Xeon W-1290 vs Core i7-9700K
Xeon W-1290
Core i7-9700K
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon W-1290
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-9700K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon W-1290 | Core i7-9700K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($300) | ✅ More affordable ($200) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Comet Lake (2020−2025) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon W-1290 | Core i7-9700K |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+7%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($300) | ✅ More affordable ($200) |
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 W-1290 and Core i7-9700K
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.
Core i7-9700K
The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.
Processing Power
The Xeon W-1290 packs 10 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i7-9700K offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon W-1290 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Xeon W-1290 versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K — a 4% clock advantage for the Xeon W-1290 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Xeon W-1290 uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-9700K uses Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon W-1290 scores 20,112 against the Core i7-9700K's 14,397 — a 33.1% lead for the Xeon W-1290. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Xeon W-1290 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K.
| Feature | Xeon W-1290 | Core i7-9700K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 10 / 20+25% | 8 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 5.1 GHz+4% | 4.9 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.6 GHz+12% |
| L3 Cache | 20 MB (total)+67% | 12 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Comet Lake (2020−2025) | Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) |
| PassMark | 20,112+40% | 14,397 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon W-1290 uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-9700K uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon W-1290 | Core i7-9700K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1200 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2666 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon W-1290) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon W-1290 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.
| Feature | Xeon W-1290 | Core i7-9700K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | UHD Graphics 630 |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
Value Analysis
The Xeon W-1290 launched at $498 MSRP, while the Core i7-9700K debuted at $385. At current prices ($300 vs $200), the Core i7-9700K is $100 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon W-1290 delivers 67.0 pts/$ vs 72.0 pts/$ for the Core i7-9700K — making the Core i7-9700K the 7.1% better value option.
| Feature | Xeon W-1290 | Core i7-9700K |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $498 | $385-23% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $300 | $200-33% |
| Performance per Dollar | 67.0 | 72.0+7% |
| Release Date | 2020 | 2018 |
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