Intel Core i7-9700K
The unlocked 9th-gen Coffee Lake eight-core with integrated graphics, now a used-market chip on the dead LGA1151 platform.
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Why we rate it
- Eight cores, unlocked for overclocking
- Integrated UHD 630 as fallback
- 12MB L3 cache for the era
- Cheap used LGA1151 platform
- No HyperThreading, 8 threads only
- LGA1151 is completely dead
Where the Intel Core i7-9700K wins and loses
Specifications
General info
Cores and threads
Clocks and cache
Integrated graphics
Watch it in action
Intel Core i7-9700K vs Intel Intel Core i9-9900K
| IntelIntel Core i7-9700KThis page | IntelIntel Core i9-9900K | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 75 /100 | 75 /100 |
| Core count | 8 | 8 |
| Thread count | 8 | 16Better |
| Boost clock | — | 5 GHz |
| L3 cache | 12 MB | — |
Is the Intel Core i7-9700K right for you?
If you have a Z390 board and want the best chip available for it, the i7-9700K at a low used price rounds out the platform's capability with overclocking freedom.
Don't pair the 9700K with new hardware. Zen 3 used chips on AM4 at similar prices are faster and more versatile. The LGA1151 platform offers nothing new.
Before you buy
It depends on the workload. The 9700K has 8 cores versus 6, but fewer threads (8 versus 12). For gaming it's similar or slightly better. For multi-threaded work, the 8700K's 12 threads often win.
Yes. The unlocked multiplier on a Z390 or Z370 board allows easy overclocking. 5 GHz all-core was achievable with quality cooling, and some chips pushed to 5.2 GHz.
LGA1151 boards. Z390 or Z370 for overclocking. B365 and H370 limit the multiplier. A BIOS update may be needed on older boards.
Only at a very low used price for an LGA1151 upgrade. Zen 3 chips like the Ryzen 5 5600X at similar or modestly higher prices are better for gaming and multitasking.
Alternatives & similar cpus
