Core i9-9900K vs Xeon E5-2686 V3
Core i9-9900K
Xeon E5-2686 V3
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i9-9900K
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2686 V3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i9-9900K | Xeon E5-2686 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($331) | ✅ More affordable ($160) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i9-9900K | Xeon E5-2686 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+107%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($331) | ✅ More affordable ($160) |
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 i9-9900K and Xeon E5-2686 V3
Core i9-9900K
The Core i9-9900K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 18,109 points. Launch price was $488.
Xeon E5-2686 V3
The Xeon E5-2686 V3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4 2133 MHz Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 18,148 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Core i9-9900K packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Xeon E5-2686 V3 has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-9900K versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-2686 V3 — a 35.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-9900K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i9-9900K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9900K scores 18,109 against the Xeon E5-2686 V3's 18,148 — a 0.2% lead for the Xeon E5-2686 V3. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9900K vs 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2686 V3.
| Feature | Core i9-9900K | Xeon E5-2686 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 18 / 36+125% |
| Boost Clock | 5 GHz+43% | 3.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz+80% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB (total) | 45 MB (total)+181% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 18,109 | 18,148 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 10,000 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,033 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 8,649 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i9-9900K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Xeon E5-2686 V3 supports up to 768 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 142.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i9-9900K) vs 4 (Xeon E5-2686 V3). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i9-9900K) vs 40 (Xeon E5-2686 V3) — the Xeon E5-2686 V3 offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i9-9900K) and C612,X99 (Xeon E5-2686 V3).
| Feature | Core i9-9900K | Xeon E5-2686 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | LGA2011-3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2666 | DDR4-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | 768 GB+500% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 4+100% |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 40+150% |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-9900K) / Yes (Xeon E5-2686 V3). The Core i9-9900K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core i9-9900K | Xeon E5-2686 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel UHD Graphics 630 | — |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | Yes |
Value Analysis
The Core i9-9900K launched at $488 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 debuted at $1500. At current prices ($331 vs $160), the Xeon E5-2686 V3 is $171 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-9900K delivers 54.7 pts/$ vs 113.4 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-2686 V3 — making the Xeon E5-2686 V3 the 69.8% better value option.
| Feature | Core i9-9900K | Xeon E5-2686 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $488-67% | $1500 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $331 | $160-52% |
| Performance per Dollar | 54.7 | 113.4+107% |
| Release Date | 2018 | 2014 |
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