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X vs Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K price

Price will not decide this: $539 against $549 at the last check.

Frequently asked questions

Do the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K differ on total cores?

Yes. Total Cores reads 12 on the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X versus 8 on the Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K.

Is the Memory Type the same on the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K?

It is. Both are listed at DDR4, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Brand

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    AMD
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    Intel
  • Product Line

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    Ryzen 9
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    Core i9
  • Form Factor

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    Desktop
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    Desktop
  • Model Number

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    5900X
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    11900K
  • Codename

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    Vermeer
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    Rocket Lake
  • Release Year

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    2020
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    2021
  • TDP

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    105 W
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    125 W
  • iGPU

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    None
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    Intel UHD Graphics 750
  • Market Segment

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    Desktop
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    Desktop
  • Microarchitecture

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    Zen 3, Ryzen 5000 Series
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    Rocket Lake, 11th Gen Intel Core
  • Socket

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    AM4
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    FCLGA1200
  • Socket Status

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    End of Life
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    End of Life
  • Process Node

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    7 nm
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    14 nm
  • Total Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    12Best
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    8
  • Performance Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    12Best
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    8
  • Efficiency Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    0
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    0
  • Total Threads

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    24Best
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    16
  • SMT Enabled

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    Yes
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    Yes
  • P-Core Base Clock

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    3.7 GHz
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    3.5 GHz
  • P-Core Boost Clock

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    4.8 GHz
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    5.3 GHz
  • L2 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    6 MBBest
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    2 MB-67%
  • L3 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    64 MBBest
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    16 MB-75%
  • Base Power

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    105 W
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    125 W
  • Memory Type

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    DDR4
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    DDR4
  • Max Memory Speed

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    3200 MT/sBest
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    4 MT/s
  • Memory Channels

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    2
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    2
  • ECC Support

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    Yes
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    No
  • Integrated Graphics

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    No
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    Yes
  • PCIe Generation

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    PCIe 4.0
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    PCIe 4.0
  • PCIe Lanes

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    24
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    20-17%
  • Launch MSRP

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    $549
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    $539
  • Retail Availability

    AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
    Boxed Retail
    Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    Retail

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose 5900X if you want the higher L2 cache (6 MB vs 2 MB), the higher L3 cache (64 MB vs 16 MB) and the higher memory channels (2 vs 2).

    Choose 11900K if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.

    Price comparison

    RetailerAMD Ryzen 9 5900XIntel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K
    Amazon

    $549.00

    View on Amazon
    Consumercarts listing

    $539.00

    View on Consumercarts listing

    Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.