Ryzen 7 4980U vs Xeon W-11855M

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.

Ryzen 7 4980U

2021

Why buy it

✅+0% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-11855M across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 18 MB).

Xeon W-11855M

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,462 vs 17,469).
❌Launch MSRP is still $450 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 4980U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.

Ryzen 7 4980U

2021

Xeon W-11855M

2021

Why buy it

✅+0% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-11855M across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 18 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,462 vs 17,469).
❌Launch MSRP is still $450 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 4980U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 4980U better than Xeon W-11855M?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-11855M makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 7 4980U is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 4980U is the better fit. You are getting 0% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 4980U is the smarter buy by a wide margin for any fresh desktop build. Ryzen 7 4980U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $450 MSRP, and it gives you 0% better PassMark. Xeon W-11855M only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop CPU, not because it is a serious desktop gaming option. It simply cannot keep up with modern games.

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

Ryzen 7 4980U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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.

Ryzen 7 4980U Benchmark Check

Xeon W-11855M Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 4980U	Xeon W-11855M
1080p
low	171 FPS	249 FPS
medium	142 FPS	230 FPS
high	113 FPS	192 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	165 FPS
1440p
low	147 FPS	222 FPS
medium	120 FPS	186 FPS
high	96 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	132 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	154 FPS
medium	73 FPS	131 FPS
high	57 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	89 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 4980U Open Xeon W-11855M

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 4980U	Xeon W-11855M
1080p
low	198 FPS	437 FPS
medium	164 FPS	403 FPS
high	150 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	131 FPS	302 FPS
1440p
low	172 FPS	407 FPS
medium	146 FPS	344 FPS
high	136 FPS	297 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	259 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	269 FPS
medium	122 FPS	233 FPS
high	115 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	181 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 4980U Open Xeon W-11855M

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 4980U	Xeon W-11855M
1080p
low	437 FPS	437 FPS
medium	437 FPS	437 FPS
high	437 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	383 FPS
1440p
low	437 FPS	437 FPS
medium	437 FPS	437 FPS
high	437 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	420 FPS	333 FPS
4K
low	437 FPS	393 FPS
medium	388 FPS	341 FPS
high	340 FPS	295 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	231 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 4980U Open Xeon W-11855M

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 4980U	Xeon W-11855M
1080p
low	437 FPS	437 FPS
medium	437 FPS	437 FPS
high	437 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	437 FPS
1440p
low	437 FPS	437 FPS
medium	437 FPS	437 FPS
high	437 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	437 FPS
4K
low	437 FPS	437 FPS
medium	415 FPS	437 FPS
high	363 FPS	410 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	352 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 4980U Open Xeon W-11855M

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 4980U and Xeon W-11855M

Ryzen 7 4980U

The Ryzen 7 4980U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 April 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,469 points. Launch price was $299.

Xeon W-11855M

The Xeon W-11855M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-H (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1787. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,462 points. Launch price was $450.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 4980U packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon W-11855M offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 7 4980U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4980U versus 4.9 GHz on the Xeon W-11855M — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Xeon W-11855M (base: 2 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 7 4980U uses the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon W-11855M uses Tiger Lake-H (2021) (10 nm SuperFin). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 4980U scores 17,469 against the Xeon W-11855M's 17,462 — a 0% lead for the Ryzen 7 4980U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 4980U vs 18 MB (total) on the Xeon W-11855M.

Feature	Ryzen 7 4980U	Xeon W-11855M
Cores / Threads	8 / 16+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.9 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2 GHz	3.2 GHz+60%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	18 MB (total)+125%
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+150%
Process	7 nm-30%	10 nm SuperFin
Architecture	Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021)	Tiger Lake-H (2021)
PassMark	17,469	17,462

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 4980U uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon W-11855M uses FCBGA1787 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.