PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $594 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $979 MSRP).
✅Delivers 13.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 32.9 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $979 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 165W, a 70W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i9-10980XE needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10980XE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 32,187).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).

Core i9-10980XE

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +74.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+106.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅200% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.9 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($979 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌73.7% higher power demand at 165W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Core i9-10980XE

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $594 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $979 MSRP).
✅Delivers 13.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 32.9 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $979 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 165W, a 70W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i9-10980XE needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +74.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+106.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅200% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10980XE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 32,187).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.9 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($979 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌73.7% higher power demand at 165W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-10980XE better than Core i7-9700K?

Yes. Core i9-10980XE is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 74.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 123.6% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-10980XE is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 74.7% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-10980XE is the better fit. You are getting 123.6% better PassMark, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 106.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i9-10980XE is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Core i9-10980XE is 154.3% more expensive on MSRP at $979 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 74.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-9700K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 13.7% better value on paper (37.4 vs 32.9 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1151.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i9-10980XE is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2018), 106.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 18 cores / 36 threads instead of 8/8. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i7-9700K Benchmark Check

Core i9-10980XE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-10980XE
1080p
low	308 FPS	280 FPS
medium	278 FPS	249 FPS
high	231 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	234 FPS
medium	221 FPS	189 FPS
high	178 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	165 FPS
medium	140 FPS	134 FPS
high	108 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i9-10980XE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-10980XE
1080p
low	360 FPS	550 FPS
medium	321 FPS	457 FPS
high	291 FPS	382 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	345 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	456 FPS
medium	282 FPS	394 FPS
high	258 FPS	336 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	290 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	285 FPS
medium	221 FPS	247 FPS
high	208 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	200 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i9-10980XE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-10980XE
1080p
low	360 FPS	805 FPS
medium	360 FPS	805 FPS
high	360 FPS	805 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	805 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	805 FPS
medium	360 FPS	805 FPS
high	360 FPS	768 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	596 FPS
medium	360 FPS	501 FPS
high	360 FPS	444 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	374 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i9-10980XE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-10980XE
1080p
low	360 FPS	805 FPS
medium	360 FPS	805 FPS
high	360 FPS	787 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	704 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	805 FPS
medium	360 FPS	722 FPS
high	360 FPS	630 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	552 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	574 FPS
medium	360 FPS	510 FPS
high	360 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	402 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i9-10980XE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Core i9-10980XE

Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

Core i9-10980XE

The Core i9-10980XE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake-X (2019) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 32,187 points. Launch price was $979.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i9-10980XE offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Core i9-10980XE has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-10980XE — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i9-10980XE uses Cascade Lake-X (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Core i9-10980XE's 32,187 — a 76.4% lead for the Core i9-10980XE. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 24.75 MB (total) on the Core i9-10980XE.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-10980XE
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	18 / 36+125%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+2%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+20%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	24.75 MB (total)+106%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Cascade Lake-X (2019)
PassMark	14,397	32,187+124%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	24,309
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,242
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	16,275

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i9-10980XE uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Core i9-10980XE supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-9700K) vs 4 (Core i9-10980XE). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 48 (Core i9-10980XE) — the Core i9-10980XE offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and X299 (Core i9-10980XE).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-10980XE
Socket	LGA1151	LGA2066
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	48+200%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i9-10980XE supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs Yes (Core i9-10980XE). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i9-10980XE requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i9-10980XE
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	Yes
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Core i9-10980XE debuted at $979. On MSRP ($385 vs $979), the Core i7-9700K is $594 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 32.9 pts/$ for the Core i9-10980XE — making the Core i7-9700K the 12.9% better value option.