i9-11900K vs Ryzen 7 5700X
The i9-11900K is about 4% faster at 1440p. Whether that is worth it depends on the rest of your build.
The gap changes with resolution.
CPU differences shrink as resolution rises — at 4K the graphics card does most of the work.
| Resolution | i9-11900K | Ryzen 7 5700X | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 79 | 75 | +5% |
| 1440p | 76 | 73 | +4% |
| 4K | 74 | 71 | +4% |
In a real build with a RTX 3080.
Specs alone don’t tell you which to buy. Here is what each one does when it’s actually paired up, at 1440p.
| Game (1440p, paired with the RTX 3080) | i9-11900K | Ryzen 7 5700X |
|---|---|---|
| League of Legends | 303 fps | 298 fps |
| Counter-Strike 2 | 261 fps | 256 fps |
| Grand Theft Auto V | 130 fps | 128 fps |
| Elden Ring | 106 fps | 106 fps |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 81 fps | 80 fps |
| Starfield | 81 fps | 80 fps |
Modelled from benchmark data, not measured for every pairing. Our published error rate is 21.6% mean absolute error.
So which should you buy?
The i9-11900K is faster, but the Ryzen 7 5700X is the better buy per dollar. Take the i9-11900K only if you want the extra headroom and the price gap doesn't bother you.
Affiliate links — we earn a small commission on Amazon purchases at no cost to you, which keeps the calculator free. Full disclosure.
Common questions.
Straight answers on the i9-11900K versus the Ryzen 7 5700X.
Is the i9-11900K better than the Ryzen 7 5700X?
Yes, but by less than the spec sheet suggests. At 1440p the i9-11900K scores 76 against 73 for the Ryzen 7 5700X — roughly 4% faster. It also costs about $240 more at MSRP, so the question is whether that gap is worth the money for your build.
Does the i9-11900K or Ryzen 7 5700X bottleneck a RTX 3080?
Paired with a RTX 3080 at 1440p, the i9-11900K build comes out balanced, and the Ryzen 7 5700X build comes out balanced. Being GPU-bound is the healthy outcome — it means the graphics card is the part working hardest.
Is it worth upgrading from the Ryzen 7 5700X to the i9-11900K?
Only if you are also lifting the rest of the build. The i9-11900K is about 4% ahead at 1440p, and gaps like that shrink further at 4K where the GPU does more of the work. If you are upgrading from the Ryzen 7 5700X purely for frames, check the pairing first.
Which is better value, the i9-11900K or the Ryzen 7 5700X?
On performance per dollar at MSRP, the Ryzen 7 5700X wins. The i9-11900K lists at $539 for an index of 76, and the Ryzen 7 5700X at $299 for 73.
Check either one against your build.
Pick a CPU and its counterpart, and get a verdict at all three resolutions in under 30 seconds.