Intel Core i9-7980XE vs Intel Core i9-10900K

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   If you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i9-7980XE vs Intel Core i9-10900K and decide which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, programming, video editing, streaming, rendering. Here is all information from several benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software such as AIDA64, RealBench, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Dolphin Emulator, GeekBench 6, 5.2, MATLAB, UserBenchmark, Handbrake, Furmark, Gears 5, WPrime, Blender, PCMark 10, PassMark, Prime95, Blender, 3DMark, VeraCrypt, DaVinci Resolve Studio, SuperPi, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 7zip.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10900K or Intel Core i9-7980XE.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-7980XE

58%

Core i9-10900K

57%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-7980XE is 1% better than Core i9-10900K. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-7980XE

60%

Core i9-10900K

58%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	107.0	102.7
Valorant	121.6	116.7
Cyberpunk 2077	68.1	65.3
Apex Legends	114.3	109.7
Call of Duty Warzone	91.2	87.5
Overwatch	98.5	94.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.9	80.5
DOOM Eternal	60.8	58.3
Warzone	94.9	91.0
Assassin's Creed	102.2	98.0
Valheim	100.9	96.8

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: FullHD, 2K or 4K. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance 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 i9-7980XE

23%

Core i9-10900K

43%

To make a finishing 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 i9-10900K is more energy efficient than the Core i9-7980XE since it has less power consumption: 165W vs. 125W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is 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 editing or video rendering, streaming, programming, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum efficiency. You will learn 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. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the benefit 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 i9-7980XE	Intel Core i9-10900K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	184	234
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3455	2677
Cinbench 20 Single-core	446	539
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	7671	6399
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1281	1418
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	28196	17325

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

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	Intel Core i9-10900K
Single-Core	2490	3141
Multi-Core	29612	24010

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

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	Intel Core i9-10900K
Single-Core	1158	1617
Multi-Core	18658	14374

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 newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	Intel Core i9-10900K
Announcement date	April 01, 2017	April 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	FCLGA1200
Core name	Skylake	Comet Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	10
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz	5.3 MHz
Frequency	2.6 MHz	3.7 MHz
Cores	18	10
Threads	36	20
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	7800 millions	9200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	125 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2933
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	85 GB/s	45.8 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	24.75 MB	20 MB
Overclocking	Yes	No
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 i9-10900K is 29% better than Core i9-7980XE in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-7980XE has 8 more core than Core i9-10900K. 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 i9-7980XE is better: 21
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10900K is better: 11
However, it should be realized that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i9-7980XE and Intel Core i9-10900K before making a choice which of the processors to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i9-7980XE specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-10900K specs and review.