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

✅Better for gaming: +9.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 165W instead of 180W, a 15W reduction.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2950X, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.7 vs 32.8 PassMark/$ ($1,979 MSRP vs $899 MSRP).

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

2018

Why buy it

✅+29.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 44.
✅Costs $1,080 less on MSRP ($899 MSRP vs $1,979 MSRP).
✅Delivers 122.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 32.8 vs 14.7 PassMark/$ ($899 MSRP vs $1,979 MSRP).
✅45.5% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 44) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9980XE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (21,444 vs 22,000).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Core i9-9980XE

2018

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 165W instead of 180W, a 15W reduction.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Why buy it

✅+29.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 44.
✅Costs $1,080 less on MSRP ($899 MSRP vs $1,979 MSRP).
✅Delivers 122.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 32.8 vs 14.7 PassMark/$ ($899 MSRP vs $1,979 MSRP).
✅45.5% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 44) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2950X, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.7 vs 32.8 PassMark/$ ($1,979 MSRP vs $899 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9980XE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (21,444 vs 22,000).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-9980XE better than Ryzen Threadripper 2950X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 2950X makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i9-9980XE is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-9980XE is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 9.1% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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 2.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads.

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

Core i9-9980XE is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen Threadripper 2950X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-9980XE is 120.1% more expensive on MSRP at $1,979 MSRP versus $899 MSRP, and it gives you a 9.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is also 122.7% better value on MSRP (32.8 vs 14.7 PassMark/$), 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 i9-9980XE is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 18 cores / 36 threads instead of 16/32 and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 i9-9980XE Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
1080p
low	168 FPS	200 FPS
medium	148 FPS	175 FPS
high	119 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	140 FPS	157 FPS
medium	120 FPS	131 FPS
high	96 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	76 FPS	83 FPS
medium	70 FPS	74 FPS
high	55 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i9-9980XE Open Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
1080p
low	498 FPS	532 FPS
medium	429 FPS	463 FPS
high	370 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	351 FPS
1440p
low	430 FPS	471 FPS
medium	377 FPS	417 FPS
high	329 FPS	359 FPS
ultra	286 FPS	307 FPS
4K
low	268 FPS	302 FPS
medium	234 FPS	267 FPS
high	222 FPS	247 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	213 FPS

Open Core i9-9980XE Open Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
1080p
low	728 FPS	737 FPS
medium	728 FPS	630 FPS
high	728 FPS	584 FPS
ultra	645 FPS	509 FPS
1440p
low	728 FPS	632 FPS
medium	659 FPS	525 FPS
high	624 FPS	471 FPS
ultra	554 FPS	410 FPS
4K
low	492 FPS	461 FPS
medium	414 FPS	371 FPS
high	371 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	306 FPS	274 FPS

Open Core i9-9980XE Open Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
1080p
low	728 FPS	737 FPS
medium	728 FPS	737 FPS
high	728 FPS	714 FPS
ultra	679 FPS	636 FPS
1440p
low	728 FPS	737 FPS
medium	728 FPS	667 FPS
high	639 FPS	570 FPS
ultra	558 FPS	500 FPS
4K
low	581 FPS	515 FPS
medium	525 FPS	468 FPS
high	469 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	409 FPS	364 FPS

Open Core i9-9980XE Open Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9980XE and Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

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 Threadripper 2950X

The Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 August 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the ZEN+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 29,462 points. Launch price was $899.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-9980XE packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Core i9-9980XE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i9-9980XE versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core i9-9980XE (base: 3 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i9-9980XE uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X uses ZEN+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9980XE scores 29,127 against the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X's 29,462 — a 1.1% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 22,000 vs 21,444 (2.6% advantage for the Core i9-9980XE). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,459 vs 1,255, a 15% lead for the Core i9-9980XE that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 12,177 vs 8,814 (32% advantage for the Core i9-9980XE). L3 cache: 24.75 MB (total) on the Core i9-9980XE vs 32 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X.

Feature	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
Cores / Threads	18 / 36+13%	16 / 32
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz+2%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.5 GHz+17%
L3 Cache	24.75 MB (total)	32 MB+29%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	ZEN+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	29,127	29,462+1%
Cinebench R23 Multi	22,000+3%	21,444
Geekbench 6 Single	1,459+16%	1,255
Geekbench 6 Multi	12,177+38%	8,814

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9980XE uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper 2950X supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 4-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 44 (Core i9-9980XE) vs 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 2950X) — the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X299 (Core i9-9980XE) and Socket TR4 / X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 2950X).

Feature	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
Socket	LGA2066	TR4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	4	4
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	44	64+45%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i9-9980XE supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-9980XE) vs AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper 2950X). Primary use case: Core i9-9980XE targets HEDT / Workstation / Content Creation. Direct competitor: Core i9-9980XE rivals Ryzen Threadripper 2950X.

Feature	Core i9-9980XE	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	HEDT / Workstation / Content Creation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-9980XE launched at $1979 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X debuted at $899. On MSRP ($1979 vs $899), the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is $1080 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-9980XE delivers 14.7 pts/$ vs 32.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X — making the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X the 76% better value option.