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 $3,453 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $3,838 MSRP).
✅Delivers 295.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 9.5 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $3,838 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 130W, a 35W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Xeon E7-8857 v2 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E7-8857 v2 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 36,304).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E7-8857 v2, which brings 12 cores / 12 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E7-8857 v2

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +37.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 12 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅150% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.5 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($3,838 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌36.8% higher power demand at 130W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Xeon E7-8857 v2

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,453 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $3,838 MSRP).
✅Delivers 295.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 9.5 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $3,838 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 130W, a 35W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Xeon E7-8857 v2 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +37.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 12 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 Xeon E7-8857 v2 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 36,304).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E7-8857 v2, which brings 12 cores / 12 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.5 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($3,838 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌36.8% higher power demand at 130W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E7-8857 v2 better than Core i7-9700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E7-8857 v2 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, Xeon E7-8857 v2 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 37.6% 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, Xeon E7-8857 v2 is the better fit. You are getting 152.2% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Xeon E7-8857 v2 is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Xeon E7-8857 v2 is 896.9% more expensive on MSRP at $3,838 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 37.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-9700K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 295.3% better value on paper (37.4 vs 9.5 PassMark/$), 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 i7-9700K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2014). 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 E7-8857 v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E7-8857 v2
1080p
low	308 FPS	178 FPS
medium	278 FPS	142 FPS
high	231 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	145 FPS
medium	221 FPS	113 FPS
high	178 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	67 FPS
medium	140 FPS	56 FPS
high	108 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon E7-8857 v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E7-8857 v2
1080p
low	360 FPS	328 FPS
medium	321 FPS	288 FPS
high	291 FPS	241 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	287 FPS
medium	282 FPS	258 FPS
high	258 FPS	217 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	174 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	188 FPS
medium	221 FPS	169 FPS
high	208 FPS	145 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	114 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon E7-8857 v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E7-8857 v2
1080p
low	360 FPS	908 FPS
medium	360 FPS	786 FPS
high	360 FPS	744 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	660 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	742 FPS
medium	360 FPS	622 FPS
high	360 FPS	589 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	520 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	467 FPS
medium	360 FPS	365 FPS
high	360 FPS	323 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	260 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon E7-8857 v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E7-8857 v2
1080p
low	360 FPS	908 FPS
medium	360 FPS	901 FPS
high	360 FPS	767 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	649 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	839 FPS
medium	360 FPS	718 FPS
high	360 FPS	607 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	507 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	581 FPS
medium	360 FPS	508 FPS
high	360 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	376 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon E7-8857 v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Xeon E7-8857 v2

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 E7-8857 v2

The Xeon E7-8857 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 36,304 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon E7-8857 v2 offers 12 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon E7-8857 v2 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E7-8857 v2 — a 30.6% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i7-9700K is built on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Xeon E7-8857 v2's 36,304 — a 86.4% lead for the Xeon E7-8857 v2. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 30 MB on the Xeon E7-8857 v2.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E7-8857 v2
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	12 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+36%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+20%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	30 MB+150%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	—
PassMark	14,397	36,304+152%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E7-8857 v2 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus 1600 on the Xeon E7-8857 v2 — the Xeon E7-8857 v2 supports 199% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E7-8857 v2 supports up to 1536 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 169.2% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-9700K) vs 4 (Xeon E7-8857 v2). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 40 (Xeon E7-8857 v2) — the Xeon E7-8857 v2 offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and C602J (Xeon E7-8857 v2).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E7-8857 v2
Socket	LGA1151	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	1600+39900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+8738033%	1536
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	40+150%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-9700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon E7-8857 v2 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Xeon E7-8857 v2 rivals Xeon E7-4850 v2.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon E7-8857 v2
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Xeon E7-8857 v2 debuted at $3838. On MSRP ($385 vs $3838), the Core i7-9700K is $3453 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 9.5 pts/$ for the Xeon E7-8857 v2 — making the Core i7-9700K the 119.2% better value option.