Core i9-9980HK vs Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i9-9980HK

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.3% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

2021

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9980HK across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,787 vs 13,966).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $150 MSRP, while Core i9-9980HK mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Core i9-9980HK

2019

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.3% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9980HK across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,787 vs 13,966).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $150 MSRP, while Core i9-9980HK mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-9980HK better than Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G?

Yes. Core i9-9980HK is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 28.3% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.3% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-9980HK is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 28.3% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-9980HK is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i9-9980HK is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-9980HK is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $150 MSRP, and it gives you a 28.3% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (91.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2019). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

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

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-9980HK	Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
1080p
low	271 FPS	216 FPS
medium	246 FPS	179 FPS
high	207 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	101 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	185 FPS
medium	193 FPS	150 FPS
high	158 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	74 FPS
medium	137 FPS	64 FPS
high	106 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	40 FPS

Open Core i9-9980HK Open Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-9980HK	Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
1080p
low	349 FPS	306 FPS
medium	349 FPS	258 FPS
high	349 FPS	233 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	199 FPS
1440p
low	349 FPS	265 FPS
medium	349 FPS	228 FPS
high	349 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	323 FPS	177 FPS
4K
low	349 FPS	206 FPS
medium	310 FPS	184 FPS
high	291 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	131 FPS

Open Core i9-9980HK Open Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-9980HK	Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
1080p
low	349 FPS	345 FPS
medium	349 FPS	345 FPS
high	349 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	345 FPS
1440p
low	349 FPS	345 FPS
medium	349 FPS	345 FPS
high	349 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	300 FPS
4K
low	349 FPS	336 FPS
medium	349 FPS	287 FPS
high	349 FPS	250 FPS
ultra	322 FPS	196 FPS

Open Core i9-9980HK Open Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-9980HK	Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
1080p
low	349 FPS	345 FPS
medium	349 FPS	345 FPS
high	349 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	345 FPS
1440p
low	349 FPS	345 FPS
medium	349 FPS	345 FPS
high	349 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	345 FPS
4K
low	349 FPS	345 FPS
medium	349 FPS	345 FPS
high	349 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	325 FPS

Open Core i9-9980HK Open Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9980HK and Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

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.

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

The Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 13,787 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-9980HK packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i9-9980HK has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-9980HK versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G — a 17.4% clock advantage for the Core i9-9980HK (base: 2.4 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i9-9980HK uses the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G uses Cezanne (2021−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9980HK scores 13,966 against the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G's 13,787 — a 1.3% lead for the Core i9-9980HK. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9980HK vs 8 MB on the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G.

Feature	Core i9-9980HK	Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
Cores / Threads	8 / 16+100%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	5 GHz+19%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	4 GHz+67%
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)+100%	8 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-HR (2019)	Cezanne (2021−2025)
PassMark	13,966+1%	13,787

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9980HK uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.