AMD Ryzen 7 9700X vs Intel Core i7-6900K

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Ryzen 7 9700X compared with Core i7-6900K

	AMDRyzen 7 9700X	IntelCore i7-6900K
Overview
Released
Released	August 2024	May 2016
Cores and clocks
Cores
Cores	8	8
Threads
Threads	16	16
Base clock
Base clock	3.8 GHz	3.2 GHz
Boost clock
Boost clock	5.5 GHz (better)	4 GHz
L3 cache
L3 cache	32 MB (better)	20 MB
Cores
Cores	8 Zen 5 cores with simultaneous multithreading; codename Granite Ridge AM5; 2 dies in the package	Broadwell-E; 8 cores with Hyper-Threading. The unlocked multiplier is confirmed by the exact-model reviews.
Clocks
Clocks	Precision Boost 2; Precision Boost Overdrive and Curve Optimizer supported	Turbo Boost Max 3.0 up to 4.00 GHz on the preferred core; ordinary Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.70 GHz. The main boost field uses Intel’s highest published frequency. May availability follows Tom’s Hardware’s 31 May 2016 report, attributing immediate sale of all four models to Intel. Intel’s family record is dated 30 May and ARK gives Q2 2016; the announcement day is not treated as an exact first-sale day.
Cache
Cache	L1 640 KB, L2 8 MB, L3 32 MB	–
Graphics and AI
Built-in graphics
Built-in graphics	Yes	No
Graphics
Graphics	AMD Radeon Graphics, 2 graphics cores at 2200 MHz; USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode	No processor graphics, confirmed by Intel’s exact-model comparison-chart row; a separate graphics solution is required.
Platform
Socket
Socket	AM5	LGA2011-v3
Base power
Base power	65 W	140 W
Unlocked
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
Cooler in the box
Cooler in the box	No	No
Memory support
Memory support	DDR5, 2 channels, up to 256 GB (UDIMM); DDR5-5600 with 2 modules, DDR5-3600 with 4; ECC with motherboard support	Up to 128 GB; four channels of DDR4-2133/2400; no ECC.
PCIe
PCIe	PCIe 5.0; 28 lanes (24 usable); native USB: 4 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps), 1 × USB 2.0	40 CPU lanes; PCIe 3.0
Chipsets
Chipsets	A620, X670E, X670, B650E, B650, X870E, X870, B840, B850	X99 and LGA2011-v3, distinguished by Intel’s exact-model comparison chart and the reviews. Current ARK abbreviates the socket as FCLGA2011; this is not compatible with the older X79 LGA2011 platform.
Process
Process	TSMC 4nm FinFET (CPU cores), TSMC 6nm FinFET (I/O die)	14 nm; Broadwell-E.
Cooler
Cooler	Not included; Premium air cooler recommended for optimal performance; Tjmax 95°C	Intel explicitly excludes a fan and heatsink from the boxed product; a separate compatible cooler is required.