Ryzen 7 2700x vs Intel Core-i7 9700k – Which One Is Better

Here we have compared two 8-core desktop gaming CPUs: the 3.6 GHz Intel Core i7 9700K against the 3.7 GHz AMD Ryzen 7 2700X. 

General

Vendor	AMD	Intel
Released	April 19, 2018	October 8, 2018
Launch price	329 USD	385 USD
Type	Desktop	Desktop
instruction set	x86-64	x86-64
Codename	Zen+	Coffee Lake
Model number	–	i7-9700K
Socket	AM4	LGA-1151
Integrated GPU	No	UHD Graphics 630

Performance

Cores	8	8
Threads	16	8
Base Frequency	3.7 GHz	3.6 GHz
Turbo Boost Frequency	4.3 GHz	4.9 GHz
Bus frequency	100 MHz	100 MHz
Multiplier	37x	36x
Bus Bandwidth	–	8 GT/s
L1 Cache	96K (per core)	64K (per core)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	256K (per core)
L3 Cache	16MB (shared)	12MB (shared)
Unlocked Multiplier	Yes	Yes

Power

Transistors	4.8 billions	–
Fabrication process	12 nm	14 nm
TDP	105 W	95 W
Max. temperature	85°C	100°C

iGPU

Integrated Graphics	–	Intel UHD Graphics 630
GPU Base Clock	–	350 MHz
GPU Boost Clock	–	1000 MHz
Shading Units	–	192
TMUs	–	24
ROPs	–	3
Execution Units	–	24
TGP	–	15 W
Max. Resolution	–	4096×2304 – 60 Hz

Memory support

Memory types	DDR4-2933	DDR4-2666
Memory Size	64 GB	128 GB
Max. Memory Channels	2	2
Max. Memory Bandwidth	43.71 GB/s	41.6 GB/s
ECC Support	Yes	No

Misc

Official site	AMD Ryzen 7 2700X official page	Intel Core i7 9700K official page
PCI Express Version	3.0	3.0
PCI Express Lanes	20	16
Extended instructions	–	SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX-2

Ryzen 7 2700x Features

The Ryzen 7 2700X is an excellent processor that belongs to the 2000 series released by AMD in 2018. It is based on the company’s improved Zen+ architecture that has boosted its overall performance.

The 2700X is built on a 12nm fabrication process that packs 8 cores, with hyper-threading, which means that each core executes two threads at once, making a total of 16 threads. The hyper-threading support and more cores allow it to handle severe workloads without any trouble, enabling it to be a workstation.

The jump from Zen to Zen+ architecture has allowed AMD to offer considerably higher clock speeds. It clocks up to 3.7GHz on the Base frequency and 4.3GHz on Turbo Boost frequency. It also features a DDR4-2933 RAM with 64GB memory size and memory bandwidths up to 43.71GB/s.

The 2700X also offers a 4MB of L2 cache size and a shared 16MBof L3 Cache size that ensures to provide you with an outstanding performance, especially in gaming.

This processor comes with a 105W TDP with a maximum functioning temperature of up to 85C. It also bundles the Wraith Prism stock cooler to keep the temperatures down for exceptional performance and consumes less power.

This is without a doubt a great workstation, a perfect choice for multitaskers. But, if you’re a gaming fan and you’re not so pleased with its gaming performance, you can pair it with a decent graphics card that will squeeze way more superior performance than most of the high-end processors out there in the market. 

Intel Core-i7 9700K Features

The Core-i7 9700K is Intel’s 9^th generation Coffee Lake Core-i7 processor that has been on the bucket list of most of the gamers around the world due to its simply outstanding single-core performance.

Surprisingly, Intel has increased the number of cores on its new processors, but they lack hyper-threading support. The 9700K shockingly does not support hyper-threading; it features 8 cores and 8 threads on a 14nm manufacturing process. But, its superb single-core performance and an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 GPU makes it one of the best gaming processor out there.

It offers up to 3.6GHz on the Base frequency and an impressive 4.9GHz on Turbo Boost frequency. The higher clock speeds and an integrated GPU make sure to provide you with the ultimate gaming experience. It also packs a 2MB of L2 cache size and a shared 12MB of L3 cache size, which is not that much great compared to AMD’s Cache sizes, but still, it does its job decently.

The 9700K also features a DDR4-2666 RAM with 128GB space and memory bandwidths up to 41.6GB/s and no ECC support. This processor also comes with a 95W TDP with maximum operational temperature up to 100C; it does not come with a bundled cooler like the Ryzen processor, so there are more chances of overheating and consuming more power.

It is also very risky and dangerous for overclockers because without a bundled cooler; you have very few chances of clocking more frequencies than its factory settings and more chances of destroying the processor.          

The 2700X or Intel’s i7-9700K?

The Ryzen 2700X and Intel’s Core-i7 9700K are both exceptional processors with reasonable prices. If we compare both the processors, one performs exceptionally well in the Gaming area, while the other excels in multitasking.

Although Intel’s 9700K lacks hyper-threading, its outstanding single-core performance and higher boost frequency make it one of the best gaming processors.

The 9700K is way ahead of the 2700X in almost every game we tested on both the processors. Saying that, it does not mean that the 2700X is poor in gaming performance; it just cannot compete with the level Intel’s 9700K is offering.

You have to keep in mind that AMD’s 2700X is about $50 cheaper than the 9700K, and you can save some bucks by getting the 2700X. You can further spend that saved bucks on aftermarket stuff like decent graphics cards or a better cooler, which will boost your processor’s performance even more. 

On the other hand, the multi-threading support by 2700X makes it a perfect processor for daily productive work. Intel’s 9700K lacks Hyper-threading, but still, it offers a decent performance when a serious workload is thrown towards it.

However, the multi-threading supports by 2700X and higher number of threads gives it a significant boost in productivity work; it made sure to handle severe workloads without any hassle.

Winding-up

If you’re a true gaming enthusiast and want to buy a processor solely for gaming purposes, then you should go for the Intel Core-i7 9700K. Its exceptional single-threaded performance and higher turbo boost frequency ensure to provide you with superior gaming performance.

In comparison, the 2700X features a higher number of cores and threads, making it an excellent gaming processor and making sure to be the perfect processor for content-creators and multitaskers. So, if you’re using your system for other stuff than just gaming, like content creating and running photo/video apps, then you should get your hands on the 2700X.

It offers an excellent multi-threaded performance that handles serious workloads with ease compared to the 9700K, and its gaming performance is also quite excellent, sitting quite close to the 8700K on the performance chart.

In our opinion, the Ryzen 7 2700X is the better processor here because it offers almost the same gaming performance and much better multi-threaded performance. The Ryzen processor is also relatively cheaper than the 9700K; you can also spend the saved bucks on aftermarket stuff for your 2700X, enabling you to squeeze more performance out of your processor.

Related:
Ryzen 7 3800x vs Intel i7 9700k
Ryzen 5 3600x vs Ryzen 7 3700x
Motherboard For Ryzen 7 3700X