Ryzen 9 5980HS vs Xeon W-1290

Ryzen 9 5980HS vs Xeon W-1290 Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 9 5980HS

8 / 16

20,257

+0.7%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Xeon W-1290

10 / 20

20,112

0.0%

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 W-1290 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 W-1290: 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: +4.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 80W, a 45W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (8CU), while Xeon W-1290 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-1290, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.

Xeon W-1290

2020

Why buy it

✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5980HS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (20,112 vs 20,257).
❌Launch MSRP is still $498 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5980HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌128.6% higher power demand at 80W 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 W-1290?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon W-1290 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 gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 5980HS is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5980HS is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 5980HS is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon W-1290 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 9 5980HS comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $498 MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon W-1290 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (40.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2020) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 10/20. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Ryzen 9 5980HS vs Xeon W-1290 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 W-1290

The Xeon W-1290 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 20,112 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 5980HS packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon W-1290 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon W-1290 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5980HS versus 5.1 GHz on the Xeon W-1290 — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Xeon W-1290 (base: 3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5980HS uses the Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon W-1290 uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5980HS scores 20,257 against the Xeon W-1290's 20,112 — a 0.7% lead for the Ryzen 9 5980HS. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5980HS vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon W-1290.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5980HS	Xeon W-1290
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	10 / 20+25%
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	5.1 GHz+6%
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.2 GHz+7%
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+25%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021)	Comet Lake (2020−2025)
PassMark	20,257	20,112

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 5980HS uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon W-1290 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5980HS	Xeon W-1290
Socket	FP6	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR4-4266	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5980HS) / not specified (Xeon W-1290). The Ryzen 9 5980HS includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics (8CU)), while the Xeon W-1290 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5980HS targets Mobile High-End.