Consumercarts is reader-supported. Learn more
AMD Ryzen 9 9900X vs Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF: Comparison
What is the difference between AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF?
Start with l3 cache, because it is the widest measured gap between them: AMD Ryzen 9 9900X 64 MB against Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF 16 MB, 75% in favour of AMD Ryzen 9 9900X. AMD Ryzen 9 9900X also leads on l2 cache, 12 MB on the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X versus 2 MB on the Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF.
Which should you buy, AMD Ryzen 9 9900X or Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF?
Take the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X for gaming and content-creation desktop builds wanting genuine 12-core Zen 5 throughput without the flagship 9950X's price. Avoid it for buyers needing the absolute highest core count, the 16-core 9950X offers meaningfully more for heavy rendering workloads. Take the Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF for enthusiast gaming desktop builds with a discrete GPU already planned wanting Intel's flagship Rocket Lake performance at a lower price. It is the wrong buy for buyers wanting a fallback integrated GPU, the standard i9-11900K includes UHD 750. Our rating of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X (8.5/10): the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X gives 12 fast Zen 5 cores for rendering and code builds at a lower price than the 16-core flagship.
AMD Ryzen 9 9900X vs Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF price
Cost splits them too. AMD Ryzen 9 9900X sits at $499, Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF at $549, 10% more.
What AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF have in common
The common ground is wider than the gap: efficiency cores, form factor, market segment, smt enabled and memory channels are identical here.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF differ on total cores?
Yes. Total Cores reads 12 on the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X versus 8 on the Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- AMD
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- Intel
Product Line
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Ryzen 9
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- Core i9
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Desktop
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- Desktop
Model Number
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 9900X
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 11900KF
Codename
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Granite Ridge
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- Rocket Lake
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 2024
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 2021
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 120 W
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 125 W
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Desktop
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- Desktop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Zen 5, Ryzen 9000 Series
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- Rocket Lake, 11th Gen Intel Core
Socket
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- AM5
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- FCLGA1200
Socket Status
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Current
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- End of Life
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 4 nm
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 14 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 12Best
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 8
Performance Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 12Best
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 8
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 0
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 0
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 24Best
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 16
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Yes
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 4.4 GHz
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 3.5 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 5.6 GHz
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 5.3 GHz
L2 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 12 MBBest
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 2 MB-83%
L3 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 64 MBBest
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 16 MB-75%
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 120 W
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 125 W
Memory Type
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- DDR5-5600Best
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- DDR4
Max Memory Speed
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 5600 MT/sBest
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 4 MT/s
Memory Channels
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 2
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 2
ECC Support
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Yes
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- No
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Yes
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- No
PCIe Generation
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- PCIe 5.0
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- PCIe 4.0
PCIe Lanes
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 24
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- 20-17%
Launch MSRP
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- $499
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- $549
Retail Availability
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Boxed Retail
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF
- Retail
Which one should you pick?
Choose 9900X 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 11900KF if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Ryzen 9 9900X | Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900KF |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $499.00 View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | |
| Best Buy | View on Best Buy | |
| Consumercarts listing | $549.00 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 9900X
8.5 / 10 Expert Rating
The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X gives 12 fast Zen 5 cores for rendering and code builds at a lower price than the 16-core flagship.