Core i9-9980HK vs Opteron 6278

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 i9-9980HK

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +43.6% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 115W, a 70W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Opteron 6278, which brings 16 cores / 16 threads.

Opteron 6278

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9980HK across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,733 vs 13,966).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).
❌155.6% higher power demand at 115W vs 45W.

Core i9-9980HK

2019

Opteron 6278

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +43.6% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 115W, a 70W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Opteron 6278, which brings 16 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9980HK across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,733 vs 13,966).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).
❌155.6% higher power demand at 115W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-9980HK better than Opteron 6278?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Opteron 6278 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i9-9980HK is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-9980HK is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 43.6% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-9980HK is the better fit. You are getting 1.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i9-9980HK still looks like the safer overall buy. Core i9-9980HK is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 43.6% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Core i9-9980HK is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2012), 100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 16/16. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i9-9980HK Benchmark Check

Opteron 6278 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-9980HK	Opteron 6278
1080p
low	271 FPS	160 FPS
medium	246 FPS	139 FPS
high	207 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	91 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	134 FPS
medium	193 FPS	114 FPS
high	158 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	63 FPS
medium	137 FPS	56 FPS
high	106 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i9-9980HK Open Opteron 6278

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-9980HK	Opteron 6278
1080p
low	349 FPS	212 FPS
medium	349 FPS	191 FPS
high	349 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	143 FPS
1440p
low	349 FPS	185 FPS
medium	349 FPS	168 FPS
high	349 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	323 FPS	127 FPS
4K
low	349 FPS	151 FPS
medium	310 FPS	140 FPS
high	291 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	94 FPS

Open Core i9-9980HK Open Opteron 6278

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-9980HK	Opteron 6278
1080p
low	349 FPS	343 FPS
medium	349 FPS	343 FPS
high	349 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	340 FPS
1440p
low	349 FPS	343 FPS
medium	349 FPS	343 FPS
high	349 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	308 FPS
4K
low	349 FPS	343 FPS
medium	349 FPS	296 FPS
high	349 FPS	263 FPS
ultra	322 FPS	217 FPS

Open Core i9-9980HK Open Opteron 6278

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-9980HK	Opteron 6278
1080p
low	349 FPS	343 FPS
medium	349 FPS	343 FPS
high	349 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	343 FPS
1440p
low	349 FPS	343 FPS
medium	349 FPS	343 FPS
high	349 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	343 FPS
4K
low	349 FPS	343 FPS
medium	349 FPS	343 FPS
high	349 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	328 FPS

Open Core i9-9980HK Open Opteron 6278

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9980HK and Opteron 6278

Core i9-9980HK

The Core i9-9980HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 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: 13,966 points. Launch price was $583.

Opteron 6278

The Opteron 6278 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 May 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Interlagos (2011−2012) architecture. It features 16 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per module). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: G34. Thermal design power (TDP): 115 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 13,733 points. Launch price was $988.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-9980HK packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Opteron 6278 offers 16 cores / 16 threads — the Opteron 6278 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-9980HK versus 3.3 GHz on the Opteron 6278 — a 41% clock advantage for the Core i9-9980HK (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i9-9980HK uses the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Opteron 6278 uses Interlagos (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9980HK scores 13,966 against the Opteron 6278's 13,733 — a 1.7% lead for the Core i9-9980HK. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9980HK vs 8 MB (total) on the Opteron 6278.

Feature	Core i9-9980HK	Opteron 6278
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	16 / 16+100%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+52%	3.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)+100%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB (per module)+700%
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-HR (2019)	Interlagos (2011−2012)
PassMark	13,966+2%	13,733

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9980HK uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Opteron 6278 uses G34 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.