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 $684 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $1,069 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 252W, a 157W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Xeon w5-2555X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon w5-2555X across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 47,638).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 34 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w5-2555X, which brings 14 cores / 28 threads and 112 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 44.6 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $1,069 MSRP).

Xeon w5-2555X

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +89.0% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+181.3% larger total L3 cache (34 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 14 cores / 28 threads, plus 112 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Delivers 19.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 44.6 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($1,069 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌
177.7% HIGHER MSRP
$1,069 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌165.3% higher power demand at 252W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Xeon w5-2555X

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $684 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $1,069 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 252W, a 157W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Xeon w5-2555X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +89.0% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+181.3% larger total L3 cache (34 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 14 cores / 28 threads, plus 112 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Delivers 19.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 44.6 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($1,069 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon w5-2555X across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 47,638).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 34 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w5-2555X, which brings 14 cores / 28 threads and 112 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 44.6 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $1,069 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌
177.7% HIGHER MSRP
$1,069 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌165.3% higher power demand at 252W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon w5-2555X better than Core i7-9700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon w5-2555X 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 w5-2555X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 89.0% more average FPS across 5 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon w5-2555X is the better fit. You are getting 230.9% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 181.3% larger total L3 cache (34 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Xeon w5-2555X is the smarter buy today. Xeon w5-2555X is 177.7% more expensive on MSRP at $1,069 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 89.0% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 19.2% better value on MSRP (44.6 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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 w5-2555X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2018), a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 181.3% larger total L3 cache (34 MB vs 12 MB), more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 28 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 w5-2555X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	308 FPS	323 FPS
medium	278 FPS	294 FPS
high	231 FPS	239 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	202 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	285 FPS
medium	221 FPS	232 FPS
high	178 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	196 FPS
medium	140 FPS	159 FPS
high	108 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	107 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon w5-2555X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	360 FPS	626 FPS
medium	321 FPS	519 FPS
high	291 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	384 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	517 FPS
medium	282 FPS	450 FPS
high	258 FPS	378 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	326 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	321 FPS
medium	221 FPS	281 FPS
high	208 FPS	258 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	228 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon w5-2555X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	360 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	360 FPS	1191 FPS
high	360 FPS	1136 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	875 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	360 FPS	953 FPS
high	360 FPS	859 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	656 FPS
medium	360 FPS	553 FPS
high	360 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	420 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon w5-2555X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	360 FPS	1191 FPS
medium	360 FPS	1015 FPS
high	360 FPS	982 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	847 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	1023 FPS
medium	360 FPS	883 FPS
high	360 FPS	767 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	653 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	733 FPS
medium	360 FPS	637 FPS
high	360 FPS	562 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Xeon w5-2555X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Xeon w5-2555X

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 w5-2555X

The Xeon w5-2555X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 33.75 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 252 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 47,638 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon w5-2555X offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Xeon w5-2555X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4.8 GHz on the Xeon w5-2555X — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.3 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 w5-2555X's 47,638 — a 107.2% lead for the Xeon w5-2555X. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 33.75 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Xeon w5-2555X.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2555X
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	14 / 28+75%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+2%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+9%	3.3 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	33.75 MB Intel® Smart Cache+181%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	—
PassMark	14,397	47,638+231%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon w5-2555X uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus 4800 on the Xeon w5-2555X — the Xeon w5-2555X supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon w5-2555X supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-9700K) vs 8 (Xeon w5-2555X). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 112 (Xeon w5-2555X) — the Xeon w5-2555X offers 96 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and W790 (Xeon w5-2555X).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2555X
Socket	LGA1151	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	4800+119900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+3276700%	4096
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	112+600%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Xeon w5-2555X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon w5-2555X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Xeon w5-2555X rivals Threadripper PRO 7965WX.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Xeon w5-2555X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	None
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
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 w5-2555X debuted at $1069. On MSRP ($385 vs $1069), the Core i7-9700K is $684 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 44.6 pts/$ for the Xeon w5-2555X — making the Xeon w5-2555X the 17.5% better value option.