Overclocked Intel Core i9-11900K @5.2 GHz on all cores can beat the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X in single-thread and multithread benchmarks but at a massive power cost

The Intel Core i9-11900K is back on CPU-Z offering another incredible performance. We just reported about a benchmark run that yielded strong single-core results, although the 8-core Rocket Lake chip lagged far behind the 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 5950X in the multithread test. This time, we will compare an overclocked 8-core i9-11900K hitting 5.2 GHz on all cores (normal all-core boost is 4.80 GHz; base is 3.50 GHz) against what should be an 8-core rival at least in terms of price with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X.

So, the beefed-up (and hopefully super-cooled) i9-11900K churned out 706.3 points in the single-thread test and 7,199 points in the multithread test. This puts it +1.57% (single) and, more impressively, +10.38% (multi) over the same part's results that we reported about earlier. Considering the circumstances, you would expect a better multithread score this time around, and this result even puts it past the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, which managed 650-663 points and 6,593-6,766 points, respectively, in separate tests. Here, the Rocket Lake-S chip is +6.53% and +6.40% ahead of the high-end Vermeer CPU scores – so big win for Intel?

Not quite. Typically, there are always a few caveats to be thrown in CPU benchmark comparisons, and arguably the main one here is going to be power draw. The Vermeer Zen 3 processor from AMD relies on a 105 W TDP whereas the i9-11900K has a PL1 TDP of 125 W – not a huge difference. But this overclocked Intel sample must have been at the PL2 limit of 250 W, which is a whopping +138% power advantage over the Ryzen 7 5800X. Reverting back to regular sample testing (see table below) leaves the AMD part 3.74% ahead of the Rocket Lake chip in multithread, while Intel typically leads in single-thread testing, by 4.83% here.

In plain terms, if you want multithread power plump for the AMD Zen 3 CPU and if you want single-thread might then select the Intel Rocket Lake-S chip. Prices are rumored to be similar, with the Ryzen 7 5800X going at US$449 and a supposed engineering sample of the i9-11900K being purchased at US$450. Power draw is, as always, a major issue with Intel and its current reliance on 14 nm manufacturing, although at least Rocket Lake is compatible with the Z490 chipset (LGA 1200 socket) that was introduced with Comet Lake.

Buy the Intel Core i9-10900K on Amazon