Core i9-10980HK vs Xeon Gold 5117

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 Gold 5117 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 Gold 5117: 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: +21.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 105W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 19 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 5117, which brings 14 cores / 28 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon Gold 5117

2017

Why buy it

✅+20.3% larger total L3 cache (19 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 14 cores / 28 threads, plus 48 PCIe lanes vs 0.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10980HK across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,897 vs 17,037).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,286 MSRP, while Core i9-10980HK mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 105W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-10980HK better than Xeon Gold 5117?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon Gold 5117 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, Core i9-10980HK is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 21.7% 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 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i9-10980HK is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Gold 5117 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Core i9-10980HK comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,286 MSRP, and it still gives you a 21.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon Gold 5117 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (13.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Core i9-10980HK makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 14/28. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i9-10980HK vs Xeon Gold 5117 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 Gold 5117

The Xeon Gold 5117 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB. L2 cache: 14 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 16,897 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-10980HK packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5117 offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Xeon Gold 5117 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-10980HK versus 2.8 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5117 — a 58.2% clock advantage for the Core i9-10980HK (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i9-10980HK uses the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5117 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-10980HK scores 17,037 against the Xeon Gold 5117's 16,897 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i9-10980HK. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-10980HK vs 19.25 MB on the Xeon Gold 5117.

Feature	Core i9-10980HK	Xeon Gold 5117
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	14 / 28+75%
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+82%	2.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+20%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	19.25 MB+20%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	14 MB+5500%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake-H (2020)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	17,037	16,897

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10980HK uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 5117 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.