Core i7-980 vs Ryzen 3 1300X

Core i7-980 vs Ryzen 3 1300X Performance Spectrum

Core i7-980

6 / 12

6,890

0.0%

6,923

+0.5%

Athlon 300U

Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

About PassMark

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.

Core i7-980 vs Ryzen 3 1300X FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i7-980 vs Ryzen 3 1300X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i7-980

2011

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,890 vs 6,923).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.8 vs 53.7 PassMark/$ ($583 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 1300X.

Ryzen 3 1300X

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $454 less on MSRP ($129 MSRP vs $583 MSRP).
✅Delivers 354.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 53.7 vs 11.8 PassMark/$ ($129 MSRP vs $583 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-980 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 1300X better than Core i7-980?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-980 is ahead with a 10.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 1300X pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark. Core i7-980 also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 1300X is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Ryzen 3 1300X is the better buy right now. Ryzen 3 1300X comes in $454 cheaper on MSRP at $129 MSRP versus $583 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i7-980 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 10.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 354.1% better value on MSRP (53.7 vs 11.8 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 3 1300X makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i7-980 vs Ryzen 3 1300X Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i7-980

The Core i7-980 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Gulftown (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.33 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,890 points. Launch price was $1,109.

Ryzen 3 1300X

The Ryzen 3 1300X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 6,923 points. Launch price was $129.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-980 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 3 1300X offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core i7-980 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-980 versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 3 1300X — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 1300X (base: 3.33 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i7-980 uses the Gulftown (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 3 1300X uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-980 scores 6,890 against the Ryzen 3 1300X's 6,923 — a 0.5% lead for the Ryzen 3 1300X. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-980 vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 1300X.

Feature	Core i7-980	Ryzen 3 1300X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz	3.7 GHz+3%
Base Clock	3.33 GHz	3.4 GHz+2%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Gulftown (2010−2011)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	6,890	6,923
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	3,486
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,120
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	3,155

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-980 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 3 1300X uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-980	Ryzen 3 1300X
Socket	LGA1366	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-980) / AMD-V (Ryzen 3 1300X). Primary use case: Ryzen 3 1300X targets Gaming.

Feature	Core i7-980	Ryzen 3 1300X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Core i7-980 was priced at $583, while the Ryzen 3 1300X came in at $129. On launch pricing ($583 vs $129), Ryzen 3 1300X was $454 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-980 delivers 11.8 pts/$ vs 53.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 3 1300X — making the Ryzen 3 1300X the 127.8% better value option.

Feature	Core i7-980	Ryzen 3 1300X
MSRP	$583	$129-78%
Performance per Dollar	11.8	53.7+355%
Release Date	2011	2017

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