Core i9-10980HK vs Xeon E-2378

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 Xeon E-2378 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 Xeon E-2378: 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

✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E-2378 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,037 vs 17,069).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E-2378, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads and 20 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E-2378

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads, plus 20 PCIe lanes vs 0.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $362 MSRP, while Core i9-10980HK mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E-2378 better than Core i9-10980HK?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E-2378 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i9-10980HK is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E-2378 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.6% 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, Xeon E-2378 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Xeon E-2378 is the better buy right now. Xeon E-2378 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $362 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (47.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Xeon E-2378 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020), more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i9-10980HK vs Xeon E-2378 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.

Xeon E-2378

The Xeon E-2378 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Rocket Lake-E (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 17,069 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i9-10980HK and Xeon E-2378 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-10980HK versus 4.8 GHz on the Xeon E-2378 — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Core i9-10980HK (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i9-10980HK uses the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E-2378 uses Rocket Lake-E (2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-10980HK scores 17,037 against the Xeon E-2378's 17,069 — a 0.2% lead for the Xeon E-2378. Both processors carry 16 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i9-10980HK	Xeon E-2378
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+6%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	2.6 GHz+8%
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake-H (2020)	Rocket Lake-E (2021)
PassMark	17,037	17,069
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,821
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	9,986

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10980HK uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E-2378 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i9-10980HK	Xeon E-2378
Socket	BGA1440	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	20