Ryzen 9 5980HS vs Xeon Gold 6138T

Ryzen 9 5980HS vs Xeon Gold 6138T Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 9 5980HS

8 / 16

20,257

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Xeon Gold 6138T

20 / 40

20,356

+0.5%

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.

Ryzen 9 5980HS vs Xeon Gold 6138T FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Ryzen 9 5980HS vs Xeon Gold 6138T: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Ryzen 9 5980HS

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 125W, a 90W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (8CU), while Xeon Gold 6138T needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,257 vs 20,356).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 28 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6138T, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.

Xeon Gold 6138T

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅+71.9% larger total L3 cache (28 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads, plus 48 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅200% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5980HS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $2,742 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5980HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌257.1% higher power demand at 125W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 5980HS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5980HS better than Xeon Gold 6138T?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon Gold 6138T makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 5980HS is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6138T is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 20 cores and 40 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 71.9% larger total L3 cache (28 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 5980HS is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Gold 6138T is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 9 5980HS comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $2,742 MSRP, and it still gives you a 28.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Xeon Gold 6138T is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.5% better PassMark. Xeon Gold 6138T is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (7.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 5980HS makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Ryzen 9 5980HS vs Xeon Gold 6138T Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Ryzen 9 5980HS

The Ryzen 9 5980HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 20,257 points. Launch price was $299.

Xeon Gold 6138T

The Xeon Gold 6138T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 25 April 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 27.5 MB. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 20,356 points. Launch price was $2,742.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 5980HS packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6138T offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon Gold 6138T has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5980HS versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6138T — a 25.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5980HS (base: 3 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5980HS uses the Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6138T uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5980HS scores 20,257 against the Xeon Gold 6138T's 20,356 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon Gold 6138T. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5980HS vs 27.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 6138T.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5980HS	Xeon Gold 6138T
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	20 / 40+150%
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+30%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+50%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	27.5 MB+72%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+2460%	20 MB
Process	7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	20,257	20,356
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,030
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	11,988

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 5980HS uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 6138T uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR4-4266 on the Ryzen 9 5980HS versus DDR4-2666 on the Xeon Gold 6138T — the Ryzen 9 5980HS supports 60% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6138T supports up to 768 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 2300% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 9 5980HS) vs 6 (Xeon Gold 6138T). PCIe lanes: 16 (Ryzen 9 5980HS) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 6138T) — the Xeon Gold 6138T offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5980HS	Xeon Gold 6138T
Socket	FP6	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR4-4266+60%	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	768 GB+2300%
RAM Channels	2	6+200%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	48+200%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Xeon Gold 6138T supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5980HS) vs Yes (Xeon Gold 6138T). The Ryzen 9 5980HS includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics (8CU)), while the Xeon Gold 6138T requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5980HS targets Mobile High-End.