In a Nutshell
Both Ryzen 7 3700X and Core i7-9700K are great high-end CPUs. Featuring 16 threads and support for DDR4-3200 memory, the Ryzen 7 3700X is a much better CPU for performing productivity tasks such as video editing and 3D rendering. On the other hand, the i7-9700K is a considerably better CPU for gaming, as its amazing single-threaded performance ensures much better frame rates in various PC titles.
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
- Superb performance in multi-threaded applications
- Features 16 threads and support for PCIe 4.0 bus
- Supports DDR4-3200 memory
- Low power consumption
- Performance in gaming could be better
Intel Core i7-9700K
- Great for gaming
- Amazing single-threaded performance
- Features high boost core clocks
- High TDP
- Supports only DDR4-2666 memory
- No hyperthreading features
The Ryzen 7 3700X and the Core i7-9700K are both very powerful desktop processors. Even though they are now almost two years old, they still offer incredible performance, and can be acquired for a very reasonable price. In this roundup we’ll explore the performance of both CPUs, and determine which one is better for gaming, and which one for productivity.
CPU Specifications
| AMD Ryzen 7 3700X | Intel Core i7-9700K | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | AMD | Intel |
| Released | Q2 2019 | Q4 2018 |
| Codename | Zen 2 | Coffee Lake |
| Socket | AM4 | LGA-1151 |
| Integrated GPU | No | Intel UHD Graphics 630 |
| Cores | 8 | 8 |
| Threads | 16 | 8 |
| Base Clock | 3.60 GHz | 3.60 GHz |
| Boost Clock | 4.40 GHz | 4.90 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 32 MB | 12 MB |
| Fab Process | 7 nm | 14 nm |
| Memory Support | DDR4-3200 | DDR4-2666 |
| TDP | 65 W | 95 W |
| Synthetic Benchmarks | ||
| Passmark Result | 22.702 | 14.667 |
| Passmark Result (Single) | 2.681 | 2.924 |
| Cinebench R20 (Single) | 501 | 481 |
| Cinebench R20 (Multi) | 4.834 | 3.656 |
| Geekbench 5 (Single) | 1.252 | 1.306 |
| Geekbench 5 (Multi) | 8.634 | 7.388 |
| Blender (BMW27 Test) | 170,7 sec | 224,8 sec |
Before taking a look at our gaming benchmarks results, let’s first talk about design and specifications of these two CPUs. Let’s start with the Ryzen 7 3700X. Despite sporting 400 MHz slower boost clock than the Core i7-9700K, the Ryzen 7 3700X features 8 more threads compared to its Intel counterpart. The Ryzen 7 3700X is built upon AMD’s latest Zen 2 architecture, and features support for DDR4-3200 memory, as well as PCIe 4.0 bus interface. This CPU also comes with whooping 32 MB of L3 cache, and is able to achieve outstanding benchmark results in multi-threaded operations such as 3D rendering, or hardware encoding.
Compare to the Ryzen 7 3700X, the Core i7-9700K supports only DDR4-2666 memory and PCIe 3.0 bus interface. This CPU also has significantly higher TDP, and is built on ageing 14 nm manufacturing process. Unlike the AMD’s CPU, the Core i7-9700K features integrated graphics solution, which is great in situations where you have to replace your graphics card, but don’t want to lose the ability to use your computer. In multi-threaded operations, the i7-9700K is clearly slower than Ryzen 7 3700X, but it still does a pretty good job in these kinds of tasks. However, the i7-9700K really shines in single-threaded performance, where it achieves much better results than the Ryzen 7 3700X.
When it comes to productivity performance, the 3700X is a clear winner. Featuring more threads, as well as support for much faster memory, the Ryzen 7 3700X is a great CPU for performing tasks such as video editing or 3D modelling. Now it’s time to inspect the performance of these two CPUs in gaming. Based upon multiple different sources and dozens of data entries, we have conducted a meta-analysis of various benchmarks of these two CPUs available online. All benchmark data was based on PC systems featuring NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti GPU, as well as 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and Windows 10 operating system running on an SSD drive. Results are shown below.
Performance at Full HD (1920×1080) Resolution
At 1080P resolution, both Ryzen 7 3700X and Core i7-9700K provide spectacular performance, if paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti graphics card. In most games, the i7-9700K seems to be performing better than Ryzen 7 3700X. In titles such as Battlefield V, Far Cry New Dawn and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the i7-9700K delivers up to 12% more FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X, despite the fact that this CPU can only run with slower DDR4-2666 memory. In titles like The Division 2 and World War Z, the difference is even greater. Only game in which Ryzen 7 3700X surpassed the i7-9700K by a large margin was Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. The Ryzen 7 3700X also performed marginally better in Red Dead Redemption 2, however, keep in mind that performance in this game was tested on medium settings, and not on ultra settings.
Performance at Quad HD (2560×1440) Resolution
At 1440P, we see similar results to the ones acquired for 1080P resolution. Here, the performance difference between two CPUs seems to be less pronounced, however, in cases of Grand Theft Auto V, and Shadow of The Tomb Raider, the i7-9700K performs far better than the Ryzen 7 3700X. Paired with a powerful graphics card both CPUs can clearly deliver great performance, however for achieving smooth 144 Hz gaming at this resolution, you’ll have to considerably tone down the graphics settings.
Conclusion
Both Ryzen 7 3700X and Core i7-9700K are great CPUs. However, choosing between one of them greatly depends on the tasks you’ll put on them. If you are looking for a great CPU that will blazingly fast encode videos and render 3D models, than the Ryzen 7 3700X is the obvious choice. Having 16 threads, support for DDR4-3200 memory and PCIe 4.0 interface, as well loads of L3 cache, the Ryzen 7 3700X is an absolute productivity beast. If, however, you are looking for a great gaming CPU with amazing single-threaded performance, than the i7-9700K is the way to go. Keep in mind, however, that the i7-9700K consumes a lot more power than the Ryzen 7 3700X, so your electricity bills could be higher if you choose to with this CPU.
We hope our buying guide helped you in search of the information you were looking for. If you still feel confused, and need advice about buying, feel free to post comment below. We will try to help you.
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