The Comparator

Intel Core i9-11900K

The current Intel Core i9-11900K price from retailers, its key specifications, and how it performs for each job.

Intel · CPU

Image from the Newegg listing
Intel Core i9-11900K — Intel Core i9-11900K

Retailer photo of Intel Core i9-11900K. View this offer in Where to buy

Trade-offs: you want strong value with Balanced priorities specifically

Cheapest tracked offer (new)
Check on Amazon
Go to offer
at Amazon

2 tracked offers · 2 retailers · checked 2026-10-29

Show all offers
31
Relative value · Balanced Top 55% in this scenario
#129 of 232 in stock ranked in this scenario
B
Gamingbest grade of 3 scenarios
Cores / threads
8C / 16T
Boost clock
5300 MHz
Socket
LGA 1200
TDP
225 W
Memory support
DDR4
What are you planning to use it for? This scenario sets the value, rank and grades shown across the page.
Value 31

What does it cost today, and is that a good price?

Market confidence: Low
Representative priceCheck on Amazon
Lowest verifiedCheck on Amazon
Offers / retailers2 / 2

Consider: Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus offers stronger value around CAD 300.Compare

Prices & availability

Intel Core i9-11900K: current price and offers

Compare the offers we track for this model, across variants and retailers.

2 tracked offers · 2 retailers

VariantStoreConditionPrice (snapshot)Value · BalancedCheckedOffer link
Intel Core i9-11900KAmazonNewCheck on Amazon312026-10-29View offer →
Intel Core i9-11900KNeweggNewCAD 639302026-10-29View offer →
Intel Core i9-11900KMultiple variants availableAmazon AffiliateVariesFind on AmazonNot trackedNo price snapshotFind on Amazon →

Prices are dated snapshots, not live quotes — confirm the final price at the store. New, refurbished and used offers are listed separately; used offers carry warranty and seller risk.

Performance and where it ranks

Two different questions, side by side. Performance compares what the hardware can do; Value compares what that capability costs at today’s price. A product can rank high on one and low on the other — that gap is the point.

Performance Balanced

How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.

#102 of 232 graded processors

  1. #99 IntelIntel Core i9-7940X 15
  2. #100 IntelIntel Core i5-14400 15
  3. #101 IntelIntel Core i5-13400F 15
  4. #102 IntelIntel Core i9-11900K 15
  5. #103 IntelIntel Core i9-9920X 14
  6. #104 IntelIntel Xeon E5-2699 v4 14
  7. #105 IntelIntel Core i9-11900KF 14

Value Balanced

How much of that you get for today’s price.

#129 of 232 currently priced processors

  1. #126 IntelIntel Core i7-9700KF 32
  2. #127 AMDAMD Ryzen Threadripper 9960X 32
  3. #128 IntelIntel Core i9-10850K 31
  4. #129 IntelIntel Core i9-11900K 31
  5. #130 IntelIntel Core i9-9900KF 31
  6. #131 IntelIntel Core i7-10700F 31
  7. #132 IntelIntel Core i7-10700 30

What it is good for

Scenariothis productCapability grade · Value at current priceHigher capabilityHigher Value with current priorities
⚖Balanced (all-round)Weighted all-round viewGradeNo grade Value31Higher capability Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus 84 +176% capabilityHigher Value with current priorities Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus 100 +93% capability
◉GamingScenario capabilityGradeB Value40Higher capability Ryzen 7 9850X3D S 100 +55% capabilityHigher Value with current priorities Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus A 87 +13% capability
◉ProductivityScenario capabilityGradeC Value7Higher capability Higher capability · Higher Value with current priorities Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus S 55 +176% capability
◉Performance per WattScenario capabilityGradeF Value20Higher capability AMD Ryzen 9 7900 S 98 +397% capabilityHigher Value with current priorities AMD Ryzen 7 9700X S 100 +281% capability

Balanced has no letter: it is a weighting preset, not a capability rubric. A grade answers “how well does this handle that job?” — price is never part of it. Relative Value puts the current market price back in.

Compare these grades with the full tier list

Browse shortlists for different uses

Trade-offs

Works well if

  • Gaming is your main prioritygraded B for Gaming on the same rubric as the tier list

Consider other options if

  • You want strong value with Balanced priorities specificallyCAD 156 is where Relative Value reaches 80 with Balanced priorities, in the 2026-10-24–2026-10-29 offer frame
  • Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelIntel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus holds Relative Value 100 against its 31 with Balanced priorities, at CAD 300
  • Not the pick if Performance per Watt is your main useit grades only F there

Better ways to spend this money

Every line states the fact it was derived from, for the scenario selected above. Thresholds are calculated points on our value curve — information about where the maths turns, not instructions about what to pay.

Similar options to the Intel Core i9-11900K

Chosen for Balanced

Similar option · higher capability IntelIntel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus
PriceCAD 480
Relative Value84
Capability+176%
Similar option · higher capability
⚠ Platform change required
Higher Value with current priorities IntelIntel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus
PriceCAD 300
Relative Value100
Capability+93%
Clears the same bar for less money
⚠ Platform change required
Higher capability · higher price IntelCore Ultra 9 285K
PriceCheck on Amazon
Relative Value52
Capability+170%
Costs more, but buys a genuinely higher tier
⚠ Platform change required

Alternatives stay near this product’s price range. Step-up options may exceed the standard budget envelope when the capability gain is meaningful.

More head-to-head comparisons in this category

Upgrade planner

Judge the change in the active scenario, then make the cash gap explicit.

Using page scenario
Current productIntel Core i9-11900K

We rank upgrades by out-of-pocket cost — the new price minus what yours is worth — not by sticker price.

Only candidates that clear the configured meaningful-upgrade gate will be shown; roles are omitted rather than filled.

Capability differences are expressed as tiers and index points, not as benchmark percentages we did not measure.

Specifications and compatibility

What this product is, and what to check before it goes into your build.

Core / Performance

Cores
8
Threads
16
Performance cores
8
Efficiency cores
0
Base clock
3500 MHz
Boost clock
5300 MHz

Power / Interface

TDP
225 W
Maximum turbo power
225 W
Socket
LGA 1200
Memory support
DDR4
Maximum memory
128 GB
Integrated graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 750
Process node
14 nm
Show all specifications

Core / Performance

L2 cache
4 MB
L3 cache
16 MB
Unlocked multiplier
Yes

Warranty & release

Warranty
3 years
Release year
2021

Hover any value to see where it came from: a manufacturer specification, or a figure The Comparator calculated.

Sources: Comparator offer frame 2026-10-24–2026-10-29

What to check in your build

Motherboard socket Required

LGA 1200 required

Your motherboard must use socket LGA 1200. A different socket does not fit — this is a physical constraint, not a preference.

Find compatible motherboards

BIOS support Required

Board BIOS must list this model

A matching socket is necessary but not sufficient — check the vendor CPU support list.

Memory Required

DDR4 memory

This processor takes DDR4. Memory of another generation does not fit the slots, even on a board with the right socket.

Find compatible RAM memory kits

Cooling Required

Cooler rated for 225 W or more

No cooler is included. Your cooler must be rated for at least 225 W on socket LGA 1200.

Found an error? Report this specification Email the field, corrected value and an optional source.

Compatibility guidance is practical help, not a score. Missing data is shown as unknown, never invented.

Summary

Computed conclusion

Intel Core i9-11900K offers a balanced view across an all-round mix of priorities. It ranks #102 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 702. Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus currently clears the same practical bar with stronger Relative Value.

FAQ

Why does Relative Value change when I choose another scenario?

Each scenario changes the weights applied to capability, price and the other published factors. The hardware facts stay fixed, but the value question changes, so its score and rank can change too.

Why can Amazon appear without a tracked price?

Amazon listing snapshots can participate in Value while fresh. We show Check on Amazon instead of its price; confirm the current price and availability at the store. When no current listing snapshot exists, Amazon is a search link only.

Useful links & sources

offer frame 2026-10-24–2026-10-29 · formula cpu-value-v1.4 · facts facts-2026-10-29 · Relative Value is an estimate from our current dataset, the selected weights and dated market prices — not an official product rating and not a price forecast. Target prices are calculation thresholds, not predictions. Methodology We are not a shop. Affiliate links may earn us a commission; they never change the calculations or the ranking.