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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i9-10980XE

2019

Why buy it

✅+47.3% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅140% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,242 vs 2,886).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $979 MSRP, while Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌200% higher power demand at 165W vs 55W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 moves to FP11 and DDR5.

Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

2025

Why buy it

✅+132.4% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+29.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 165W, a 110W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP11 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 8050S, while Core i9-10980XE needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,500 vs 24,309).

Core i9-10980XE

2019

Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

2025

Why buy it

✅+47.3% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅140% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+132.4% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+29.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 165W, a 110W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP11 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 8050S, while Core i9-10980XE needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,242 vs 2,886).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $979 MSRP, while Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌200% higher power demand at 165W vs 55W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 moves to FP11 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,500 vs 24,309).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 better than Core i9-10980XE?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is ahead with a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-10980XE pulls ahead with 47.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 also has the bigger cache pool with 29.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-10980XE is the better fit. You are getting 47.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads.

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

Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i9-10980XE makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $979 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-10980XE is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 47.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i9-10980XE is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (32.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2019), a healthier platform with FP11 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066, and 29.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB). That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core i9-10980XE Benchmark Check

Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-10980XE	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
1080p
low	280 FPS	277 FPS
medium	249 FPS	243 FPS
high	206 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	234 FPS	233 FPS
medium	189 FPS	185 FPS
high	154 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	162 FPS
medium	134 FPS	129 FPS
high	106 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i9-10980XE Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-10980XE	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
1080p
low	550 FPS	684 FPS
medium	457 FPS	565 FPS
high	382 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	345 FPS	417 FPS
1440p
low	456 FPS	591 FPS
medium	394 FPS	514 FPS
high	336 FPS	422 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	360 FPS
4K
low	285 FPS	352 FPS
medium	247 FPS	311 FPS
high	229 FPS	286 FPS
ultra	200 FPS	251 FPS

Open Core i9-10980XE Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-10980XE	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
1080p
low	805 FPS	788 FPS
medium	805 FPS	788 FPS
high	805 FPS	706 FPS
ultra	805 FPS	594 FPS
1440p
low	805 FPS	788 FPS
medium	805 FPS	644 FPS
high	768 FPS	559 FPS
ultra	656 FPS	472 FPS
4K
low	596 FPS	562 FPS
medium	501 FPS	459 FPS
high	444 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	374 FPS	338 FPS

Open Core i9-10980XE Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-10980XE	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
1080p
low	805 FPS	788 FPS
medium	805 FPS	788 FPS
high	787 FPS	788 FPS
ultra	704 FPS	781 FPS
1440p
low	805 FPS	788 FPS
medium	722 FPS	768 FPS
high	630 FPS	673 FPS
ultra	552 FPS	590 FPS
4K
low	574 FPS	609 FPS
medium	510 FPS	541 FPS
high	457 FPS	486 FPS
ultra	402 FPS	426 FPS

Open Core i9-10980XE Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-10980XE and Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

Core i9-10980XE

The Core i9-10980XE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake-X (2019) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 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. Passmark benchmark score: 32,187 points. Launch price was $979.

Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

The Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Strix Halo (2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP11. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 31,508 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-10980XE packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-10980XE has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-10980XE versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 — a 4.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 (base: 3 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i9-10980XE uses the Cascade Lake-X (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 uses Strix Halo (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-10980XE scores 32,187 against the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385's 31,508 — a 2.1% lead for the Core i9-10980XE. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 24,309 vs 16,500 (38.3% advantage for the Core i9-10980XE). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,242 vs 2,886, a 79.7% lead for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 16,275 vs 14,136 (14.1% advantage for the Core i9-10980XE). L3 cache: 24.75 MB (total) on the Core i9-10980XE vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385.

Feature	Core i9-10980XE	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
Cores / Threads	18 / 36+125%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	5 GHz+4%
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.6 GHz+20%
L3 Cache	24.75 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+29%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Cascade Lake-X (2019)	Strix Halo (2025)
PassMark	32,187+2%	31,508
Cinebench R23 Multi	24,309+47%	16,500
Geekbench 6 Single	1,242	2,886+132%
Geekbench 6 Multi	16,275+15%	14,136

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10980XE uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 uses FP11 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2933 on the Core i9-10980XE versus LPDDR5x-8000 on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 — the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i9-10980XE supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Core i9-10980XE) vs 8 (Ryzen AI Max PRO 385). PCIe lanes: 48 (Core i9-10980XE) vs 20 (Ryzen AI Max PRO 385) — the Core i9-10980XE offers 28 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X299 (Core i9-10980XE) and Strix Halo platform (Ryzen AI Max PRO 385).

Feature	Core i9-10980XE	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
Socket	LGA2066	FP11
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	LPDDR5x-8000+25%
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB+100%	128 GB
RAM Channels	4	8+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	48+140%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: Yes (Core i9-10980XE) vs AMD-V (Ryzen AI Max PRO 385). The Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 includes integrated graphics (Radeon 8050S), while the Core i9-10980XE requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 targets Enterprise AI Mobile. Direct competitor: Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 rivals M3 Max.