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AMD Ryzen 9 9900X vs Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS: Comparison
AMD Ryzen 9 9900X vs Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS l3 cache compared
The gap that matters here is l3 cache: AMD Ryzen 9 9900X 64 MB against Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS 16 MB, which puts AMD Ryzen 9 9900X 75% ahead. Add l2 cache to that, 12 MB on the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X 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 9900X versus 16 on the Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS, and the pattern holds.
AMD Ryzen 9 9900X vs Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS: which one fits your build
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 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 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.
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 9900X and Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS differ on total cores?
Yes. Total Cores reads 12 on the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X versus 8 on the Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS.
Is the Memory Channels the same on the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X 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
Brand
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- AMD
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- Intel
Product Line
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Ryzen 9
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- Core i9
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Desktop
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- Desktop
Model Number
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 9900X
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 9900KS
Codename
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Granite Ridge
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- Coffee Lake Refresh
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 2024
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 2019
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 120 W
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 127 W
iGPU
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- Intel UHD Graphics 630
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Desktop
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- Desktop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Zen 5, Ryzen 9000 Series
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- Coffee Lake Refresh, 9th Gen Intel Core
Socket
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- AM5
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- FCLGA1151
Socket Status
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Current
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- End of Life
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 4 nm
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 14 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 12Best
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 8
Performance Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 12Best
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 8
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 0
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 0
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 24Best
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 16
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Yes
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 4.4 GHz
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 4 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 5.6 GHz
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 5 GHz
L2 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 12 MBBest
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 2 MB-83%
L3 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 64 MBBest
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 16 MB-75%
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 120 W
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 127 W
Max Turbo Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 162 W
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 127 W
Memory Type
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- DDR5-5600Best
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- DDR4-2666
Max Memory Speed
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 5600 MT/sBest
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 2666 MT/s
Memory Channels
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 2
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 2
ECC Support
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Yes
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- No
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Yes
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- Yes
iGPU Model
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- Intel UHD Graphics 630
Copilot Plus Certified
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- No
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- No
PCIe Generation
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- PCIe 5.0
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 3.0
PCIe Lanes
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- 24
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 16-33%
Launch MSRP
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- $499
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- $513
Retail Availability
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Boxed Retail
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS
- 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 9900KS if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Ryzen 9 9900X | Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900KS |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $499.00 View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | |
| Best Buy | View 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 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.