Core i9-8950HK vs Xeon E7540

Core i9-8950HK

6 Cores12 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.8 GHz2018

Xeon E7540

6 Cores12 Thrd105 WWMax: 2.27 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i9-8950HK

6 / 12

10,373

0.0%

10,376

0.0%

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 Xeon E7540 is on rank 986, so the Core i9-8950HK offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

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 i9-8950HK

#915

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1649%

#916

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1625%

#917

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1492%

#918

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1485%

#919

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1472%

#921

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1421%

#922

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1363%

#923

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1360%

#924

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1324%

#927

Core i9-8950HK

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#928

A8-6410

MSRP: $100|Avg: $40

100%

#933

Athlon X2 L310

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

98%

#939

FX-7600P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $45

96%

#940

Athlon II M300

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E7540

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

39661%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

7488%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

6653%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

5140%

#986

Xeon E7540

MSRP: $1980|Avg: $146

100%

#987

Xeon E7530

MSRP: $1391|Avg: $146

99%

#988

Xeon E5-4627 v4

MSRP: $2500|Avg: $200

99%

#989

Xeon E5-4627 v3

MSRP: $2225|Avg: $200

97%

#990

Xeon X5660

MSRP: $1219|Avg: $10

94%

#991

Xeon E5-2667

MSRP: $1552|Avg: $31

92%

#992

Xeon E5-2690

MSRP: $2057|Avg: $150

91%

#993

Xeon E3-1565L v5

MSRP: $1552|Avg: $120

90%

#994

Xeon L5640

MSRP: $996|Avg: N/A

89%

#995

Xeon L5335

MSRP: $380|Avg: $18

87%

#996

Xeon E5-4627 v2

MSRP: $2061|Avg: $70

87%

#997

Xeon E-2144G

MSRP: $2090|Avg: $389

86%

#998

Xeon X5675

MSRP: $1440|Avg: $22

85%

#999

Xeon Phi 7210

MSRP: $1881|Avg: $150

74%

#1000

Xeon D-1567

MSRP: $2702|Avg: $230

74%

#1001

Xeon E-2126G

MSRP: $2702|Avg: $230

74%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Core i9-8950HK (2018) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Core i9-8950HK	Xeon E7540
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($146)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E7540 (2010) relies on 45 nm technology and older memory, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Core i9-8950HK	Xeon E7540
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($146)

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 i9-8950HK Benchmark Check

Xeon E7540 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-8950HK and Xeon E7540

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.

Xeon E7540

The Xeon E7540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.27 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB L3 Cache. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1567. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 10,376 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i9-8950HK and Xeon E7540 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-8950HK versus 2.27 GHz on the Xeon E7540 — a 71.6% clock advantage for the Core i9-8950HK (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i9-8950HK is built on the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i9-8950HK scores 10,373 against the Xeon E7540's 10,376 — a 0% lead for the Xeon E7540. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i9-8950HK vs 18 MB L3 Cache on the Xeon E7540.

Feature	Core i9-8950HK	Xeon E7540
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+111%	2.27 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+45%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	18 MB L3 Cache+50%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019)	—
PassMark	10,373	10,376

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-8950HK uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E7540 uses LGA1567 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i9-8950HK	Xeon E7540
Socket	BGA1440	LGA1567
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1066
Max RAM Capacity	—	2 TB
RAM Channels	—	4
ECC Support	—	✅
PCIe Lanes	—	32