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 i9-7980XE

2017

Why buy it

✅+4.6% higher PassMark.
✅57.1% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600X across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.8 vs 94.7 PassMark/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌57.1% higher power demand at 165W vs 105W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7600X moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.4% higher average FPS across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+29.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Costs $1,700 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 539.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 94.7 vs 14.8 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 165W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (28,325 vs 29,634).

Core i9-7980XE

2017

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅+4.6% higher PassMark.
✅57.1% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.4% higher average FPS across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+29.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Costs $1,700 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 539.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 94.7 vs 14.8 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 165W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600X across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.8 vs 94.7 PassMark/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌57.1% higher power demand at 165W vs 105W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7600X moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (28,325 vs 29,634).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7600X better than Core i9-7980XE?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 7600X is ahead with a 16.4% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7980XE pulls ahead with 4.6% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 7600X also has the bigger cache pool with 29.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7980XE is the better fit. You are getting 4.6% better PassMark, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 7600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 7600X is $1,700 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $1,999 MSRP, and it gives you a 16.4% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-7980XE is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 4.6% better PassMark. It is also 539.0% better value on MSRP (94.7 vs 14.8 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 7600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2017), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066, and 29.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB). That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 i9-7980XE Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-7980XE	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	167 FPS	266 FPS
medium	147 FPS	246 FPS
high	116 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	140 FPS	226 FPS
medium	120 FPS	189 FPS
high	95 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	78 FPS	157 FPS
medium	71 FPS	131 FPS
high	56 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i9-7980XE Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-7980XE	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	470 FPS	649 FPS
medium	405 FPS	524 FPS
high	355 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	411 FPS	544 FPS
medium	361 FPS	455 FPS
high	319 FPS	388 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	329 FPS
4K
low	265 FPS	341 FPS
medium	232 FPS	290 FPS
high	220 FPS	271 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	232 FPS

Open Core i9-7980XE Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-7980XE	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	636 FPS	708 FPS
medium	530 FPS	652 FPS
high	480 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	417 FPS	484 FPS
1440p
low	567 FPS	708 FPS
medium	479 FPS	554 FPS
high	432 FPS	479 FPS
ultra	377 FPS	409 FPS
4K
low	431 FPS	463 FPS
medium	354 FPS	392 FPS
high	319 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	262 FPS	281 FPS

Open Core i9-7980XE Open Ryzen 5 7600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-7980XE	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	741 FPS	708 FPS
medium	741 FPS	708 FPS
high	697 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	614 FPS	708 FPS
1440p
low	741 FPS	708 FPS
medium	680 FPS	708 FPS
high	578 FPS	658 FPS
ultra	501 FPS	571 FPS
4K
low	532 FPS	560 FPS
medium	479 FPS	502 FPS
high	422 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	365 FPS	391 FPS

Open Core i9-7980XE Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-7980XE and Ryzen 5 7600X

Core i9-7980XE

The Core i9-7980XE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 29,634 points. Launch price was $1,999.

Ryzen 5 7600X

The Ryzen 5 7600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 28,325 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-7980XE packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-7980XE has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i9-7980XE versus 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7600X — a 18.6% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600X (base: 2.6 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The Core i9-7980XE uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-7980XE scores 29,634 against the Ryzen 5 7600X's 28,325 — a 4.5% lead for the Core i9-7980XE. L3 cache: 24.75 MB (total) on the Core i9-7980XE vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7600X.

Feature	Core i9-7980XE	Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores / Threads	18 / 36+200%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.3 GHz+20%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	4.7 GHz+81%
L3 Cache	24.75 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+29%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	6 MB+500%
Process	14 nm	5 nm, 6 nm-64%
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	29,634+5%	28,325
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	15,300
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,900
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	13,800

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-7980XE uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i9-7980XE versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 5 7600X — the Ryzen 5 7600X supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 4 (Core i9-7980XE) vs 2 (Ryzen 5 7600X). PCIe lanes: 44 (Core i9-7980XE) vs 28 (Ryzen 5 7600X) — the Core i9-7980XE offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i9-7980XE	Ryzen 5 7600X
Socket	LGA2066	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-5200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	44+57%	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-7980XE) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 7600X). The Ryzen 5 7600X includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)), while the Core i9-7980XE requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-7980XE targets Workstation, Ryzen 5 7600X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 7600X rivals Intel Core i5-13600K.

Feature	Core i9-7980XE	Ryzen 5 7600X
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Workstation	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-7980XE launched at $1999 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 7600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($1999 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 7600X is $1700 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-7980XE delivers 14.8 pts/$ vs 94.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 7600X — making the Ryzen 5 7600X the 145.9% better value option.