Core i9-10980HK vs Core Ultra 5 228V

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 i9-10980HK vs Core Ultra 5 228V 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 i9-10980HK vs Core Ultra 5 228V: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i9-10980HK

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌164.7% higher power demand at 45W vs 17W.
❌Older platform position on BGA1440 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 228V moves to FCBGA2833 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 228V can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core Ultra 5 228V

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 17W instead of 45W, a 28W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA2833 with DDR5 support instead of BGA1440 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Arc 130V, while Core i9-10980HK needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10980HK across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,955 vs 17,037).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $295 MSRP, while Core i9-10980HK mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-10980HK better than Core Ultra 5 228V?

Yes. Core i9-10980HK is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 12.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.5% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-10980HK is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 12.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-10980HK is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i9-10980HK is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Core i9-10980HK comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $295 MSRP, and it still gives you a 12.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core Ultra 5 228V only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 12.7% in the shared gaming data.

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

Core Ultra 5 228V makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with FCBGA2833 and DDR5 instead of BGA1440. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i9-10980HK vs Core Ultra 5 228V Technical Specifications

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

Core i9-10980HK

The Core i9-10980HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,037 points. Launch price was $583.

Core Ultra 5 228V

The Core Ultra 5 228V is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 September 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 2.5 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2833. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 16,955 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-10980HK packs 8 cores / 16 threads, matching the Core Ultra 5 228V's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-10980HK versus 4.5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 228V — a 12.5% clock advantage for the Core i9-10980HK (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i9-10980HK uses the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 228V uses Lunar Lake (2024) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-10980HK scores 17,037 against the Core Ultra 5 228V's 16,955 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i9-10980HK. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-10980HK vs 8 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 228V.

Feature	Core i9-10980HK	Core Ultra 5 228V
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 8
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+13%	4.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+14%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)+100%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	2.5 MB (per core)+900%
Process	14 nm	3 nm-79%
Architecture	Comet Lake-H (2020)	Lunar Lake (2024)
PassMark	17,037	16,955
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,932
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,585
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	10,053

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10980HK uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 5 228V uses FCBGA2833 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i9-10980HK	Core Ultra 5 228V
Socket	BGA1440	FCBGA2833
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	—	LPDDR5X-8533
Max RAM Capacity	—	32 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	8

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-10980HK) / Yes (Core Ultra 5 228V). The Core Ultra 5 228V includes integrated graphics (Arc 130V), while the Core i9-10980HK requires a dedicated GPU.