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Intel Core I9 11900K (11th Gen) processor
Intel

11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K

View on intel.com
iGPU:
Intel UHD Graphics 750
Boost/Base Clock:
5.3 GHz / 3.5 GHz
Core/Thread Count:
8 Core / 16 Thread
Cache:
16MB L3 + 2MB L2 + 512KB L1
TDP:
125 W
CPU Process Node:
14 Nanometers
CPU Socket:
FCLGA1200
CPU Series:
Rocket Lake, 11th Gen Intel Core
Memory Support:
DDR4-3200
Form Factor:
Desktop

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Manufacturer: Intel Last updated: 2026-10-10

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11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K Review

The 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K is Intel's Rocket Lake desktop flagship, an 8-core, 16-thread processor running a 3.5 GHz base clock that boosts to 5.3 GHz within a 125 Watt TDP on the LGA 1200 socket.

Rocket Lake was a genuine architectural backport, bringing Willow Cove-derived cores to Intel's 14nm desktop process, trading some core count against the outgoing 10-core Comet Lake flagship for real per-core IPC gains.

Intel UHD Graphics Xe 750 (32 EU)

A modest integrated GPU appropriate as a fallback; this desktop flagship is built around discrete GPU pairing for both gaming and productivity.

How Is the Core i9 11900K in Terms of Performance

The Willow Cove-derived cores deliver genuinely strong single-threaded and gaming performance, though the reduced 8-core count versus the outgoing 10-core i9-10900K means multi-threaded workloads don't scale as far in absolute terms, a real trade-off buyers should know about.

Benchmarks

The benchmarks below are published results for specific applications. They are measured separately and do not feed the two scores above.

Puget Bench for Photoshop v1.0 - points (More is Better)

  • Apple M5 Max
    15043.83 points
  • Apple M5 Pro
    14885.21 points
  • Apple M5
    12095.89 points
  • AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
    12088.31 points
  • Intel Core i9-14900KF
    10029.96 points
  • 11th Gen Intel Core i7 11700K
    7098.88 points
  • 10th Gen Intel Core i9-10900KF
    6892.97 points
  • 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K (this product)
    6584.84 points

Puget Systems runs a fixed set of real Photoshop jobs: opening and saving large files, resizing, content-aware fill, blurs and filters. A higher score means less waiting on the tasks a retoucher repeats all day.

Photoshop is decided mostly by how fast a few cores are, not how many there are, so a chip with fewer but faster cores often beats one with more cores. Treat a gap under about 5 percent as something you would never notice while working.

Benchmarks

Cinebench R23 multi-core scores of 15,166 and single-core scores of 1,638 reflect genuinely strong per-core performance. Geekbench 5 single-core scores of 1,861 lead most 10th Gen competitors, directly reflecting the architectural IPC gains Rocket Lake brought to Intel's desktop lineup.

Our verdict

Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.

Best for

  • Gaming-focused desktop builds prioritizing single-thread and per-core performance

Not 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

Specifications

What these specs mean

Identity

BrandIntel
Product LineCore i9
Model Number11900K
CodenameRocket Lake
Release Year2021

Segment and platform

Market SegmentDesktop
MicroarchitectureRocket Lake, 11th Gen Intel Core
SocketFCLGA1200
Socket StatusEnd of Life
Process Node14 nm

Core configuration

Total Cores8
Performance Cores8
Efficiency Cores0
Total Threads16
SMT EnabledYes

Clock speeds

P-Core Base Clock3.5 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock5.3 GHz

Cache

L2 Cache2 MB
L3 Cache16 MB

Power and thermal

Base Power125 W

Memory

Memory TypeDDR4
Max Memory Speed4 MT/s
Memory Channels2
ECC SupportNo

Graphics and AI

Integrated GraphicsYes
iGPU ModelIntel UHD Graphics 750
iGPU Compute Units32

Expansion

PCIe GenerationPCIe 4.0
PCIe Lanes20

Commercial

Launch MSRP539 USD
Retail AvailabilityRetail
Form FactorDesktop
TDP125 W
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 750

FAQs

What are the key specifications of the 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K?

The 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K has 8 cores and 16 threads, a 3.5 GHz base and 5.3 GHz boost clock, 16 MB of L3 cache and a 125 W TDP. Integrated graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 750. Socket: FCLGA1200.

Will the 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K work with my current setup?

The 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K lists CPU Socket is LGA 1200. Check that against the hardware you already own before buying, since this is the field that most often decides whether a part fits.

Who is the 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K best suited to?

Best suited to: Gaming-focused desktop builds prioritizing single-thread and per-core performance.

What are the drawbacks of the 11th Gen Intel Core i9 11900K?

Not the best fit 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.

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