Core i9-7980XE vs Core i9-9990XE

Core i9-7980XE

18 Cores36 Thrd165 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2017

Core i9-9990XE

14 Cores28 Thrd255 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i9-7980XE

18 / 36

29,634

0.0%

30,162

+1.8%

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i9-7980XE

#284

Core i7-14701E

MSRP: $392|Avg: $380

464%

#284

Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $300

186%

#285

Core i5-10400

MSRP: $182|Avg: $175

462%

#286

Core i3-12100

MSRP: $122|Avg: $180

462%

#287

Core Ultra 9 285T

MSRP: $549|Avg: $549

454%

#288

Ryzen Threadripper 1950

MSRP: $999|Avg: $300

149%

#288

Core i5-12500TE

MSRP: $225|Avg: $225

450%

#289

Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE

MSRP: $108|Avg: $70

447%

#290

Core i9-10900KF

MSRP: $509|Avg: $336

446%

#291

Core i9-14900T

MSRP: $549|Avg: $577

446%

#291

Core i9-7900X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $188

141%

#292

Core i5-13500T

MSRP: $342|Avg: $342

446%

#293

Core i3-10300

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $140.49

446%

#294

Core i9-10900F

MSRP: $464|Avg: $300

445%

#294

Core i9-7920X

MSRP: $1199|Avg: $236

132%

#295

Ryzen 7 5800X3D

MSRP: $449|Avg: $429

445%

#295

Core i9-7940X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $275

123%

#296

Core i7-9700F

MSRP: $323|Avg: $200

444%

#297

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

MSRP: $1499|Avg: $1419

441%

#298

Core i9-7960X

MSRP: $1699|Avg: $185

111%

#298

Core i5-9500F

MSRP: $187|Avg: $154

438%

#299

Core i9-7980XE

MSRP: $1999|Avg: $300

100%

#299

Core i9-11900KB

MSRP: $539|Avg: $350

438%

#300

Core i7-10700F

MSRP: $310|Avg: $250

436%

#301

Core i7-10700T

MSRP: $355|Avg: $200

435%

#302

Core i7-6900K

MSRP: $1089|Avg: $1089

91%

#302

Celeron G5920

MSRP: $52|Avg: $40

435%

#303

Core i3-10105T

MSRP: $122|Avg: $122

432%

#303

Core i7-5960X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $83

90%

#304

Core i7-6950X

MSRP: $1723|Avg: $180

69%

#304

Celeron G5900

MSRP: $50|Avg: $42

431%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i9-9990XE

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

13781%

Core i9-9990XE

MSRP: $2000|Avg: N/A

100%

Xeon W-11855M

MSRP: $450|Avg: $200

257%

Xeon W-11955M

MSRP: $623|Avg: $450

231%

Xeon W-11865MLE

MSRP: $467|Avg: $350

226%

Xeon W-11865MRE

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

217%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

2602%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

2312%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

1786%

#16

EPYC 7302

MSRP: $978|Avg: $109

1777%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i9-9990XE delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i9-7980XE in both compute-intensive tasks (1.8% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i9-7980XE	Core i9-9990XE
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($300)	⚠️ Higher cost ($2,000)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Value Proposition: The Core i9-7980XE offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $300 (vs $2,000), it costs 85% less. While offering competitive performance, it results in a 555% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Core i9-9990XE.

Insight	Core i9-7980XE	Core i9-9990XE
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+555%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($300)	⚠️ Higher cost ($2,000)

Performance Check

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 i9-7980XE Benchmark Check

Core i9-9990XE Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-7980XE and Core i9-9990XE

Core i9-7980XE

The Core i9-7980XE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 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: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 29,634 points. Launch price was $1,999.

Core i9-9990XE

The Core i9-9990XE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 255 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 30,162 points. Launch price was $2,800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-7980XE packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the Core i9-9990XE offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Core i9-7980XE has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i9-7980XE versus 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-9990XE — a 14.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-9990XE (base: 2.6 GHz vs 4 GHz). Both are built on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture using a 14 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i9-7980XE scores 29,634 against the Core i9-9990XE's 30,162 — a 1.8% lead for the Core i9-9990XE. L3 cache: 24.75 MB (total) on the Core i9-7980XE vs 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-9990XE.

Feature	Core i9-7980XE	Core i9-9990XE
Cores / Threads	18 / 36+29%	14 / 28
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.1 GHz+16%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	4 GHz+54%
L3 Cache	24.75 MB (total)+29%	19.25 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	29,634	30,162+2%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,392
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	16,199

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA2066 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 4-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 44 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Core i9-7980XE	Core i9-9990XE
Socket	LGA2066	LGA2066
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	4	4
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	44	44

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Primary use case: Core i9-7980XE targets Workstation, Core i9-9990XE targets HEDT. Direct competitor: Core i9-9990XE rivals Threadripper 2970WX.