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

✅Draws 95W instead of 175W, a 80W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Xeon w5-2445 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon w5-2445 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 32,213).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 26 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w5-2445, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.
❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while Xeon w5-2445 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon w5-2445

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+118.8% larger total L3 cache (26 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
✅300% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌84.2% higher power demand at 175W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Xeon w5-2445

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 95W instead of 175W, a 80W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Xeon w5-2445 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+118.8% larger total L3 cache (26 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
✅300% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon w5-2445 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 32,213).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 26 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w5-2445, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.
❌Launch MSRP is still $385 MSRP, while Xeon w5-2445 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌84.2% higher power demand at 175W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon w5-2445 better than Core i7-9700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon w5-2445 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 w5-2445 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.5% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon w5-2445 is the better fit. You are getting 123.7% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 118.8% larger total L3 cache (26 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Xeon w5-2445 is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Xeon w5-2445 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-9700K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (37.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Xeon w5-2445 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, 118.8% larger total L3 cache (26 MB vs 12 MB), more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 20 threads instead of 8/8, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 w5-2445 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2445
1080p
low	308 FPS	186 FPS
medium	278 FPS	155 FPS
high	231 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	151 FPS
medium	221 FPS	121 FPS
high	178 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	83 FPS
medium	140 FPS	71 FPS
high	108 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon w5-2445

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2445
1080p
low	360 FPS	585 FPS
medium	321 FPS	487 FPS
high	291 FPS	402 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	361 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	496 FPS
medium	282 FPS	430 FPS
high	258 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	307 FPS
medium	221 FPS	269 FPS
high	208 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	219 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon w5-2445

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2445
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	765 FPS
high	360 FPS	725 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	650 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	560 FPS
medium	360 FPS	458 FPS
high	360 FPS	417 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	338 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon w5-2445

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2445
1080p
low	360 FPS	805 FPS
medium	360 FPS	805 FPS
high	360 FPS	805 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	787 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	805 FPS
medium	360 FPS	805 FPS
high	360 FPS	726 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	621 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	681 FPS
medium	360 FPS	594 FPS
high	360 FPS	524 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon w5-2445

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Xeon w5-2445

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 w5-2445

The Xeon w5-2445 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 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 26.25 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 175 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 32,213 points. Launch price was $839.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon w5-2445 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon w5-2445 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4.6 GHz on the Xeon w5-2445 — a 6.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon w5-2445 uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Xeon w5-2445's 32,213 — a 76.4% lead for the Xeon w5-2445. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 26.25 MB on the Xeon w5-2445.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2445
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	10 / 20+25%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+7%	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+16%	3.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	26.25 MB+119%
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	32,213+124%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	15,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,822
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	10,719

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon w5-2445 uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus DDR5-4800 on the Xeon w5-2445 — the Xeon w5-2445 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon w5-2445 supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-9700K) vs 4 (Xeon w5-2445). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 64 (Xeon w5-2445) — the Xeon w5-2445 offers 48 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and W790 (Xeon w5-2445).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2445
Socket	LGA1151	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	2048 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	64+300%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-9700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon w5-2445 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon w5-2445). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon w5-2445 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop, Xeon w5-2445 targets Professional Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon w5-2445 rivals Threadripper 7945WX.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2445
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Desktop	Professional Workstation