So far, this week has been busy for anyone interested in AMD’s upcoming Ryzen 9000 series processors. From what we know right now, they’ll be available to purchase by the end of the month. Early benchmarks are already surfacing online, presumably as reviewers get their hands on CPU samples – and the Ryzen 7 9700X is among the leaks.

We’ve already seen what the 9900X can do, up to 18% faster than the 7900X, but now let’s focus on the cheaper 9700X. An 8-core CPU targeted more towards the mid-range, but a step above the 6-core 9600X. Those extra couple of cores should help in productivity scenarios, so let’s see what it can do.

9700X benchmarks show better single-core performance than Intel 14th Gen

Focusing on three Geekbench 6.3.0 tests, we can compare the single-core and multi-core performance of the 9700X, 14700K, and 14900K. While, unsurprisingly, the Intel 14th Gen CPUs come out on top in terms of multi-core performance, AMD’s new Ryzen 9000 series CPU shows some serious power in single-core tests. Team Blue flourishes in multi-core thanks to the big.LITTLE architecture that allows for both performance and efficient cores working in tandem.

The results show that single-core performance for the 9700X bests anything that the Intel 14th Gen can produce, aside from the special edition 14900KS which clocked in a score of 3328 according to this benchmark, edging ahead ever so slightly.

Still, considering how cost-effective the 9700X should be, it seems like an excellent option. Furthermore, the 9700X was announced to feature an efficient 65W TDP, whereas something like the 14700K is more power-hungry at 125W. However, unconfirmed plans of a last-minute 9700X TDP change could change this.

Who is the 9700X for?

Back when we reviewed the 7700X, the predecessor to the 9700X (the 8000 series is focused on APUs in case you’re wondering), we saw it as an inbetweener. It is an uncommon choice since many gamers will either go for the cheaper 7600X or an X3D model. However, the 9700X could prove to be a cost-effective option for productivity now we’ve seen its benchmarks – especially if it keeps that low TDP that AMD initially announced back at Computex.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.