Core i9-7920X vs Ryzen 9 5980HX

Core i9-7920X vs Ryzen 9 5980HX Performance Spectrum

Core i9-7920X

12 / 24

23,508

+0.9%

23,300

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

Core i9-7920X vs Ryzen 9 5980HX 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 i9-7920X vs Ryzen 9 5980HX: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i9-7920X

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5980HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,199 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5980HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌211.1% higher power demand at 140W vs 45W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 5980HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 5980HX

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 140W, a 95W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (8CU), while Core i9-7920X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (23,300 vs 23,508).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5980HX better than Core i9-7920X?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 9 5980HX is ahead with a 19.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7920X pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7920X is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 5980HX is still the much better call for a fresh build. Ryzen 9 5980HX comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,199 MSRP, and it still gives you a 19.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i9-7920X only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2017 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (19.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA2066.

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

Ryzen 9 5980HX makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core i9-7920X vs Ryzen 9 5980HX Technical Specifications

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

Core i9-7920X

The Core i9-7920X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 September 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 16.5 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 23,508 points. Launch price was $1,199.

Ryzen 9 5980HX

The Ryzen 9 5980HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 23,300 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-7920X packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5980HX offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-7920X has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i9-7920X versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5980HX — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5980HX (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i9-7920X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5980HX uses Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-7920X scores 23,508 against the Ryzen 9 5980HX's 23,300 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i9-7920X. L3 cache: 16.5 MB (total) on the Core i9-7920X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5980HX.

Feature	Core i9-7920X	Ryzen 9 5980HX
Cores / Threads	12 / 24+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.3 GHz+14%
L3 Cache	16.5 MB (total)+3%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	23,508	23,300

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-7920X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 5980HX uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i9-7920X	Ryzen 9 5980HX
Socket	LGA2066	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	LPDDR4-4266
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-7920X) / AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5980HX). The Ryzen 9 5980HX includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics (8CU)), while the Core i9-7920X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5980HX targets Mobile High-End.