Core i9-9980HK vs Xeon E5-1680 v4

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.

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 i9-9980HK

#207

Core i9-9980HK

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1680 v4

#178

Xeon Silver 4510

MSRP: $563|Avg: $563

104%

#179

Xeon W-3223

MSRP: $294|Avg: $294

103%

#182

EPYC Embedded 8224P

MSRP: $855|Avg: $1048

102%

#187

Xeon Gold 5520+

MSRP: $1083|Avg: $764

101%

#188

EPYC 8124P

MSRP: $639|Avg: $639

101%

#192

Xeon E5-1680 v4

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#196

Xeon 6515P

MSRP: $740|Avg: $886

99%

#201

Xeon Gold 6248R

MSRP: $2700|Avg: N/A

98%

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 i9-9980HK (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Core i9-9980HK	Xeon E5-1680 v4
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-HR (2019) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-EP (2016) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E5-1680 v4 (2016) relies on 14 nm technology and DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Core i9-9980HK	Xeon E5-1680 v4
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 i9-9980HK Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-1680 v4 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9980HK and Xeon E5-1680 v4

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.

Xeon E5-1680 v4

The Xeon E5-1680 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-EP (2016) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 13,945 points. Launch price was $1,723.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i9-9980HK and Xeon E5-1680 v4 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-9980HK versus 4 GHz on the Xeon E5-1680 v4 — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Core i9-9980HK (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i9-9980HK uses the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-1680 v4 uses Broadwell-EP (2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9980HK scores 13,966 against the Xeon E5-1680 v4's 13,945 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i9-9980HK. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9980HK vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1680 v4.

Feature	Core i9-9980HK	Xeon E5-1680 v4
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz+25%	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	3.4 GHz+42%
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+25%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-HR (2019)	Broadwell-EP (2016)
PassMark	13,966	13,945

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9980HK uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-1680 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.