Ryzen 7 4980U vs Xeon W-1270

AMD

Ryzen 7 4980U

8 Cores16 Thrd15 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2021

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon W-1270

8 Cores16 Thrd80 WWMax: 5 GHz2020

Popular choices:

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.

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

  • +0.1% higher PassMark.
  • Draws 15W instead of 80W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-1270 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).

Xeon W-1270

2020

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +24.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (17,456 vs 17,469).
  • 433.3% higher power demand at 80W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 4980U better than Xeon W-1270?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-1270 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 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Ryzen 7 4980U still looks like the safer overall buy. Ryzen 7 4980U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 0.1% better PassMark.
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 a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetRyzen 7 4980UXeon W-1270
1080p
low171 FPS285 FPS
medium142 FPS252 FPS
high113 FPS212 FPS
ultra93 FPS182 FPS
1440p
low147 FPS238 FPS
medium120 FPS189 FPS
high96 FPS155 FPS
ultra79 FPS137 FPS
4K
low83 FPS164 FPS
medium73 FPS133 FPS
high57 FPS103 FPS
ultra45 FPS90 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetRyzen 7 4980UXeon W-1270
1080p
low198 FPS436 FPS
medium164 FPS398 FPS
high150 FPS347 FPS
ultra131 FPS307 FPS
1440p
low172 FPS436 FPS
medium146 FPS371 FPS
high136 FPS322 FPS
ultra115 FPS274 FPS
4K
low138 FPS298 FPS
medium122 FPS257 FPS
high115 FPS244 FPS
ultra99 FPS208 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetRyzen 7 4980UXeon W-1270
1080p
low437 FPS436 FPS
medium437 FPS436 FPS
high437 FPS436 FPS
ultra437 FPS436 FPS
1440p
low437 FPS436 FPS
medium437 FPS436 FPS
high437 FPS436 FPS
ultra420 FPS436 FPS
4K
low437 FPS436 FPS
medium388 FPS436 FPS
high340 FPS398 FPS
ultra277 FPS332 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetRyzen 7 4980UXeon W-1270
1080p
low437 FPS436 FPS
medium437 FPS436 FPS
high437 FPS436 FPS
ultra437 FPS436 FPS
1440p
low437 FPS436 FPS
medium437 FPS436 FPS
high437 FPS436 FPS
ultra430 FPS436 FPS
4K
low437 FPS436 FPS
medium415 FPS436 FPS
high363 FPS436 FPS
ultra309 FPS436 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 4980U and Xeon W-1270

AMD

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.

Intel

Xeon W-1270

The Xeon W-1270 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 17,456 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 7 4980U and Xeon W-1270 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4980U versus 5 GHz on the Xeon W-1270 — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Xeon W-1270 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Ryzen 7 4980U is built on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 4980U scores 17,469 against the Xeon W-1270's 17,456 — a 0.1% lead for the Ryzen 7 4980U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 4980U vs 16 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Xeon W-1270.

FeatureRyzen 7 4980UXeon W-1270
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
8 / 16
Boost Clock
4.4 GHz
5 GHz+14%
Base Clock
2 GHz
3.4 GHz+70%
L3 Cache
8 MB (total)
16 MB Intel® Smart Cache+100%
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
Process
7 nm-50%
14 nm
Architecture
Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021)
PassMark
17,469
17,456
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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 4980U uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon W-1270 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureRyzen 7 4980UXeon W-1270
Socket
FP6
LGA1200
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0