Core i7-980 vs Ryzen 5 3500U

Core i7-980 vs Ryzen 5 3500U Performance Spectrum

Core i7-980

6 / 12

6,890

+0.8%

6,836

0.0%

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 5 3500U 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 5 3500U: 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

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $583 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 3500U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌766.7% higher power demand at 130W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 3500U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 3500U

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 130W, a 115W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 8, while Core i7-980 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,836 vs 6,890).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 12 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3500U better than Core i7-980?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 5 3500U is ahead with a 1.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-980 pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark. Core i7-980 also has the bigger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-980 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 3500U is still the much better call for a fresh build. Ryzen 5 3500U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $583 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-980 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (11.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1366.

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

Ryzen 5 3500U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2011). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core i7-980 vs Ryzen 5 3500U 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 5 3500U

The Ryzen 5 3500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,836 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-980 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3500U offers 4 cores / 8 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 5 3500U — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3500U (base: 3.33 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i7-980 uses the Gulftown (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3500U uses Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-980 scores 6,890 against the Ryzen 5 3500U's 6,836 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i7-980. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-980 vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3500U.

Feature	Core i7-980	Ryzen 5 3500U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz	3.7 GHz+3%
Base Clock	3.33 GHz+59%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+200%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	32 nm	12 nm-63%
Architecture	Gulftown (2010−2011)	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)
PassMark	6,890	6,836
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	3,545
Geekbench 6 Single	—	876
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,898

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-980 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 5 3500U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-980	Ryzen 5 3500U
Socket	LGA1366	FP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	12

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-980) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 3500U). The Ryzen 5 3500U includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 8), while the Core i7-980 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3500U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3500U rivals Core i5-10210U.