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What is the difference between the i9 9900k and i9 9900kf?

Author

Emma Newman

Published Mar 05, 2026

What is the difference between the i9 9900k and i9 9900kf?

The eight-core 16-thread i9-9900KF is one of the newest mainstream processors from Team Intel. According to the vendor, the only difference between the “K” and “KF” model is that the latter does not have a functioning internal graphics processing unit (iGPU).

Also asked, what's the difference between i9 9900k and i9 9900ks?

The only other key difference between the Core i9-9900K and the Core i9-9900KS is (understandably) the thermal design power (TDP) rating of the chip, up to 127 watts in the Core i9-9900KS, from 95 watts in the Core i9-9900K.

Furthermore, what CPU is better than i9 9900k? Clock speeds on the i9-9900K start off a bit lower with a base speed of 3.6 GHz (vs. 3.8 GHz), but Intel's turbo functionality brings it to 5.0 GHz for two cores, which are well past AMD's peak turbo spec.

Features.

Intel Core i9-9900KAMD Ryzen 9 3900X
Cores / Threads8 / 1612 / 24
Base Frequency (GHz)3.63.8

Also, what is i9 9900kf?

The Core i9-9900KF is an eight core, 16 thread processor with a base clock of 3.6GHz and a boost of 5.0GHz. This is an incredible processor, and while you can find cheaper options in AMD's Ryzen CPUs such as the 12-core Ryzen 9 3900X, the Core i9-9900K is still the CPU to beat for pure gaming.

Is i9 9900k better than i7 9700k?

Yes, you read that right. A 1-5% speed boost in gaming performance for the i9-9900k, even though the i9-9900k costs roughly 25% more than the i7-9700k! The near-identical gaming performance and lack of hyper-threading makes the i7-9700k the better-value choice for a gamer.

Which Intel Core i9 is best?

Search
RankDevice3DMark Physics Score
1Intel Core i9-10900K Processor DirectX 12.0013944
2Intel Core i9-10900KF Processor DirectX 12.0013878
3AMD Ryzen 9 5950X DirectX 12.0013768
4Intel Core i9-10850K Processor DirectX 12.0013560

Is the i7 better than the i9?

i7 vs i9 – How do they compare? Speaking generally, i9s are simply faster processors than are i7s – more cores, higher clock, more cache. The big differentiator is when it comes to Hyperthreading, the feature that creates two processing threads for every physical core.

Is Ryzen better than i9?

The Core i9-9900K has a base frequency of 3.6GHz and a maximum boost frequency of 5GHz, compared with the Ryzen 9 3900X's base 3.8GHz speed and 4.6GHz maximum boost. Here, at least on pure specs, the Ryzen 9 3900X wins hands down. It comes with support for 3,200MHz DDR4 memory and a whopping 70MB L3 cache on the die.

Is the i9 9900k good for gaming?

There are some other factors that we do need to consider, however. First, the Core i9-9900K isn't technically the fastest CPU for gaming any longer, as the Core i9-10900K holds that title. In our testing, we found the 10900K outperformed the 9900K by up to 17% in a few games (at 1080p ultra).

Which motherboard is best for i9 9900k?

Our Recommendations for i9 9900K
AwardModal
Best Premium Motherboard for i9 9900KMSI MEG GODLIKE Z390
Best Flagship Motherboard for Ryzen i9 9900KGigabyte Z390 Aorus Xtreme
Best Overall Motherboard for Ryzen i9 9900KGIGABYTE Z390 AORUS ULTRA
Best Budget Motherboard for Ryzen i9 9900KASRock Phantom Gaming 9

Is i9 a good processor?

Intel's eight-core Core i9-9900K comes with everything to satisfy enthusiasts, like more cores, higher frequencies, and performance-boosting Solder TIM. Those improvements make the chip the fastest mainstream processor on the market, but the $500 asking price relegates it to the most extreme performance enthusiasts.

Is it worth overclocking i9 9900k?

Overclocking the Core i9-9900K was not as fruitful. The best bit about this overclock is the 4.7 GHz value: by using our own voltage settings, we reduced power consumption by 41W, almost 25% of the total power, and also reduced temperatures by 24ºC. That's a safe idea.

Is the Intel i9 worth it?

Intel says the new Core i9-9900K is the best gaming CPU today. It's an eight-core processor, with Hyper-Threading support to take it to 16 virtual cores. It also supports four-channel DDR4 RAM and has a higher cache, both of which bring small improvements to gaming.

What is the fastest processor in the world?

Why It's Great for Gaming and Overclocking: At the top of the stack is the unlocked 10th Gen Intel Core i9-10900K, the world's fastest gaming processor1, featuring up to 10 cores, 20 threads and DDR4-2933 memory speeds.

Does the i9 9900k have integrated graphics?

The 9900k doesnt have on-board graphics, not have any core I series processor. The gfx are integrated into the cpu. Using the integrated gpu wont hurt performance much on a cpu of that spec.

Can you overclock i9 9900k?

To overclock i9-9900K, you first need to start CPU Ratio. Our target is 5GHz, so just type in “50” for the CPU Ratio. Then change Ring Ratio to 47. You can try your own Ring Ratio, but we suggest a Ring Ratio that is 3x less than the CPU Ratio.

Will the i9 9900k price drop?

That includes the mighty Core i9-9900K – an 8-core (16-thread) processor capable of boost to 5GHz and still regarded as an excellent gaming model, with plenty of power – which initially retailed at around the $480 or $490 mark, but has been cut down to $436 at Amazon and Best Buy.

What temp should i9 9900k be?

With nearly identical power dissipation and identical cooling conditions, we calculate a mean package temperature of 57°C for the Intel Core i9-9900K and 75°C for the Intel Core i7-8700K.

How much can you overclock i9 9900k?

Splave told Tom's Hardware the Core i9-9900K can hit 5.3 GHz on all cores with watercooling and a 1.4V Vcore, citing a big improvement in thermal dissipation courtesy of the Solder TIM under the die. That means these chips should be great overclockers for us mainstream enthusiasts.

What does KF mean on CPU?

fully functional graphics

Is K better than KF?

The primary difference between the K and KF series of processors is the lack of or iGPU in the KF series processors to provide a slightly lower cost than the K series processors. Though both the K and KF chips offer the same clock speed, TDP, and processor count.

Should I buy 9900k or 3900x?

If you care about having 5 FPS more at most in 1440p: 9900K. If you use your PC for literally anything other than pure gaming: 3900X. It's up to 15% more performance at 1080p and as GPUs become more powerful, the CPU is more likely to become the bottleneck at 1440p and 4K.

Is the 9900k future proof?

In the here and now, the Core i9 9900K is indeed a proper halo product from Intel - astonishingly fast, highly capable and the most future-proof mainstream CPU on the market.

Is AMD better than Intel?

Intel CPUs are typically the favorite choice for performance and overclocking enthusiasts. Intel's top CPUs cost more than their AMD counterparts, especially once you add in a decent cooler, but they're often a bit faster in games. AMD meanwhile is able to trounce Intel when it comes to multithreaded applications.

Is AMD Threadripper better than Intel i9?

Our CPU Verdict. However, AMD provides higher base clock frequencies and more CPU memory cache than Intel® does. The Core i9 outperforms Threadripper in boost speeds and power. PCs with i9 processor technology will run cooler, quieter, and cheaper in the long run.

Is r9 3900x good for gaming?

The processor is fantastic for gaming, since modern games need more cores to run, but it also has great per-core performance, which is something AMD has struggled with in the past. Since the 9900K is Intel's "best gaming CPU," this makes the Ryzen 9 3900X one of the best AMD processors for gaming.

Which is faster Ryzen or Intel?

Answer: The AMD Ryzen and the Intel Core CPUs offer similar performance, the former being better at multi-tasking while the latter are faster when it comes to single-core tasks. However, Ryzen CPUs tend to offer better value for your money.

Who is Threadripper for?

Threadripper is the highest-performance desktop processor ever offered in a consumer desktop today. With up to 16 cores and 32 threads, there are few tasks Threadripper can't accomplish, from UltraHD video editing, gaming and streaming and recording, to 3D rendering, CAD, and more.

Is AMD Ryzen better than Intel?

The extra processor cores offered by Ryzen mean that certain capabilities will run much faster than the Intel chip. In reality, an expensive eight-core Intel Core i7 6900 CPU performs at a similar speed as the AMD Ryzen 1800X CPU, but the Ryzen costs less than half as much.

Is the i7 9700k future proof?

There isn't any processor that is future proof. Sooner or later its performance will not be enough, and you will need to replace it. i7 9700K is a good CPU. But I believe in coming years more games, programs will make use of more threads, and its 8 threads will make you to want to replace it sooner.

Should I upgrade from i7 8700k to i9 9900k?

Should I upgrade from an i7 8700k to an i9 9900k? If the only thing you want to do on your PC is gaming, you're better of staying with the i7, it would be wasted money for the i9. However, if you aim to do video editing, rendering, basically speaking more CPU intensive tasks as well, I'd buy the i9 for sure.

Does the i7 9700k run hot?

I7 9700k running extremly hot! (100 degrees) - CPUs, Motherboards, and Memory - Linus Tech Tips.

Do I need i9 for gaming?

If you want the absolute best CPU for gaming, then the Core i9 10900K is all the CPU you need. It's overkill for the vast majority of cases, apart from possibly at the very, very high-end, but there's reassurance to be had in the 'world's fastest gaming processor.'

What CPU cooler should I get for i7 9700k?

Best CPU Coolers for i7-9700K – Our Picks
AwardModel
Best Budget AIO RGB Cooler for i7-9700KEVGA CLC 280
Best Budget AIO Cooler for i7-9700KFractal Design Celsius S24
Best AIO Cooler for i7-9700KNZXT Kraken X62
Best Silent AIO Cooler for i7-9700KCorsair Hydro Series H150i Pro RGB

Is the i7 9700k good for gaming?

The Bottom Line

Intel's Core i7-9700K is a proficient mainstream CPU for gaming enthusiasts, but AMD's Ryzen 7 3700X offers better value and better performance on many computing tasks.