Intel Core i7-9700 vs Intel Core i7-11700

The Intel Core i7-9700 (Coffee Lake S Refresh), introduced at the end of 2018, targeted mainstream users and gamers with a focus on cost-performance.

The Intel Core i7-11700 (Rocket Lake S) came onto the market at the beginning of 2021 and also aimed at the mainstream and gaming market, but offered architectural improvements.

Both processors are manufactured by Intel using the 14 nm process and feature 8 cores. The Intel Core i7-9700 offers 8 threads, 0 MB Level 2 Cache, 12 MB Level 3 Cache, and PCIe 3.0. The integrated graphics unit is the Intel UHD Graphics 630. The Intel Core i7-11700, on the other hand, features 16 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading, 4 MB Level 2 Cache, 16 MB Level 3 Cache, and supports PCIe 4.0.

Its integrated graphics unit is the Intel UHD Graphics 750, and the maximum memory bandwidth is 51 GB/s compared to the predecessor's 43 GB/s. In terms of performance, the Intel Core i7-11700 significantly outperforms the Intel Core i7-9700 in single-core and multi-core applications, which is due to its more modern architecture and Hyper-Threading.

This performance increase is noticeable in demanding tasks such as video editing or intensive calculations. For gaming, the Intel Core i7-11700 is the superior choice, as it benefits from its higher single-core performance and faster PCIe 4.0 connectivity, which is particularly relevant with modern graphics cards.

The power consumption of the Intel Core i7-11700 can be higher under full load than that of the Intel Core i7-9700, which represents a potential requirement for a more robust cooling solution. In terms of price-performance ratio, the Intel Core i7-9700 is often found cheaper on the used market and offers solid basic performance.

The Intel Core i7-11700, on the other hand, offers noticeably better overall performance and more modern features for a possibly higher price.