Core i7-980 vs Xeon E-2124
Core i7-980
Xeon E-2124
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i7-980 is positioned at rank 966 and the Xeon E-2124 is on rank 305, so the Xeon E-2124 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-980
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E-2124
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-980 | Xeon E-2124 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Gulftown (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-980 | Xeon E-2124 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-980 and Xeon E-2124
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.
Xeon E-2124
The Xeon E-2124 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 31 May 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 71 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 6,915 points. Launch price was $193.
Processing Power
The Core i7-980 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E-2124 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 4.3 GHz on the Xeon E-2124 — a 17.7% clock advantage for the Xeon E-2124 (base: 3.33 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i7-980 uses the Gulftown (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E-2124 uses Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-980 scores 6,890 against the Xeon E-2124's 6,915 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon E-2124. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-980 vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2124.
| Feature | Core i7-980 | Xeon E-2124 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12+50% | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz | 4.3 GHz+19% |
| Base Clock | 3.33 GHz | 3.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total)+50% | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Gulftown (2010−2011) | Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) |
| PassMark | 6,890 | 6,915 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-980 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E-2124 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-980 | Xeon E-2124 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
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