Intel Core i9-7980XE vs Intel Core i9-10980XE

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   If you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a choice after reading the full tests Intel Core i9-7980XE vs Intel Core i9-10980XE and understand which is better for games or simple use for rendering, machine learning, video editing, programming, streaming. Here is all information from different benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special testing software such as WPrime, Handbrake, Blender, AIDA64, Gears 5, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 7zip, SuperPi, PassMark, Furmark, MATLAB, RealBench, Prime95, Dolphin Emulator, DaVinci Resolve Studio, 3DMark, PCMark 10, VeraCrypt, UserBenchmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10980XE 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 i9-10980XE

60%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-10980XE is 3% better than Core i9-7980XE. 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 i9-10980XE

61%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	107.0	108.7
Valorant	121.6	123.5
Cyberpunk 2077	68.1	69.2
Apex Legends	114.3	116.1
Call of Duty Warzone	91.2	92.6
Overwatch	98.5	100.0
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.9	85.2
DOOM Eternal	60.8	61.8
Warzone	94.9	96.3
Assassin's Creed	102.2	103.7
Valheim	100.9	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 computers participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with 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. 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 i9-7980XE

23%

Core i9-10980XE

28%

To make a finishing choice 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 i9-10980XE is more energy efficient than the Core i9-7980XE since it has less power consumption: 165W vs. 165W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. 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, machine learning, streaming, video rendering or video editing, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum efficiency, the processor includes all cores and threads that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to run, 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 i9-7980XE	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Cinbench 15 Single-core	184	211
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3455	3800
Cinbench 20 Single-core	446	480
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	7671	8848
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1281	1191
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	28196	24309

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

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Single-Core	2490	2626
Multi-Core	29612	34005

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

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Single-Core	1158	1417
Multi-Core	18658	20280

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The newer the processor, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. 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 even in new games. The economy are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Announcement date	April 01, 2017	October 01, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	FCLGA2066
Core name	Skylake	Cascade Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	10
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz	4.8 MHz
Frequency	2.6 MHz	3 MHz
Cores	18	18
Threads	36	36
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s DMI3
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	7800 millions	9200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	165 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2933
Max. Memory	128 Gb	256 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	85 GB/s	94 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	24.75 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 i9-10980XE is 13% better than Core i9-7980XE in terms of CPU frequency. 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: 2
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10980XE is better: 27
However, it should be realized that all the data in the table above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the video tests and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i9-7980XE and Intel Core i9-10980XE before making a selection which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i9-7980XE specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-10980XE specs and review.