Core i7-980X vs Xeon E5-2448L
Core i7-980X
Xeon E5-2448L
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 i7-980X is positioned at rank 1052 and the Xeon E5-2448L is on rank 434, so the Xeon E5-2448L offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-980X
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2448L
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-980X | Xeon E5-2448L |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($150) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Gulftown (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-980X | Xeon E5-2448L |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($150) | ✅ 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 i7-980X and Xeon E5-2448L
Core i7-980X
The Core i7-980X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2010 (15 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: 6,817 points. Launch price was $959.
Xeon E5-2448L
The Xeon E5-2448L is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 20480 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 70 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,774 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Core i7-980X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-2448L offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-2448L has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-980X versus 2.1 GHz on the Xeon E5-2448L — a 52.6% clock advantage for the Core i7-980X (base: 3.33 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i7-980X uses the Gulftown (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E5-2448L uses Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-980X scores 6,817 against the Xeon E5-2448L's 6,774 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i7-980X. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-980X vs 20480 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2448L.
| Feature | Core i7-980X | Xeon E5-2448L |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 8 / 16+33% |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz+71% | 2.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.33 GHz+85% | 1.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total) | 20480 kB (total)+67% |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Gulftown (2010−2011) | Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) |
| PassMark | 6,817 | 6,774 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-980X uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5-2448L uses LGA1356 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-980X | Xeon E5-2448L |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | LGA1356 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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