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 i9-13980HX

2023

Why buy it

✅+34% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 55W instead of 120W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 7800X3D across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 68.8 vs 76.4 PassMark/$ ($668 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +25.9% higher average FPS across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $219 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $668 MSRP).
✅Delivers 11.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 76.4 vs 68.8 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $668 MSRP).
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (34,293 vs 45,950).
❌118.2% higher power demand at 120W vs 55W.

Core i9-13980HX

2023

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅+34% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 55W instead of 120W, a 65W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +25.9% higher average FPS across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $219 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $668 MSRP).
✅Delivers 11.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 76.4 vs 68.8 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $668 MSRP).
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 7800X3D across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 68.8 vs 76.4 PassMark/$ ($668 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (34,293 vs 45,950).
❌118.2% higher power demand at 120W vs 55W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 7800X3D better than Core i9-13980HX?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 7 7800X3D is ahead with a 25.9% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13980HX pulls ahead with 34% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 7800X3D also has the bigger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 36 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13980HX is the better fit. You are getting 34% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 32 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 7800X3D is $219 cheaper on MSRP at $449 MSRP versus $668 MSRP, and it gives you a 25.9% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-13980HX is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 34% better PassMark. It is also 11.0% better value on MSRP (76.4 vs 68.8 PassMark/$), 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 7 7800X3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 3D V-Cache and a much larger 96 MB L3 cache instead of 36 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 i9-13980HX Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 7800X3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-13980HX	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1080p
low	321 FPS	266 FPS
medium	311 FPS	247 FPS
high	247 FPS	211 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	186 FPS
1440p
low	278 FPS	258 FPS
medium	240 FPS	215 FPS
high	178 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	158 FPS	154 FPS
4K
low	192 FPS	179 FPS
medium	164 FPS	149 FPS
high	123 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	100 FPS

Open Core i9-13980HX Open Ryzen 7 7800X3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-13980HX	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1080p
low	497 FPS	857 FPS
medium	434 FPS	737 FPS
high	354 FPS	580 FPS
ultra	313 FPS	493 FPS
1440p
low	422 FPS	722 FPS
medium	380 FPS	611 FPS
high	316 FPS	500 FPS
ultra	257 FPS	398 FPS
4K
low	236 FPS	396 FPS
medium	216 FPS	339 FPS
high	205 FPS	315 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	273 FPS

Open Core i9-13980HX Open Ryzen 7 7800X3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-13980HX	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1080p
low	762 FPS	857 FPS
medium	626 FPS	857 FPS
high	543 FPS	857 FPS
ultra	467 FPS	857 FPS
1440p
low	680 FPS	857 FPS
medium	567 FPS	851 FPS
high	485 FPS	786 FPS
ultra	423 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	497 FPS	558 FPS
medium	430 FPS	479 FPS
high	383 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	362 FPS

Open Core i9-13980HX Open Ryzen 7 7800X3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-13980HX	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1080p
low	1012 FPS	857 FPS
medium	905 FPS	857 FPS
high	792 FPS	857 FPS
ultra	704 FPS	782 FPS
1440p
low	840 FPS	857 FPS
medium	739 FPS	760 FPS
high	646 FPS	669 FPS
ultra	568 FPS	576 FPS
4K
low	620 FPS	618 FPS
medium	555 FPS	556 FPS
high	491 FPS	495 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	428 FPS

Open Core i9-13980HX Open Ryzen 7 7800X3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-13980HX and Ryzen 7 7800X3D

Core i9-13980HX

The Core i9-13980HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-HX (2023) architecture. It features 24 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.5 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 45,950 points. Launch price was $668.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 34,293 points. Launch price was $449.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-13980HX packs 24 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-13980HX has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.5 GHz on the Core i9-13980HX versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Core i9-13980HX (base: 2.2 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The Core i9-13980HX uses the Raptor Lake-HX (2023) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-13980HX scores 45,950 against the Ryzen 7 7800X3D's 34,293 — a 29.1% lead for the Core i9-13980HX. L3 cache: 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-13980HX vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D.

Feature	Core i9-13980HX	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Cores / Threads	24 / 32+200%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.5 GHz+10%	5 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	4.4 GHz+100%
L3 Cache	36 MB (total)	96 MB (total)+167%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-HX (2023)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	45,950+34%	34,293
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	18,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,700
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	15,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-13980HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 5600 on the Core i9-13980HX versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — the Core i9-13980HX supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i9-13980HX supports up to 192 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i9-13980HX) vs 28 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D) — the Ryzen 7 7800X3D offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Raptor Lake-HX (Core i9-13980HX) and X670E,X670,B650E,B650,A620 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D).

Feature	Core i9-13980HX	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Socket	FCBGA1964	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	5600+111900%	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	192	128 GB+69904967%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

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 i9-13980HX) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 7800X3D). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics (Core i9-13980HX) and AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core) (Ryzen 7 7800X3D) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 7800X3D targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i9-13980HX rivals Ryzen 9 7945HX; Ryzen 7 7800X3D rivals Intel Core i7-14700K.

Feature	Core i9-13980HX	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-13980HX launched at $668 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D debuted at $449. On MSRP ($668 vs $449), the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is $219 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-13980HX delivers 68.8 pts/$ vs 76.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — making the Ryzen 7 7800X3D the 10.5% better value option.