Intel Core i7-6900K vs Intel Core i9-9900K

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-6900K or Intel Core i7-6900K – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i7-6900K features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 16 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2016 and belongs to the 6 generation of the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition series.
To use the Intel Core i7-6900K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 2011-3 socket.
The Intel Core i9-9900K features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 16 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2018 and belongs to the 9 generation of the Intel Core i9 series.
To use the Intel Core i9-9900K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1151-2 socket.
Intel Core i 6000 Group Intel Core i 9000
6 Generation 9
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-6900K Name Intel Core i9-9900K
Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition Family Intel Core i9
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-6900K has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 16 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-6900K is 3.2 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.7 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
The Intel Core i9-9900K has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 16 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i9-9900K is 3.6 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 5.0 GHz.
16 Threads 16
8x Cores 8x
8 CPU Cores 8
normal Core architecture normal
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
Yes Overclocking Yes
3.7 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 5.0 GHz
3.2 GHz Frequency 3.6 GHz
None None 4.7 GHz
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-6900K does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i9-9900K has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i9-9900K uses the Intel UHD Graphics 630, which has 192 texture shaders
and 24 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
-- Shaders 192
-- Release date Q4/2017
-- Technology 14 nm
-- Direct X 12
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 64.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
-- Execution units 24
-- GPU frequency 0.35 GHz
-- Generation 9.5
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.2 GHz
GPU name Intel UHD Graphics 630
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- VP8 Decode / Encode
-- VC-1 Decode
-- JPEG Decode / Encode
-- AV1 No
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
-- AVC Decode / Encode
-- h264 Decode / Encode
-- VP9 Decode / Encode
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 39.5 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
DDR4-2400 Memory type DDR4-2666
No ECC No
128.0 GB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
4 Memory channels 2
76.8 GB/s Bandwidth 39.5 GB/s
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 140 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 95 W watts.
140 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 95 W
-- Tjunction max 100 °C
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-6900K is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 20.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i9-9900K is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 16.0 MB cache.
Q2/2016 Release date Q4/2018
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2
14 nm Technology 14 nm
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
-- Release price 650 $
Skylake S Architecture Coffee Lake S Refresh
20.0 MB L3-Cache 16.0 MB
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
-- Part Number --
LGA 2011-3 Socket LGA 1151-2
0 bytes L2-Cache 0 bytes
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Intel Core i9-9900K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
18702
18702
Intel Core i7-6900K
8C 16T @ 3.2 GHz
14474
14474

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-9900K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
12812
12812
Intel Core i7-6900K
8C 16T @ 3.2 GHz
11326
11326

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-9900K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
8779
8779
Intel Core i7-6900K
8C 16T @ 3.2 GHz
7651
7651

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-9900K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
8182
8182
Intel Core i7-6900K
8C 16T @ 3.2 GHz
7471
7471

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-9900K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
5502
5502
Intel Core i7-6900K
8C 16T @ 3.2 GHz
4402
4402

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-9900K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
1650
1650
Intel Core i7-6900K
8C 16T @ 3.2 GHz
1254
1254

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-9900K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
1342
1342
Intel Core i7-6900K
8C 16T @ 3.2 GHz
1086
1086

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-9900K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
1294
1294
Intel Core i7-6900K
8C 16T @ 3.2 GHz
1151
1151