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: +13.9% higher average FPS across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,705 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $2,090 MSRP).
✅Delivers 305.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 9.2 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $2,090 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 135W, a 40W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Xeon E5-2690 v4 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 19,255).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 35 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2690 v4, which brings 14 cores / 28 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E5-2690 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅+33.7% higher PassMark.
✅+191.7% larger total L3 cache (35 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 14 cores / 28 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅150% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.2 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($2,090 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌42.1% higher power demand at 135W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Xeon E5-2690 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.9% higher average FPS across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,705 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $2,090 MSRP).
✅Delivers 305.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 9.2 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $2,090 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 135W, a 40W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Xeon E5-2690 v4 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+33.7% higher PassMark.
✅+191.7% larger total L3 cache (35 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 14 cores / 28 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅150% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 19,255).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 35 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2690 v4, which brings 14 cores / 28 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.2 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($2,090 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌42.1% higher power demand at 135W 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 E5-2690 v4?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2690 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 streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2690 v4 is the better fit. You are getting 33.7% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 191.7% larger total L3 cache (35 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i7-9700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-9700K is $1,705 cheaper on MSRP at $385 MSRP versus $2,090 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.9% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon E5-2690 v4 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 33.7% better PassMark. It is also 305.9% better value on MSRP (37.4 vs 9.2 PassMark/$), 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). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 E5-2690 v4 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-2690 v4
1080p
low	308 FPS	177 FPS
medium	278 FPS	154 FPS
high	231 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	148 FPS
medium	221 FPS	125 FPS
high	178 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	69 FPS
medium	140 FPS	61 FPS
high	108 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon E5-2690 v4

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-2690 v4
1080p
low	360 FPS	364 FPS
medium	321 FPS	330 FPS
high	291 FPS	279 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	224 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	313 FPS
medium	282 FPS	284 FPS
high	258 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	188 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	195 FPS
medium	221 FPS	178 FPS
high	208 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	120 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon E5-2690 v4

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-2690 v4
1080p
low	360 FPS	481 FPS
medium	360 FPS	481 FPS
high	360 FPS	481 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	481 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	481 FPS
medium	360 FPS	481 FPS
high	360 FPS	481 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	481 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	447 FPS
medium	360 FPS	363 FPS
high	360 FPS	331 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	277 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon E5-2690 v4

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-2690 v4
1080p
low	360 FPS	481 FPS
medium	360 FPS	481 FPS
high	360 FPS	481 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	481 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	481 FPS
medium	360 FPS	481 FPS
high	360 FPS	481 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	461 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	481 FPS
medium	360 FPS	470 FPS
high	360 FPS	416 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	358 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon E5-2690 v4

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Xeon E5-2690 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 E5-2690 v4

The Xeon E5-2690 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 35 MB. L2 cache: 3.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 135 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 19,255 points. Launch price was $2,090.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon E5-2690 v4 offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Xeon E5-2690 v4 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-2690 v4 — a 33.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2690 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Xeon E5-2690 v4's 19,255 — a 28.9% lead for the Xeon E5-2690 v4. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 35 MB on the Xeon E5-2690 v4.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-2690 v4
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	14 / 28+75%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+40%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+38%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	35 MB+192%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	3.5 MB+1300%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark	14,397	19,255+34%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2690 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Xeon E5-2690 v4 supports up to 1536 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 169.2% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-9700K) vs 4 (Xeon E5-2690 v4). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 40 (Xeon E5-2690 v4) — the Xeon E5-2690 v4 offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and Intel X99,Intel C612 (Xeon E5-2690 v4).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-2690 v4
Socket	LGA1151	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	1536 GB+1100%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	40+150%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) / not specified (Xeon E5-2690 v4). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon E5-2690 v4 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E5-2690 v4
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-2690 v4 debuted at $2090. On MSRP ($385 vs $2090), the Core i7-9700K is $1705 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 9.2 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-2690 v4 — making the Core i7-9700K the 120.9% better value option.