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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i9-9940X

2018

Why buy it

✅+1.1% higher PassMark.
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 20.3 vs 48.9 PassMark/$ ($1,387 MSRP vs $568 MSRP).
❌106.3% higher power demand at 165W vs 80W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Xeon E-2478 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Xeon E-2478

2023

Why buy it

✅+24.7% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Costs $819 less on MSRP ($568 MSRP vs $1,387 MSRP).
✅Delivers 141.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 48.9 vs 20.3 PassMark/$ ($568 MSRP vs $1,387 MSRP).
✅Draws 80W instead of 165W, a 85W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (27,776 vs 28,088).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Core i9-9940X

2018

Xeon E-2478

2023

Why buy it

✅+1.1% higher PassMark.
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Why buy it

✅+24.7% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Costs $819 less on MSRP ($568 MSRP vs $1,387 MSRP).
✅Delivers 141.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 48.9 vs 20.3 PassMark/$ ($568 MSRP vs $1,387 MSRP).
✅Draws 80W instead of 165W, a 85W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 20.3 vs 48.9 PassMark/$ ($1,387 MSRP vs $568 MSRP).
❌106.3% higher power demand at 165W vs 80W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Xeon E-2478 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (27,776 vs 28,088).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E-2478 better than Core i9-9940X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E-2478 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i9-9940X is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-9940X is the better fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads.

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

Xeon E-2478 is the smarter buy today. Xeon E-2478 is $819 cheaper on MSRP at $568 MSRP versus $1,387 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.3% average FPS lead across 11 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-9940X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.1% better PassMark. It is also 141.5% better value on MSRP (48.9 vs 20.3 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Xeon E-2478 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2018), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066, and 24.7% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 19 MB). That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

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 i9-9940X Benchmark Check

Xeon E-2478 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-9940X	Xeon E-2478
1080p
low	169 FPS	257 FPS
medium	149 FPS	246 FPS
high	119 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	222 FPS
medium	121 FPS	190 FPS
high	97 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	133 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	153 FPS
medium	70 FPS	130 FPS
high	55 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	88 FPS

Open Core i9-9940X Open Xeon E-2478

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-9940X	Xeon E-2478
1080p
low	499 FPS	616 FPS
medium	430 FPS	522 FPS
high	367 FPS	443 FPS
ultra	333 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	431 FPS	533 FPS
medium	378 FPS	467 FPS
high	326 FPS	398 FPS
ultra	284 FPS	342 FPS
4K
low	267 FPS	313 FPS
medium	233 FPS	280 FPS
high	219 FPS	267 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	232 FPS

Open Core i9-9940X Open Xeon E-2478

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-9940X	Xeon E-2478
1080p
low	702 FPS	646 FPS
medium	702 FPS	529 FPS
high	702 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	645 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	702 FPS	588 FPS
medium	659 FPS	489 FPS
high	624 FPS	425 FPS
ultra	554 FPS	369 FPS
4K
low	492 FPS	424 FPS
medium	414 FPS	369 FPS
high	371 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	306 FPS	285 FPS

Open Core i9-9940X Open Xeon E-2478

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-9940X	Xeon E-2478
1080p
low	702 FPS	694 FPS
medium	702 FPS	694 FPS
high	702 FPS	694 FPS
ultra	690 FPS	652 FPS
1440p
low	702 FPS	694 FPS
medium	702 FPS	694 FPS
high	649 FPS	608 FPS
ultra	567 FPS	535 FPS
4K
low	587 FPS	536 FPS
medium	532 FPS	490 FPS
high	476 FPS	438 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	382 FPS

Open Core i9-9940X Open Xeon E-2478

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9940X and Xeon E-2478

Core i9-9940X

The Core i9-9940X 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 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 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): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 28,088 points. Launch price was $1,387.

Xeon E-2478

The Xeon E-2478 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 27,776 points. Launch price was $568.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-9940X packs 14 cores / 28 threads, while the Xeon E-2478 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-9940X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i9-9940X versus 5.2 GHz on the Xeon E-2478 — a 14.4% clock advantage for the Xeon E-2478 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i9-9940X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E-2478 uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9940X scores 28,088 against the Xeon E-2478's 27,776 — a 1.1% lead for the Core i9-9940X. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-9940X vs 24 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2478.

Feature	Core i9-9940X	Xeon E-2478
Cores / Threads	14 / 28+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	5.2 GHz+16%
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+18%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	19.25 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+25%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	28,088+1%	27,776

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9940X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E-2478 uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i9-9940X versus DDR5-4800 on the Xeon E-2478 — the Xeon E-2478 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 4 (Core i9-9940X) vs 2 (Xeon E-2478). PCIe lanes: 44 (Core i9-9940X) vs 20 (Xeon E-2478) — the Core i9-9940X offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i9-9940X	Xeon E-2478
Socket	LGA2066	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	44+120%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i9-9940X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i9-9940X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Primary use case: Core i9-9940X targets Workstation, Xeon E-2478 targets Server.

Feature	Core i9-9940X	Xeon E-2478
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Workstation	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-9940X launched at $1387 MSRP, while the Xeon E-2478 debuted at $568. On MSRP ($1387 vs $568), the Xeon E-2478 is $819 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-9940X delivers 20.3 pts/$ vs 48.9 pts/$ for the Xeon E-2478 — making the Xeon E-2478 the 82.9% better value option.