Intel Core i9-11900KF vs Intel Core i9-10980XE

Processor comparisons 18-03-2021

   Perhaps you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i9-11900KF vs Intel Core i9-10980XE tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for machine learning, programming, video editing, rendering, streaming. Here you can find all information from real streaming and video editing tests or different benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests such as World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, PCMark 10, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), VeraCrypt, Handbrake, UserBenchmark, WPrime, RealBench, Blender, Furmark, Dolphin Emulator, 3DMark, SuperPi, Gears 5, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PassMark, Blender, AIDA64, Prime95, MATLAB, 7zip, DaVinci Resolve Studio.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of joint benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10980XE or Intel Core i9-11900KF.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-11900KF

58%

Core i9-10980XE

60%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-10980XE is 3% better than Core i9-11900KF. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-11900KF

54%

Core i9-10980XE

61%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches 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 other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: League of Legends (LOL), NBA 2K20, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Control, Ghostrunner, DOTA 2A, Forza Horizon 4, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Horizon Zero Dawn, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Monster Hunter World, Metro Exodus, Battlefield V, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Half-Life: Alyx, Hitman 3.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	96.8	108.7
Valorant	110.0	123.5
Cyberpunk 2077	61.6	69.2
Apex Legends	103.4	116.1
Call of Duty Warzone	82.5	92.6
Overwatch	89.1	100.0
Red Dead Redemption 2	75.9	85.2
DOOM Eternal	55.0	61.8
Warzone	85.8	96.3
Assassin's Creed	92.4	103.7
Valheim	91.3	102.5

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 tested computers not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. So 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 i9-11900KF

45%

Core i9-10980XE

28%

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 i9-11900KF is more energy efficient than the Core i9-10980XE since it has less power consumption: 125W vs. 165W. 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

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, streaming, video editing or video rendering, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the CPU uses all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.

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

	Intel Core i9-11900KF	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Cinbench 15 Single-core	281	211
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2549	3800
Cinbench 20 Single-core	630	480
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	5668	8848
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1636	1191
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	16310	24309

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

	Intel Core i9-11900KF	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Single-Core	3763	2626
Multi-Core	27884	34005

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

	Intel Core i9-11900KF	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Single-Core	1722	1417
Multi-Core	8613	20280

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The newer the processor, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about 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 i9-11900KF	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Announcement date	February 21, 2021	October 01, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1200	FCLGA2066
Core name	Rocket Lake	Cascade Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	11	10
Turbo Frequency	5.3 MHz	4.8 MHz
Frequency	3.5 MHz	3 MHz
Cores	8	18
Threads	16	36
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s DMI3
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	9800 millions	9200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	125 W	165 W
Memory type	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2933
Max. Memory	128 Gb	256 Gb
Memory Frequency	3200
Memory bandwidth	50 GB/s	94 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache	4 MB
L3 cache	16 MB	24.75 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 i9-11900KF is 14% better than Core i9-10980XE in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-10980XE has 10 more core than Core i9-11900KF. 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 i9-11900KF is better: 13
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10980XE is better: 22
Although it should be realized that all the data in the article above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i9-11900KF and Intel Core i9-10980XE before deciding which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i9-11900KF specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-10980XE specs and review.