Core i7-9700K vs Xeon E5-1680 v4

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

✅Better for gaming: +3.0% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 95W instead of 140W, a 45W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Xeon E5-1680 v4 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-1680 v4, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while Xeon E5-1680 v4 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E5-1680 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,945 vs 14,397).
❌47.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Xeon E5-1680 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.0% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 95W instead of 140W, a 45W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Xeon E5-1680 v4 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-1680 v4, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while Xeon E5-1680 v4 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,945 vs 14,397).
❌47.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-9700K better than Xeon E5-1680 v4?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-1680 v4 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-9700K is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-9700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 3.0% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-9700K is the better fit. You are getting 3.2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

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

Core i7-9700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-9700K is at an unclear MSRP at $385 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 3.0% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (37.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core i7-9700K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 8/16. 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

Xeon E5-1680 v4 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-1680 v4
1080p
low	308 FPS	178 FPS
medium	278 FPS	152 FPS
high	231 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	148 FPS
medium	221 FPS	123 FPS
high	178 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	65 FPS
medium	140 FPS	58 FPS
high	108 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon E5-1680 v4

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-1680 v4
1080p
low	360 FPS	349 FPS
medium	321 FPS	347 FPS
high	291 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	252 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	335 FPS
medium	282 FPS	303 FPS
high	258 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	219 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	216 FPS
medium	221 FPS	195 FPS
high	208 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	145 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon E5-1680 v4

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-1680 v4
1080p
low	360 FPS	349 FPS
medium	360 FPS	349 FPS
high	360 FPS	349 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	349 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	349 FPS
medium	360 FPS	349 FPS
high	360 FPS	349 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	349 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	349 FPS
medium	360 FPS	349 FPS
high	360 FPS	349 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	311 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon E5-1680 v4

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-1680 v4
1080p
low	360 FPS	349 FPS
medium	360 FPS	349 FPS
high	360 FPS	349 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	349 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	349 FPS
medium	360 FPS	349 FPS
high	360 FPS	349 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	349 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	349 FPS
medium	360 FPS	349 FPS
high	360 FPS	349 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	349 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon E5-1680 v4

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Xeon E5-1680 v4

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.

Xeon E5-1680 v4

The Xeon E5-1680 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-EP (2016) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 13,945 points. Launch price was $1,723.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, matching the Xeon E5-1680 v4's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4 GHz on the Xeon E5-1680 v4 — a 20.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-1680 v4 uses Broadwell-EP (2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Xeon E5-1680 v4's 13,945 — a 3.2% lead for the Core i7-9700K. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1680 v4.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-1680 v4
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+23%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+6%	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+67%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Broadwell-EP (2016)
PassMark	14,397+3%	13,945

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-1680 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-1680 v4
Socket	LGA1151	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) / not specified (Xeon E5-1680 v4). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon E5-1680 v4 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.