Core i9-10980HK vs Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

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 i9-10980HK

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 105W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X.

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

2018

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Prism), unlike Core i9-10980HK.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (16,959 vs 17,037).
❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Core i9-10980HK mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 105W vs 45W.

Core i9-10980HK

2020

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 105W, a 60W reduction.

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Prism), unlike Core i9-10980HK.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (16,959 vs 17,037).
❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Core i9-10980HK mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 105W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-10980HK better than Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X?

Yes. Core i9-10980HK is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-10980HK is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-10980HK is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i9-10980HK is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-10980HK is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (51.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core i9-10980HK is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2018) 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.

Core i9-10980HK Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-10980HK	Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
1080p
low	267 FPS	223 FPS
medium	239 FPS	191 FPS
high	201 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	173 FPS	113 FPS
1440p
low	229 FPS	183 FPS
medium	185 FPS	150 FPS
high	151 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	85 FPS
4K
low	160 FPS	71 FPS
medium	130 FPS	63 FPS
high	100 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i9-10980HK Open Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-10980HK	Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
1080p
low	426 FPS	346 FPS
medium	359 FPS	305 FPS
high	312 FPS	270 FPS
ultra	273 FPS	240 FPS
1440p
low	406 FPS	316 FPS
medium	335 FPS	285 FPS
high	288 FPS	250 FPS
ultra	243 FPS	218 FPS
4K
low	271 FPS	232 FPS
medium	232 FPS	213 FPS
high	219 FPS	195 FPS
ultra	184 FPS	170 FPS

Open Core i9-10980HK Open Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-10980HK	Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
1080p
low	426 FPS	424 FPS
medium	426 FPS	424 FPS
high	426 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	426 FPS	424 FPS
1440p
low	426 FPS	424 FPS
medium	426 FPS	424 FPS
high	426 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	426 FPS	340 FPS
4K
low	426 FPS	391 FPS
medium	426 FPS	323 FPS
high	393 FPS	284 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	228 FPS

Open Core i9-10980HK Open Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-10980HK	Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
1080p
low	426 FPS	424 FPS
medium	426 FPS	424 FPS
high	426 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	426 FPS	424 FPS
1440p
low	426 FPS	424 FPS
medium	426 FPS	424 FPS
high	426 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	426 FPS	424 FPS
4K
low	426 FPS	424 FPS
medium	426 FPS	424 FPS
high	426 FPS	413 FPS
ultra	426 FPS	359 FPS

Open Core i9-10980HK Open Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-10980HK and Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

Core i9-10980HK

The Core i9-10980HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,037 points. Launch price was $583.

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

The Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 September 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 16,959 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i9-10980HK and Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-10980HK versus 4.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X — a 21.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-10980HK (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i9-10980HK uses the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-10980HK scores 17,037 against the Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X's 16,959 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i9-10980HK. Both processors carry 16 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i9-10980HK	Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+24%	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	3.6 GHz+50%
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Comet Lake-H (2020)	Zen+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	17,037	16,959
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,255
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	6,243

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10980HK uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.