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 i9-9980XE

2018

Why buy it

✅+27.9% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+54.7% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7940H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,979 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7940H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌371.4% higher power demand at 165W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 7940H moves to FP8 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 7940H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 7940H

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +32.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 165W, a 130W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Core i9-9980XE needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,200 vs 22,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).

Core i9-9980XE

2018

Ryzen 9 7940H

2023

Why buy it

✅+27.9% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+54.7% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +32.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 165W, a 130W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Core i9-9980XE needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7940H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,979 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7940H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌371.4% higher power demand at 165W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 7940H moves to FP8 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 7940H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,200 vs 22,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7940H better than Core i9-9980XE?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 9 7940H is ahead with a 32.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-9980XE pulls ahead with 27.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i9-9980XE also has the bigger cache pool with 54.7% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-9980XE is the better fit. You are getting 27.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 54.7% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 7940H is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Ryzen 9 7940H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,979 MSRP, and it gives you a 32.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i9-9980XE only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (14.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA2066.

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

Ryzen 9 7940H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2018) and a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066. 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 i9-9980XE Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 7940H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen 9 7940H
1080p
low	168 FPS	268 FPS
medium	148 FPS	241 FPS
high	119 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	140 FPS	234 FPS
medium	120 FPS	191 FPS
high	96 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	76 FPS	160 FPS
medium	70 FPS	132 FPS
high	55 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core i9-9980XE Open Ryzen 9 7940H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen 9 7940H
1080p
low	498 FPS	502 FPS
medium	429 FPS	417 FPS
high	370 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	319 FPS
1440p
low	430 FPS	439 FPS
medium	377 FPS	385 FPS
high	329 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	286 FPS	282 FPS
4K
low	268 FPS	291 FPS
medium	234 FPS	267 FPS
high	222 FPS	251 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	216 FPS

Open Core i9-9980XE Open Ryzen 9 7940H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen 9 7940H
1080p
low	728 FPS	729 FPS
medium	728 FPS	729 FPS
high	728 FPS	729 FPS
ultra	645 FPS	650 FPS
1440p
low	728 FPS	729 FPS
medium	659 FPS	637 FPS
high	624 FPS	548 FPS
ultra	554 FPS	464 FPS
4K
low	492 FPS	534 FPS
medium	414 FPS	460 FPS
high	371 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	306 FPS	344 FPS

Open Core i9-9980XE Open Ryzen 9 7940H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen 9 7940H
1080p
low	728 FPS	729 FPS
medium	728 FPS	729 FPS
high	728 FPS	729 FPS
ultra	679 FPS	729 FPS
1440p
low	728 FPS	729 FPS
medium	728 FPS	729 FPS
high	639 FPS	716 FPS
ultra	558 FPS	631 FPS
4K
low	581 FPS	619 FPS
medium	525 FPS	553 FPS
high	469 FPS	496 FPS
ultra	409 FPS	434 FPS

Open Core i9-9980XE Open Ryzen 9 7940H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9980XE and Ryzen 9 7940H

Core i9-9980XE

The Core i9-9980XE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 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. Passmark benchmark score: 29,127 points. Launch price was $1,979.

Ryzen 9 7940H

The Ryzen 9 7940H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600. Passmark benchmark score: 29,151 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-9980XE packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the Ryzen 9 7940H offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-9980XE has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i9-9980XE versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7940H — a 14.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940H (base: 3 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i9-9980XE uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 9 7940H uses Phoenix (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9980XE scores 29,127 against the Ryzen 9 7940H's 29,151 — a 0.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 7940H. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 22,000 vs 17,200 (24.5% advantage for the Core i9-9980XE). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,459 vs 2,646, a 57.8% lead for the Ryzen 9 7940H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 12,177 vs 13,495 (10.3% advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940H). L3 cache: 24.75 MB (total) on the Core i9-9980XE vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7940H.

Feature	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen 9 7940H
Cores / Threads	18 / 36+125%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	5.2 GHz+16%
Base Clock	3 GHz	4 GHz+33%
L3 Cache	24.75 MB (total)+55%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Phoenix (2023−2024)
PassMark	29,127	29,151
Cinebench R23 Multi	22,000+28%	17,200
Geekbench 6 Single	1,459	2,646+81%
Geekbench 6 Multi	12,177	13,495+11%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9980XE uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 7940H uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i9-9980XE versus DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 9 7940H — the Ryzen 9 7940H supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 9 7940H supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Core i9-9980XE) vs 2 (Ryzen 9 7940H). PCIe lanes: 44 (Core i9-9980XE) vs 20 (Ryzen 9 7940H) — the Core i9-9980XE offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X299 (Core i9-9980XE) and FP7,FP7r2,FP8 (Ryzen 9 7940H).

Feature	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen 9 7940H
Socket	LGA2066	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-5600+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	44+120%	20

🔧

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 i9-9980XE) vs AMD-V, SVM (Ryzen 9 7940H). The Ryzen 9 7940H includes integrated graphics (Radeon 780M), while the Core i9-9980XE requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-9980XE targets HEDT / Workstation / Content Creation, Ryzen 9 7940H targets High-performance Gaming Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i9-9980XE rivals Ryzen Threadripper 2950X; Ryzen 9 7940H rivals Core i9-13900H.

Feature	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen 9 7940H
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon 780M
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V, SVM
Target Use	HEDT / Workstation / Content Creation	High-performance Gaming Laptop