Intel Core i7-11700K may outperform AMD Ryzen 9 5900 X after all

The installation of a CPU
(Image credit: Shutterstock / Pawarun Chitchirachan)

The Intel Core i7-11700K processor might be more powerful than it’s previously been given credit for. While early leaks had suggested the Intel CPU would fall behind the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, new benchmark results show the chip blowing AMD’s flagship processors out of the water.

While not everyone is a fan of how UserBenchmark - the site where these Intel Core i7-11700K results have cropped up - calculates its average scores list, the CPU did well in the single-core, dual-core, four-core, eight-core charts. As with all leaked info we can't guarantee the results are 100% legitimate but regardless these results give us a reason to pay attention to the latest entry in the Rocket Lake-S series.

We’ll learn more about the Intel Core i7-11700K later this month, with an official unveiling expected for March 16. After the chips went on sale early we found out that you’ll likely be able to pick one up for €469 (around $570 / £410 / AU$730) with a rumored release date of March 30. 

What’s in a benchmark?

It’s worth noting that Intel CPUs typically do outperform AMD when it comes to lower-core benchmarks. Intel makes up the top five for the single-core charts on UserBenchmark and the Intel Core i7-11700K and Core i9 11900F are the best two CPUs in the dual-core,  four-core and eight-core categories. 

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and AMD Ryzen 9 5950X jostle for third behind them in those lists but they both do significantly better in higher core categories. However, given that the AMD Ryzen 9 chips are so hard to get your hands on right now, even if they are more powerful, that won't matter.

For now, just don’t get too carried away, the Intel Core i7-11700K benchmark results are based only on three samples at the time of writing, compared with the 21 thousand of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X. As more people test the hardware we’ll likely see the numbers change as we get a better picture of how good the processor really is. But if you’re in the market for a new CPU, you might want to consider waiting.

Via Notebook Check 

Hamish Hector
Senior Staff Writer, News

Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.