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: +30.9% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 95W instead of 120W, a 25W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Xeon w3-2423 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 15,797).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 15 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w3-2423, which brings 6 cores / 12 threads.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 44.0 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $359 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Xeon w3-2423 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Xeon w3-2423

2023

Why buy it

✅+9.7% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 6 cores / 12 threads.
✅Costs $26 less on MSRP ($359 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Delivers 17.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 44.0 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($359 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌26.3% higher power demand at 120W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Xeon w3-2423

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +30.9% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 95W instead of 120W, a 25W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Xeon w3-2423 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+9.7% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 6 cores / 12 threads.
✅Costs $26 less on MSRP ($359 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Delivers 17.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 44.0 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($359 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 15,797).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 15 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w3-2423, which brings 6 cores / 12 threads.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 44.0 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $359 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Xeon w3-2423 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌26.3% higher power demand at 120W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon w3-2423 better than Core i7-9700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon w3-2423 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 w3-2423 is the better fit. You are getting 9.7% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Xeon w3-2423 is the smarter buy today. Xeon w3-2423 is $26 cheaper on MSRP at $359 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you 9.7% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i7-9700K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 30.9% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 17.7% better value on MSRP (44.0 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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?

Xeon w3-2423 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2018), a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 25% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/8. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 w3-2423 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w3-2423
1080p
low	308 FPS	181 FPS
medium	278 FPS	150 FPS
high	231 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	146 FPS
medium	221 FPS	118 FPS
high	178 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	68 FPS
medium	140 FPS	58 FPS
high	108 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon w3-2423

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w3-2423
1080p
low	360 FPS	171 FPS
medium	321 FPS	149 FPS
high	291 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	117 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	152 FPS
medium	282 FPS	135 FPS
high	258 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	106 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	120 FPS
medium	221 FPS	109 FPS
high	208 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon w3-2423

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w3-2423
1080p
low	360 FPS	395 FPS
medium	360 FPS	395 FPS
high	360 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	395 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	395 FPS
medium	360 FPS	395 FPS
high	360 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	395 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	395 FPS
medium	360 FPS	395 FPS
high	360 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	277 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon w3-2423

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w3-2423
1080p
low	360 FPS	395 FPS
medium	360 FPS	395 FPS
high	360 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	395 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	395 FPS
medium	360 FPS	395 FPS
high	360 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	395 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	395 FPS
medium	360 FPS	395 FPS
high	360 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	371 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon w3-2423

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Xeon w3-2423

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 w3-2423

The Xeon w3-2423 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 February 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 15,797 points. Launch price was $359.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon w3-2423 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i7-9700K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4.2 GHz on the Xeon w3-2423 — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon w3-2423 uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Xeon w3-2423's 15,797 — a 9.3% lead for the Xeon w3-2423. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 15 MB on the Xeon w3-2423.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w3-2423
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+17%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+71%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	15 MB+25%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+700%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	14,397	15,797+10%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon w3-2423 uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w3-2423
Socket	LGA1151	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) / not specified (Xeon w3-2423). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon w3-2423 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w3-2423
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
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 w3-2423 debuted at $359. On MSRP ($385 vs $359), the Xeon w3-2423 is $26 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 44.0 pts/$ for the Xeon w3-2423 — making the Xeon w3-2423 the 16.2% better value option.