10700K vs 10900K

Intel's 10th Gen is with us, so let's put two of them up against each other

10700k vs 10900 min
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After arriving on the scene 6 months ago, Intel’s 10th generation CPUs have been drawing a lot of attention. Today we’ll be looking at two of the standout options in that range, to find the best of Intel’s 10th generation. 

Intel launched their 10th generation of CPUs a little over 6 months ago (as part of their 2020 Q2 rollout). This range has more cores and threads than anything that has come before it. The jump in powers between their 9th and 10th generation is hard to ignore. 

This power upgrade interestingly didn’t come with a huge price jump. Whether that’s due to manufacturing efficiencies or because the 9th generation CPUs are still popular enough to charge full price – we couldn’t tell you. 

To be able to have two generations of CPUs competing for market share is quite an achievement on Intel’s part. These guys are dominant in the market for a reason! 

The i9-10900K was the flagship product of the 10th generation launch – pitched as the most powerful CPU ever made by Intel. However, questions started to pop up quickly. These questions asked if like the generation before, the i7 range offered a cheaper alternative. 

See our article on the 9700 Vs 9900 for more information on this. 

So in this article, we’re going to be comparing the 10700 and 10900. We will be looking at their performances in key areas like overclocking, FPS, and UMB ratings. 

Does the 10th Intel generation have the same loophole as the 9th? 

Let’s find out. We’ll begin with the basic specs of the CPUs and their key memory specs.

The Specs

Basic and Memory Specs

Below we have broken down the specs of these CPUs into two key blocks.

 

Intel i9-10900K

I9 10900k 1

Speed

3.7GHz/5.3GHz

Core (threads)

10/20

Socket

FCLGA1200

TDP

125W

Pros

Hugely impressive single-core performance

A fantastic CPU for gaming

Provides the smoothest of game play, regardless of setting or resolution

Cons

New socket requires a new motherboard

Intel i7-10700K

Intel i7 10700K

Speed

3.8GHz/ 5.1GHz

Core (Threads)

8/16

Socket

FCLGA1200

TDP

125W

Pros

Excellent single-core performance

Unlocked overclocking

Cons

Requires aftermarket cooler

 

Further Specs

Here are some other specs you may find relevant.

Whilst they are similar in many areas, there are quite a few differences between these two CPUs – most notably their thread count and OC mixed core speed. 

In every department, the 10900K has a little more power and is, therefore, a little faster. However, the 10700K isn’t far behind. These gaps are bigger than the gaps between the 9700K and 9900k, but it is still clear that there isn’t much between the pair of CPUs. 

For us, the most interesting statistic is the UMB user rating. We’ve written A LOT of CPU comparison articles and we can’t remember seeing a rating disparity like this one. The 10700K scores over double its competitor! The 10900K does have a good rating, but the 10700K has a spectacular one. 

Whilst these specs tell us a lot, they don’t tell us everything. 

Features

This new generation of Intel CPUs has introduced so many new features that you could quite easily spend hours scrolling through Intel’s website without getting any closer to a decision. 

Below are our editors’ picks of the key features offered by these two CPUs. 

10700K vs 10900K – Features, Customer reviews 

We’re going to mention this again, but we’ll be very quick. But we have to cover it because it is such a telling stat. 

Firstly, the fact that the 10700K was even able to score over 150% is impressive. Some of our favorite CPUs haven’t been able to score that well. 

Secondly, the 10700K scoring double the 10900K should not be ignored. These scores come from real users like us and you. If you are looking for a new CPU and want to make the right choice the first time, then looking at user ratings isn’t a bad place to start. 

10700K vs 10900K – Features, Thread Counts 

Next up, we’re looking at thread counts and Intel’s Hyper-Threading technology. 

The most basic 10th generation Intel CPU had more threads than the most advanced model from the 9th generation range. 

The 10700K has a more than respectable 16 threads, but the 10900K does win with 20 threads. 

What makes these numbers more interesting is how Intel’s Hyper-Threading technology affects these numbers. 

The Hyper-Threading gives each of the threads in the CPUs the ability to function with the power of two threads.

Essentially doubling the thread count – this is a feature other brands are nowhere near completing with. Intel has had this technology on the market for 2 years so we’re surprised more people haven’t copied them. 

10700K vs 10900K – Features, Overclocking scores 

Now, let’s look at the good stuff – the overclocking.

These scores are where we see the comparisons between the 9th (9700k vs 9900k) and 10th (10700k vs 9900k) generation Intel CPUs fall away. For more context, see this article. 

Where the 9700K and 9900K were comparable at all levels of overclocking, this is not the case for the 10700K and 10900K. 

The scores do begin very close together, but as more power is added the 10900K begins to excel – leaving the 10700K in the dust far behind it. 

What does this mean for your gaming experience? 

If you’re looking to play older, less taxing games then you won’t notice a huge difference in performance between the two CPUs. However, if you want to play the latest, processing power heavy games then the 10900K is the star of the show and the CPU of choice.  

Remember that if you are planning to regularly overclock then you should invest in a good quality cooling system for your PC or laptop.

Speed and FPS

Before we go any further it’s time to talk about all things CPU speed and FPS rates. 

The 10700K boasts an average PBF (processor base frequency) of 3.80 GHz which is actually higher than the 10900K, which averages at 3.70. 

The 10900K does, however, have a higher maximum turbo frequency of 5.30 GHz. With the 10700K only hitting 3.10 GHz. 

Both CPUs come with Intel Thermal Velocity Boost Max Technology 3.0 Frequency. Which early generations did not come with. The 10900K also comes with Intel Thermal Velocity Boost Frequency that allows it to max out at 5.30 GHz. 

Another two new features for the 10th generation is Configurable TDP-down options, as well as a Configurable TDP-down frequency. 

The 10700K averages 165 FPS across the current top 5 games, but peaks at around 310 FPS. The 10900K offers you an extra 2 FPS on average (coming in at 167 FPS) and an extra 3 max FPS, 313 FPS. 

On more intensive games we see no difference, but the games will run more smoothly on the 10900K as it has a much better overclocking score.  

10700K vs 10900K – Features, New with 10th Generation 

Something we thought was worth noting is that the 10th Generation of CPUs actually has less ‘advanced technologies’ (Intel’s exact terms) than the 9th generation. 

There are no obvious technological developments between gen 9 and gen 10.

Pricing and Availability

As much as we wish we didn’t have to care about it, pricing is a concern for most of us trying to build a PC. This should be the case, no one wants to overspend on any part of their build, particularly on crucial parts like the CPU. 

So, let’s jump into it and talk about the pricing of these two CPUs. 

Firstly, let’s talk about how their prices compare to each other. 

The i7-10700K comes at a better price. It comes at a suspiciously good price. We have seen the i9-10900K  costing over $400 more than the 10700K! 

That’s a huge jump that we don’t necessarily think is reflected in the individual performances of these CPUs. 

However, if you want to exclusively play more processed intensive games then you won’t regret your investment. 

Secondly, let’s talk about how their prices compare to the previous generation. 

The 10700K is not only the same price as its predecessor (9700k) but it’s cheaper than the more powerful 9900K too. That pricing almost feels like a mistake on Intel’s part, we’d happily pay twice as much for the 10700K. 

On the other hand, the 10900K costs an extra $200 more than its predecessor. It offers two extra cores, 4 threads, and 0.3 GHz extra speed. 

The 10th generation doesn’t score much better in the overclocking department either but still, the 10700K looks like a bargain. The 10900K doesn’t seem to offer anything new to gamers if you only look at its overclocking power. 

Finally, let’s talk about how their prices compare to their competitors. 

The equivalent CPU from AMD is the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X. Although the 10900K is $200 more expensive than it, the Intel wipes the floor with the AMD in every category. 

For a $20 saving, you can pick up the 10700K which also embarrasses the 9 3900X in every category. 

One of the frustrating things about buying from smaller tech companies is that launches can get messy. We’ve seen it time and time again in these reviews, with not enough stock being made or faulty stock recalls. 

The good thing is you’re never going to have an issue like this with an industry titan like Intel. They have the capital to pre-order vast amounts of stock and everything goes through rigorous testing before it goes on sale. 

Waiting a while before purchasing CPUs means you will avoid any teething problems with new launches. These two have been on sale for 6 months now, all of that is long behind them. 

 Both of these CPUs are widely available and easy to get your hands on if you so wish. 

 

 

Our Final Thoughts

For those of you who are wondering whether the 10700K makes a great dupe for the 10900K, as the 9700K did for the 9900K, we have mixed news for you. 

If you’re looking to only play older or less taxing games on your PC then go ahead and pick up the 10700K. Enjoy your savings. 

If you’re looking to play any games that require a higher speed, and more processing power… Then we think you should invest in the 10900K. 

That being said, before you do look at purchasing the 10900K – check out the overclocking scores and turbo speeds of the i7-9700 from the 9th generation. You’ll be surprised at how well it holds up against its younger competitors. It’s also a fraction of the price. 

However, in the battle of 10700k vs 10900k, the winner is… 

10900K! 

It’s worth the extra cash for that extra power to give you a more enjoyable gaming experience.