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AMD Ryzen 9 7900X vs Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS: Comparison

What is the difference between AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS?

On l3 cache the spread is 75%, AMD Ryzen 9 7900X 64 MB against Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS 16 MB, so AMD Ryzen 9 7900X takes it. Add l2 cache to that, 12 MB on the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X versus 2 MB on the Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS, and the pattern holds. Add pcie lanes to that, 24 on the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X versus 16 on the Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS, and the pattern holds.

Who each one is for

Buy the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X for enthusiast desktops and streaming and gaming, though it is not the pick for budget builds and small form factor low-power systems. Take the Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS for enthusiasts wanting Intel's genuine all-core 5.0 GHz binning achievement for sustained multi-threaded performance. It is not the one for budget-conscious buyers, the standard i9-9900K delivers very close real-world performance for typically less. Our rating of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (8.6/10): the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is a strong all-rounder for enthusiasts who want top clock speeds for both gaming and productivity.

Which is cheaper, AMD Ryzen 9 7900X or Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS?

At the last price check the Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS was $513 and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X $549, a 7% premium.

Where the two are identical

Where they agree, they agree completely, efficiency cores, integrated graphics, form factor, market segment and smt enabled included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 2 further specifications as well.

Frequently asked questions

Do the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS differ on total cores?

Yes. Total Cores reads 12 on the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X versus 8 on the Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS.

Is the Memory Channels the same on the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS?

It is. Both are listed at 2, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Form Factor

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    Desktop
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    Desktop
  • Codename

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    Raphael
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    Coffee Lake Refresh
  • Release Year

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    2022
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    2019
  • TDP

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    170 W
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    127 W
  • iGPU

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    AMD Radeon Graphics
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    Intel UHD Graphics 630
  • Market Segment

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    Desktop
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    Desktop
  • Microarchitecture

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    Zen 4 (7000 series)
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    Coffee Lake Refresh, 9th Gen Intel Core
  • Socket

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    AM5
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    FCLGA1151
  • Socket Status

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    Current
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    End of Life
  • Process Node

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    5 nm
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    14 nm
  • Total Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    12Best
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    8
  • Performance Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    12Best
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    8
  • Efficiency Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    0
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    0
  • Total Threads

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    24Best
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    16
  • SMT Enabled

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    Yes
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    Yes
  • P-Core Base Clock

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    4.7 GHz
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    4 GHz
  • P-Core Boost Clock

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    5.6 GHz
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    5 GHz
  • L2 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    12 MBBest
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    2 MB-83%
  • L3 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    64 MBBest
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    16 MB-75%
  • Base Power

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    170 W
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    127 W
  • Max Turbo Power

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    230 W
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    127 W
  • Memory Type

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    DDR5Best
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    DDR4-2666
  • Max Memory Speed

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    5200 MT/sBest
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    2666 MT/s
  • Memory Channels

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    2
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    2
  • ECC Support

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    Yes
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    No
  • Integrated Graphics

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    Yes
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    Yes
  • iGPU Model

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    AMD Radeon Graphics
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    Intel UHD Graphics 630
  • Copilot Plus Certified

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    No
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    No
  • PCIe Generation

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    PCIe 5.0
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    3.0
  • PCIe Lanes

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    24
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    16-33%
  • Launch MSRP

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    $549
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    $513
  • Retail Availability

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
    Boxed Retail
    Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    Retail

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose 7900X if you want the higher L2 cache (12 MB vs 2 MB), the higher L3 cache (64 MB vs 16 MB) and the higher memory channels (2 vs 2).

    Choose 9900KS if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.

    Price comparison

    RetailerAMD Ryzen 9 7900XIntel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
    Amazon

    $549.00

    View on Amazon
    NeweggView on Newegg
    Best BuyView on Best Buy
    Consumercarts listing

    $513.00

    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.

    Verdict

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

    8.6 / 10 Expert Rating

    The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is a strong all-rounder for enthusiasts who want top clock speeds for both gaming and productivity.

    More comparisons in Processors (CPUs)