If you are buying a new PC for yourself or looking to upgrade your old PC then one thing that will come to your mind is whether to go with an i7 processor or the latest i9 processor. Today we will be talking about the differences and performance of both the processors so that you have a clear understanding of what you need.
Whether you are buying a laptop or PC one thing that everyone will talk about is what processor you should buy for yourself. The most common and popular high-performance processors in the market are the i7 processor and i9 processor. Both the processors are quite great when it comes to performance but there are differences between them which we will be talking about.
Why is the i9 processor more capable than the i7 processor?
Answering this question is quite tricky because both the i7 processor and i9 processor are great and choosing either could be a smart choice but choosing the right processor will depend on the usage. Most of the users who have upgraded from an i7 processor to an i9 processor have not noticed much difference.
If we talk about the i7 processor it comes with 11700K which has an eight-core CPU and has a total of 16 threads that are capable of boosting up to 5GHz. The TDP from Intel is at 125 watts which are mirroring lately at 10700K. Like any other chip, the 11700K is capable of drawing much more power. Intel has recently changed the 10900K with its new 11900K which is a step back from everything. The number of cores in the CPU has also been decreased but the processor can maintain a high boost clock. A lot of people don’t know this but the i9 processor and i7 processor are quite similar in performance in a desktop setup. One thing that changes is that 11900K does not have the same reach as the 10900K in multithreaded workloads. Generally, the 11700K is available at a much cheaper price in the market now.
Difference between i7 processor and i9 processor
Before we start differentiating between the i7 processor and i9 processor we need to understand what ‘K’, ‘F’, and ‘T’ mean. If you are looking at a model which says ‘K’ in them then those processors are all overclockable. People looking for processors that they want to overclock can opt for those. ‘F’ processors are those which do not come with any kind of integrated graphics. ‘T’ processors are those which draw power from clock speed.
The most common lineup available from Intel is the Rocket Lake lineup has i7 processors in them but they are all more or less similar. Both the 11700K model and 11700KF model are unlocked and have a total of eight cores which consists of 16 threads. These processors are known to have a base clock of about 3.6GHz which can be boosted to 5GHz. There is a model below these which are the 11700 and 11700F. These are clocked at 2.5 GHz and they can be boosted to 4.9 GHz. The power-optimized processor 11700T can drop to .4 GHz and boost to 4.6 GHz in a single core.
Everyone around the globe is recommended to buy an i9 processor only because it will help future proof the desktop or laptop. The 11900K surely performs much better than 11700K but the extra performance is not worth the upgrade. The only reason for choosing the i9 processor is because it will surely stay relevant and useful for a longer period compared to the i7 processor. The specs of both the processors are quite the same but the only advantage the i9 processor has is the overclocking capability. Buying an i9 processor from an i7 processor is not a smart move for anyone because the changes are not that massive. The only justification for buying the expensive i9 processor is to future proof the desktop setup
Overall performance of i7 and i9 processors
One of the most popular performance tests for processors is the Geekbench 4 test which helps in measuring the overall performance of a processor. This test helps to measure the speed of all the cores giving the most accurate results. When both i7 and i9 processors were put to the Geekbench 4 test it was seen that the i9 processor is almost 9.4 percent faster than the i7 processor whereas when the i9 processor is overclocked it becomes 16.8 percent faster than the i7. In the Geekbench 4 test, the i7 processor scored around 17,639.
The i9 processor scored 19,516 whereas the i9 overclocked scored 21,204. When the i7 and i9 processors were put to test on video transcoding the i7 processor rendered a 12 minute 30 second 4K video in 9 minutes 6 seconds. The same video was rendered by the i9 processor in just 8 minutes 31 seconds. This goes to show how much more powerful the i9 processor is but a person upgrading from i7 to an i9 processor will surely not find a major difference between the two processors. The i7 is just perfect compared to the price and performance ratio of the chip. The I7 processor is one of the most popular processors in the market at this point.
Pros of i7 processor
- The i7 processor has a higher clock speed and can be clocked by users whenever they need it.
- The i7 processors are much cheaper and a value for money product.
Pros of i9 processor
- The core count in i9 processors are generally much higher
- The L2/L3 cache in the i9 processors are much more compared to i9 processors
- The core speed in the i9 processor is quite high ranging from 100Mhz to 200Mhz
- All the i9 processors come with hyperthreading
- This processor is capable of handling extreme levels of multitasking
Pricing of i7 and i9 processor
This is something that not everyone talks about because most people end up focusing on the features and differences and not talk about the pricing. It is quite evident that the i7 processor is cheaper than the i9 processor from a performance and difference standpoint. Both the processors are priced at a competitive rate but the i9 processor is about $150 more expensive than the i9 processor. The difference in price between the processors is quite high compared to the difference in specs. Not everyone will find it smart to buy the i9 because of the higher price markup. The I7 processor is a perfect budget processor which can outperform itself compared to its price.
If you are choosing to buy a processor then this article is a must-read because it will help everyone get a clear understanding of all the differences between an i7 and an i9 processor. Choosing between these two processors could be hard but the simplest way to do so is with a budget. If you are running on a tight budget then it is recommended that you go for the i7 processor because of its lower price markup. If budget is not a problem for you then you should go for the i9 processor because this processor will surely increase your productivity and also future proofs your investment at the same time.
FAQs
Which processor performs better i7 and i9?
I9 processor always performs better than i7 at all times
Which processor is more expensive between i7 and i9?
I9 processor is quite expensive compared to i9 processors
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