CPU
GPU
Xeon E7540
Core i9-8950HK
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
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. The Xeon E7540 is positioned at rank 986 and the Core i9-8950HK is on rank 927, so the Core i9-8950HK offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E7540
Performance Per Dollar Core i9-8950HK
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E7540 | Core i9-8950HK |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($146) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 45 nm) | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E7540 | Core i9-8950HK |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($146) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E7540 and Core i9-8950HK
Xeon E7540
The Xeon E7540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.27 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB L3 Cache. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1567. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 10,376 points. Launch price was $800.
Core i9-8950HK
The Core i9-8950HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 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: 10,373 points. Launch price was $583.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon E7540 and Core i9-8950HK share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.27 GHz on the Xeon E7540 versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-8950HK — a 71.6% clock advantage for the Core i9-8950HK (base: 2 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core i9-8950HK is built on the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E7540 scores 10,376 against the Core i9-8950HK's 10,373 — a 0% lead for the Xeon E7540. L3 cache: 18 MB L3 Cache on the Xeon E7540 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i9-8950HK.
| Feature | Xeon E7540 | Core i9-8950HK |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 2.27 GHz | 4.8 GHz+111% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | 2.9 GHz+45% |
| L3 Cache | 18 MB L3 Cache+50% | 12 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | — | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 14 nm-69% |
| Architecture | — | Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) |
| PassMark | 10,376 | 10,373 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E7540 uses the LGA1567 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i9-8950HK uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E7540 | Core i9-8950HK |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1567 | BGA1440 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2 TB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 32 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E7540) / not specified (Core i9-8950HK). Primary use case: Xeon E7540 targets Server.
| Feature | Xeon E7540 | Core i9-8950HK |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Server | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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