Core i7-9800X vs Xeon E7-8880 v3
Core i7-9800X
Xeon E7-8880 v3
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-9800X
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E7-8880 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-9800X | Xeon E7-8880 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($210) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EX (2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-9800X | Xeon E7-8880 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($210) | ✅ 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 i7-9800X and Xeon E7-8880 v3
Core i7-9800X
The Core i7-9800X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 16.5 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 18,128 points. Launch price was $589.
Xeon E7-8880 v3
The Xeon E7-8880 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EX (2015) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 18,244 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Core i7-9800X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E7-8880 v3 offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Xeon E7-8880 v3 has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i7-9800X versus 3.1 GHz on the Xeon E7-8880 v3 — a 36.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-9800X (base: 3.8 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core i7-9800X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E7-8880 v3 uses Haswell-EX (2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9800X scores 18,128 against the Xeon E7-8880 v3's 18,244 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon E7-8880 v3. L3 cache: 16.5 MB (total) on the Core i7-9800X vs 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E7-8880 v3.
| Feature | Core i7-9800X | Xeon E7-8880 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 18 / 36+125% |
| Boost Clock | 4.5 GHz+45% | 3.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.8 GHz+65% | 2.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 16.5 MB (total) | 45 MB (total)+173% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core)+300% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (server) (2017−2018) | Haswell-EX (2015) |
| PassMark | 18,128 | 18,244 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 13,067 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,372 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 7,552 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-9800X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E7-8880 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-9800X | Xeon E7-8880 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2066 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2666 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 44 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9800X) / not specified (Xeon E7-8880 v3). Primary use case: Core i7-9800X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i7-9800X rivals Ryzen 5 3600XT.
| Feature | Core i7-9800X | Xeon E7-8880 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | Yes | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Workstation | — |
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