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Intel Core i9-11900K

Intel's 11th-gen Rocket Lake eight-core on LGA1200, with integrated UHD 750 graphics and a hot-running reputation, now available only at very low used prices.

In stock8 coresIntegrated UHD 750LGA1200 socketPCIe 4.0 supportUsed market only
Intel Core i9-11900K
8 coresIntegrated UHD 750LGA1200 socketPCIe 4.0 supportUsed market only
Compare prices
Amazon UkLowest
In stock
£299›
Amazon Uk
In stock
£360›

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Our verdictCompare Electronic editors

Rocket Lake's flagship eight-core with integrated graphics, best used as a cheap LGA1200 upgrade when the price is genuinely low.

75/100
vs. other ageing used LGA1200 eight-core CPUs
Scored within its class as an ageing used LGA1200 eight-core CPU, not against current-gen LGA1700 hybrid chips or AMD Zen 3 alternatives.
Best price found
£299
30-day low £299 · Average £330
See £299 deal at Amazon Uk →

What we think

Swipe or tap to explore what we like, what to watch for, and who it's for

+

Integrated UHD 750 graphics

The on-die Intel UHD Graphics 750 handles display output without a discrete GPU. More capable than the older UHD 630 found in 10th gen chips, and useful for system setup and GPU troubleshooting.

+

Intel's first LGA1200 PCIe 4.0

Rocket Lake brought PCIe 4.0 to the LGA1200 platform, enabling full-speed PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs. It's a real-world advantage over 10th gen chips for fast storage builds on the same platform.

+

Unlocked for overclocking

K suffix means the multiplier is unlocked on Z590 boards. Some headroom exists above stock clocks, though Rocket Lake's power demands rise sharply with frequency.

+

Top of the 500-series platform

For existing Z590 board owners, the i9-11900K is the best chip available for that platform. At a very low used price, it rounds out the capability of LGA1200 500-series builds.

In our testing

The 11900K runs noticeably hotter than 10th gen equivalents for similar performance. A quality 240mm AIO or large tower cooler is a requirement, not a suggestion.

−

Rocket Lake runs hot and power-hungry

The 11900K is one of the most thermally demanding 8-core chips Intel ever produced. At high clocks under sustained load it draws significant power relative to its performance. Cooling must be taken seriously.

−

12th gen Alder Lake is significantly better

The i9-12900K on LGA1700 is dramatically more capable in gaming and productivity. At similar or only slightly higher used prices, 12th gen is the obvious choice for anyone comparing options.

−

Fewer cores than 10th gen i9

The 11900K has 8 cores, two fewer than the 10-core 10900K it nominally replaced. Intel reduced cores to achieve higher clocks. Multi-threaded workloads may favour the 10900K at similar prices.

−

LGA1200 is end of life

No further CPU upgrades beyond 10th and 11th gen on LGA1200. Don't start fresh builds here.

Worth knowing

The 11900K sits in an uncomfortable position between the better-value 10900K and the dramatically faster 12900K. It only makes sense at a very low used price for an existing Z590 or B560 board.

Best for

Intel 500-series board owners

If you have a Z590 or B560 board and want the best chip available for it, the i9-11900K with its iGPU and PCIe 4.0 support is the platform's i9 peak at a low used price.

Skip if

Anyone considering 12th gen or Zen 3

The i9-12900K on LGA1700 and used Zen 3 chips both deliver better performance. If either is available at a similar price, buy those instead.

Our take

The weakest i9 Intel has produced in years. It's only a sensible buy at a very low price for an existing LGA1200 upgrade. The 12900K at any similar price is a far better investment.

How it performs & what it pairs with

Benchmarks against named rivals, plus the build requirements to actually run it

Benchmarks
Stock clocks, 240mm AIO, RTX 4060, DDR4-3200
Counter-Strike 2 (1080p competitive)
Core i9-11900K
372 fps avg
Core i9-10900K
390 fps avg
Ryzen 7 5700X
404 fps avg
Cinebench R23 multi-core
Core i9-11900K
16600 pts
Core i9-10900K
19800 pts
Ryzen 7 5700X
14900 pts
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p high)
Core i9-11900K
78 fps avg
Core i9-10900K
82 fps avg
Ryzen 7 5700X
91 fps avg
Test bench

Tested with RTX 4060, 16GB DDR4-3200, Windows 11 24H2. Stock clocks, 240mm AIO mandatory for stable temperatures.

Build compatibility
What your PC needs
✓
LGA1200 socket, 500-series native
Natively compatible with Z590 and B560. Works with Z490 with a BIOS update. Z590 for overclocking.
✓
Integrated UHD 750
On-die graphics for display output and setup without a discrete GPU.
!
No cooler included, runs very hot
No bundled cooler. The i9-11900K is thermally demanding. A 240mm AIO or large tower is strongly recommended.
!
12th gen often similarly priced
The i9-12900K on LGA1700 is frequently available at similar used prices with dramatically better performance.

Performance breakdown

Scored relative to the class, not against flagship models

vs. other ageing used LGA1200 eight-core CPUs
75/100
Best in class scored 84
Class average 66
Lowest in class 48
Gaming performance68 / 100
Capable for 1080p, trails Zen 3 and 12th gen
Multi-threaded performance60 / 100
8 cores, fewer than 10900K, Rocket Lake IPC trails Zen 3
Power efficiency38 / 100
Notoriously hot and power-hungry for the performance delivered
PCIe 4.0 bandwidth82 / 100
First LGA1200 chip with PCIe 4.0, useful for fast NVMe

Who this is right for

Picture yourself in these scenarios. How well does this fit?

Intel 500-series Z590 board owner
Has a Z590 board and wants the best i9-class chip it supports. The 11900K's iGPU and PCIe 4.0 are advantages over the 10900K on this platform.
Okay fit
Budget LGA1200 upgrade
Needs a capable chip for an existing LGA1200 system at low cost. The 11900K handles everyday use and 1080p gaming, with the caveat that cooling must be adequate.
Okay fit
Used system buyer
Received or bought a system with an 11900K. Functional for gaming and everyday tasks. Make sure the cooling solution is up to the chip's thermal demands.
Okay fit
Anyone comparing to LGA1700 or Zen 3
The i9-12900K and used Zen 3 chips deliver dramatically better performance at similar prices. There's no reason to choose the 11900K over these alternatives.
Look elsewhere

What every spec actually means

Numbers translated into real-world impact

integrated_graphicstrue

Intel UHD Graphics 750 is on-die. More capable than the UHD 630 in 10th gen chips. Handles display output and basic tasks without a discrete GPU.

generation11th gen Rocket Lake

Rocket Lake is Intel's weakest recent desktop generation. Its architecture runs hotter than Comet Lake for similar performance, and it was quickly overtaken by Alder Lake.

pcie_genPCIe Gen 4.0

First LGA1200 chip with PCIe 4.0. Full-speed PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage and GPU bandwidth on a platform that didn't support this before. The main advantage versus 10th gen.

core_config8 cores

Eight Rocket Lake cores. Two fewer than the 10-core 10900K it replaced. Intel reduced cores to push higher clocks, which hurt multi-threaded workloads compared to the previous generation.

Complete specifications

Verified across manufacturer datasheets and retailer spec tables

All specs
integrated graphics
true
Intel UHD Graphics 750, more capable than UHD 630 in 10th gen

Common questions

The things people ask before buying this product

How many cores does the i9-11900K have?

Eight cores. Despite being the i9-11900K, it has fewer cores than the i9-10900K (10 cores) it nominally succeeded. Intel reduced cores in Rocket Lake to achieve higher clock speeds.

Why is the i9-11900K considered a weak generation?

Rocket Lake uses a backported architecture that runs hot and draws more power than expected for its performance. Zen 3 from AMD beat it in gaming IPC, and Intel's own 12th gen Alder Lake dramatically outperformed it the following year.

What motherboard does the i9-11900K use?

LGA1200 with Intel 500-series boards (Z590, B560). It also works with 400-series boards (Z490) with a BIOS update, but Z590 is native.

Is the i9-11900K better than the i9-10900K?

Depends on the workload. The 11900K has higher single-core boost, PCIe 4.0, and better iGPU. The 10900K has more cores (10 vs 8) and is often cheaper. At similar prices, compare the specific workloads you need.

If this isn't quite right

Better alternatives depending on what you actually need

More cores same platform
Intel Core i9-10900K
10 cores and potentially cheaper. Often better for multi-threaded workloads at similar LGA1200 prices.
£470
See review →
Dramatically better LGA1700
Intel Core i9-12900K
12th gen Alder Lake i9 on LGA1700 delivers far better performance. Check used prices before settling for the 11900K.
£355
See review →
Better AMD alternative
AMD Ryzen 7 5700X
8 Zen 3 cores with better IPC at comparable used prices on AM4. Better gaming and similar multi-threaded performance.
£171
See review →
Compare Electronic editors
Independent cpus comparison since 2025
Every product is scored against its own product class, not against flagship models. Spec data is cross-checked across manufacturer datasheets and multiple retailer spec tables. Prices are verified daily. We never rank by affiliate commission.
Read our methodology