CPU
GPU
Core i9-8950HK
Core i7-5930K
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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. The Core i9-8950HK is positioned at rank 927 and the Core i7-5930K is on rank 849, so the Core i7-5930K offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i9-8950HK
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-5930K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i9-8950HK | Core i7-5930K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($410) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-E (2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i9-8950HK | Core i7-5930K |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($410) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-8950HK and Core i7-5930K
Core i9-8950HK
The Core i9-8950HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,373 points. Launch price was $583.
Core i7-5930K
The Core i7-5930K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-E (2014) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,369 points. Launch price was $613.
Processing Power
Both the Core i9-8950HK and Core i7-5930K share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-8950HK versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-5930K — a 25.9% clock advantage for the Core i9-8950HK (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i9-8950HK uses the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-5930K uses Haswell-E (2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-8950HK scores 10,373 against the Core i7-5930K's 10,369 — a 0% lead for the Core i9-8950HK. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i9-8950HK vs 15 MB (total) on the Core i7-5930K.
| Feature | Core i9-8950HK | Core i7-5930K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 4.8 GHz+30% | 3.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.9 GHz | 3.5 GHz+21% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total) | 15 MB (total)+25% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) | Haswell-E (2014) |
| PassMark | 10,373 | 10,369 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,000 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 6,000 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i9-8950HK uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-5930K uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i9-8950HK | Core i7-5930K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1440 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 4 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 40 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-8950HK) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-5930K). Primary use case: Core i7-5930K targets High End Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i7-5930K rivals Ryzen 5 1600.
| Feature | Core i9-8950HK | Core i7-5930K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | High End Desktop |
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