Intel Core i9-10980XE vs Intel Core i5-10600K

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   If you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision after reading the full tests Intel Core i9-10980XE vs Intel Core i5-10600K and see which is better for games or simple use for machine learning, programming, video editing, streaming, rendering. Here is useful information from several benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A careful review of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests such as MATLAB, RealBench, SuperPi, AIDA64, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Furmark, PassMark, 3DMark, Dolphin Emulator, Blender, Handbrake, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Gears 5, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), VeraCrypt, PCMark 10, UserBenchmark, Prime95, 7zip, WPrime, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

Last Man Standing
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
Valheim
Fallout 76
Fortnite
Overwatch
DOOM: Eternal
Valorant
Borderlands 3
Halo Infinite
Death Stranding
Apex Legends
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Cyberpunk 2077
Watch Dogs Legion
Grand Theft Auto V
Rainbow Six Siege
Red Dead Redemption 2

After reading the results of joint benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-10600K or Intel Core i9-10980XE.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i9-10980XE

60%

Core i5-10600K

54%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-10980XE is 10% better than Core i5-10600K. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-10980XE

61%

Core i5-10600K

55%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of less popular games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Forza Horizon 4, Half-Life: Alyx, Control, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Metro Exodus, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Ghostrunner, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Horizon Zero Dawn, NBA 2K20, Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Monster Hunter World, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, League of Legends (LOL), Microsoft Flight Simulator, DOTA 2A, Hitman 3.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	108.7	97.0
Valorant	123.5	110.2
Cyberpunk 2077	69.2	61.7
Apex Legends	116.1	103.6
Call of Duty Warzone	92.6	82.7
Overwatch	100.0	89.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	85.2	76.1
DOOM Eternal	61.8	55.1
Warzone	96.3	86.0
Assassin's Creed	103.7	92.6
Valheim	102.5	91.5

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers that were in the comparisons not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i9-10980XE

28%

Core i5-10600K

39%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-10600K is more energy efficient than the Core i9-10980XE since it has less power consumption: 165W vs. 125W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video rendering or video editing, programming, streaming, machine learning, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the processor turns on all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the benefit of multi-core mode are unused.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i9-10980XE	Intel Core i5-10600K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	211	215
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3800	1615
Cinbench 20 Single-core	480	501
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	8848	3629
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1191	1376
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	24309	10379

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i9-10980XE	Intel Core i5-10600K
Single-Core	2626	2967
Multi-Core	34005	14674

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i9-10980XE	Intel Core i5-10600K
Single-Core	1417	1495
Multi-Core	20280	8815

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-10980XE	Intel Core i5-10600K
Announcement date	October 01, 2019	April 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	FCLGA1200
Core name	Cascade Lake	Comet Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	10	10
Turbo Frequency	4.8 MHz	4.8 MHz
Frequency	3 MHz	4.1 MHz
Cores	18	6
Threads	36	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s DMI3	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	9200 millions	4800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	125 W
Memory type	DDR4-2933	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	256 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	94 GB/s	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	24.75 MB	12 MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i5-10600K is 26% better than Core i9-10980XE in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-10980XE has 12 more core than Core i5-10600K. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10980XE is better: 23
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-10600K is better: 8
Although it should be realized that the summary data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i9-10980XE and Intel Core i5-10600K before making a decision which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i9-10980XE specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-10600K specs and review.