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 i9-9990XE

2019

Why buy it

✅+39.8% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+20.3% larger total L3 cache (19 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 7940HS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $2,000 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7940HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌628.6% higher power demand at 255W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 7940HS moves to FP8 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 7940HS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 7940HS

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.3% higher average FPS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 255W, a 220W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Core i9-9990XE needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Core i9-9990XE.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (11,591 vs 16,199).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 19 MB).

Core i9-9990XE

2019

Ryzen 9 7940HS

2023

Why buy it

✅+39.8% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+20.3% larger total L3 cache (19 MB vs 16 MB).
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.3% higher average FPS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 255W, a 220W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Core i9-9990XE needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Core i9-9990XE.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7940HS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $2,000 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7940HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌628.6% higher power demand at 255W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 7940HS moves to FP8 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 7940HS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (11,591 vs 16,199).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 19 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7940HS better than Core i9-9990XE?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 9 7940HS is ahead with a 5.3% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-9990XE pulls ahead with 39.8% better Geekbench multi-core. Core i9-9990XE also has the bigger cache pool with 20.3% larger total L3 cache (19 MB vs 16 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-9990XE is the better fit. You are getting 39.8% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 20.3% larger total L3 cache (19 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 7940HS is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i9-9990XE makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 7940HS is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $2,000 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.3% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-9990XE is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 39.8% better Geekbench multi-core. Core i9-9990XE is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (15.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 7940HS is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2019) 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 i9-9990XE Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 7940HS Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-9990XE	Ryzen 9 7940HS
1080p
low	328 FPS	267 FPS
medium	288 FPS	242 FPS
high	238 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	275 FPS	235 FPS
medium	220 FPS	193 FPS
high	178 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	142 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	172 FPS	163 FPS
medium	138 FPS	136 FPS
high	108 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	92 FPS

Open Core i9-9990XE Open Ryzen 9 7940HS

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-9990XE	Ryzen 9 7940HS
1080p
low	634 FPS	497 FPS
medium	521 FPS	408 FPS
high	431 FPS	349 FPS
ultra	389 FPS	311 FPS
1440p
low	554 FPS	434 FPS
medium	475 FPS	376 FPS
high	394 FPS	322 FPS
ultra	338 FPS	274 FPS
4K
low	328 FPS	286 FPS
medium	286 FPS	259 FPS
high	267 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	232 FPS	209 FPS

Open Core i9-9990XE Open Ryzen 9 7940HS

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-9990XE	Ryzen 9 7940HS
1080p
low	754 FPS	750 FPS
medium	754 FPS	750 FPS
high	683 FPS	730 FPS
ultra	575 FPS	624 FPS
1440p
low	754 FPS	750 FPS
medium	639 FPS	646 FPS
high	546 FPS	545 FPS
ultra	458 FPS	467 FPS
4K
low	558 FPS	544 FPS
medium	458 FPS	475 FPS
high	411 FPS	422 FPS
ultra	342 FPS	357 FPS

Open Core i9-9990XE Open Ryzen 9 7940HS

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-9990XE	Ryzen 9 7940HS
1080p
low	754 FPS	750 FPS
medium	754 FPS	750 FPS
high	754 FPS	750 FPS
ultra	754 FPS	750 FPS
1440p
low	754 FPS	750 FPS
medium	754 FPS	750 FPS
high	746 FPS	658 FPS
ultra	656 FPS	573 FPS
4K
low	665 FPS	574 FPS
medium	591 FPS	511 FPS
high	526 FPS	456 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	394 FPS

Open Core i9-9990XE Open Ryzen 9 7940HS

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9990XE and Ryzen 9 7940HS

Core i9-9990XE

The Core i9-9990XE 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 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 255 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 30,162 points. Launch price was $2,800.

Ryzen 9 7940HS

The Ryzen 9 7940HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix-HS (Zen 4) (2023) 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. Passmark benchmark score: 29,986 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-9990XE packs 14 cores / 28 threads, while the Ryzen 9 7940HS offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-9990XE has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-9990XE versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7940HS — a 1.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940HS (base: 4 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i9-9990XE uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 9 7940HS uses Phoenix-HS (Zen 4) (2023) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9990XE scores 30,162 against the Ryzen 9 7940HS's 29,986 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i9-9990XE. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,392 vs 2,646, a 62.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 7940HS that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 16,199 vs 11,591 (33.2% advantage for the Core i9-9990XE). L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-9990XE vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7940HS.

Feature	Core i9-9990XE	Ryzen 9 7940HS
Cores / Threads	14 / 28+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz	5.2 GHz+2%
Base Clock	4 GHz	4 GHz
L3 Cache	19.25 MB (total)+20%	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-HS (Zen 4) (2023)
PassMark	30,162	29,986
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	17,443
Geekbench 6 Single	1,392	2,646+90%
Geekbench 6 Multi	16,199+40%	11,591

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9990XE uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 7940HS uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i9-9990XE versus DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 9 7940HS — the Ryzen 9 7940HS supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 9 7940HS supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Core i9-9990XE) vs 2 (Ryzen 9 7940HS). PCIe lanes: 44 (Core i9-9990XE) vs 20 (Ryzen 9 7940HS) — the Core i9-9990XE offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X299 (Core i9-9990XE) and FP8,FP7 (Ryzen 9 7940HS).

Feature	Core i9-9990XE	Ryzen 9 7940HS
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 i9-9990XE) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 7940HS). The Ryzen 9 7940HS includes integrated graphics (Radeon 780M), while the Core i9-9990XE requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-9990XE targets HEDT, Ryzen 9 7940HS targets Thin-and-light Performance. Direct competitor: Core i9-9990XE rivals Threadripper 2970WX; Ryzen 9 7940HS rivals Core i9-13900H.