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 i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $4,614 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $4,999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 31.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 28.4 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $4,999 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 350W, a 255W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen Threadripper 9980X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9980X across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 142,069).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 9980X, which brings 64 cores / 128 threads and 80 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Ryzen Threadripper 9980X moves to sTR5 and DDR5.

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +83.9% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 64 cores / 128 threads, plus 80 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Newer platform on sTR5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
✅400% more PCIe lanes (80 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 28.4 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($4,999 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌268.4% higher power demand at 350W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $4,614 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $4,999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 31.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 28.4 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $4,999 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 350W, a 255W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen Threadripper 9980X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +83.9% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 64 cores / 128 threads, plus 80 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Newer platform on sTR5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
✅400% more PCIe lanes (80 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9980X across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 142,069).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 9980X, which brings 64 cores / 128 threads and 80 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Ryzen Threadripper 9980X moves to sTR5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 28.4 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($4,999 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌268.4% higher power demand at 350W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 9980X better than Core i7-9700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 9980X makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-9700K 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, Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 83.9% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 12 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is the better fit. You are getting 886.8% better PassMark, backed by 64 cores and 128 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 2033.3% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is 1198.4% more expensive on MSRP at $4,999 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 83.9% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-9700K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 31.6% better value on paper (37.4 vs 28.4 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1151.

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

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2018), a healthier platform with sTR5 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 256 MB L3 cache instead of 12 MB, more multi-core headroom with 64 cores / 128 threads instead of 8/8, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 i7-9700K Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	308 FPS	303 FPS
medium	278 FPS	281 FPS
high	231 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	268 FPS
medium	221 FPS	224 FPS
high	178 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	152 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	186 FPS
medium	140 FPS	155 FPS
high	108 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	105 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	360 FPS	803 FPS
medium	321 FPS	687 FPS
high	291 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	468 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	662 FPS
medium	282 FPS	590 FPS
high	258 FPS	477 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	386 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	370 FPS
medium	221 FPS	334 FPS
high	208 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	269 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	360 FPS	889 FPS
medium	360 FPS	728 FPS
high	360 FPS	654 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	556 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	693 FPS
medium	360 FPS	567 FPS
high	360 FPS	498 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	419 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	490 FPS
medium	360 FPS	407 FPS
high	360 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	303 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	360 FPS	1131 FPS
medium	360 FPS	1014 FPS
high	360 FPS	889 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	802 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	890 FPS
medium	360 FPS	783 FPS
high	360 FPS	688 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	599 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	649 FPS
medium	360 FPS	579 FPS
high	360 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

The Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 30 July 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Shimada Peak (2025) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: sTR5. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 142,069 points. Launch price was $4,999.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X offers 64 cores / 128 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X has 56 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X — a 9.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X uses Shimada Peak (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X's 142,069 — a 163.2% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 256 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	64 / 128+700%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	5.4 GHz+10%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+12%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	256 MB (total)+2033%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Shimada Peak (2025)
PassMark	14,397	142,069+887%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	115,098
Geekbench 6 Single	—	3,220
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	28,666

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X uses sTR5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus DDR5-6400 on the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X — the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-9700K supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 1 TB — 196.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-9700K) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 80 (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X) — the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X offers 64 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and sTR5,TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
Socket	LGA1151	sTR5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-6400+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	1 TB+700%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	80+400%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs AMD-V, SVM (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop, Ryzen Threadripper 9980X targets HEDT / Enthusiast Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper 9980X rivals Xeon w9-3495X.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V, SVM
Target Use	Desktop	HEDT / Enthusiast Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X debuted at $4999. On MSRP ($385 vs $4999), the Core i7-9700K is $4614 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 28.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X — making the Core i7-9700K the 27.3% better value option.