Intel Core i9-9980XE vs AMD Ryzen 9 5900X

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i9-9980XE vs AMD Ryzen 9 5900X tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for video editing, programming, machine learning, streaming, rendering. Here is useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or many benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like WPrime, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Prime95, 3DMark, 7zip, UserBenchmark, AIDA64, Furmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, VeraCrypt, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, PCMark 10, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Handbrake, Gears 5, Dolphin Emulator, MATLAB, RealBench, SuperPi, PassMark.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 9 5900X or Intel Core i9-9980XE.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-9980XE

59%

Ryzen 9 5900X

61%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen 9 5900X is 3% better than Core i9-9980XE. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-9980XE

60%

Ryzen 9 5900X

58%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think 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: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, DOTA 2A, League of Legends (LOL), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Battlefield V, Microsoft Flight Simulator, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Hitman 3, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Half-Life: Alyx, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Metro Exodus, Monster Hunter World, Ghostrunner, Horizon Zero Dawn, NBA 2K20, Forza Horizon 4, Control.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.2	102.7
Valorant	120.7	116.7
Cyberpunk 2077	67.6	65.3
Apex Legends	113.5	109.7
Call of Duty Warzone	90.5	87.5
Overwatch	97.8	94.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.3	80.5
DOOM Eternal	60.3	58.3
Warzone	94.1	91.0
Assassin's Creed	101.4	98.0
Valheim	100.2	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 computers participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. 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 i9-9980XE

23%

Ryzen 9 5900X

51%

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 Ryzen 9 5900X is more energy efficient than the Core i9-9980XE as it consumes less power: 165W vs. 105W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. It is necessary to calculate 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 programming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the processor includes all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to run, 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 i9-9980XE	AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	201	270
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3240	3684
Cinbench 20 Single-core	459	637
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	7516	8468
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1124	1622
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	22944	21878

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

	Intel Core i9-9980XE	AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Single-Core	2551	3470
Multi-Core	32096	39428

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

	Intel Core i9-9980XE	AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Single-Core	1178	1612
Multi-Core	17856	14387

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 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, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-9980XE	AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Announcement date	October 01, 2018	November 05, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	AM4
Core name	Skylake	Vermeer
Architecture	x86	Zen 3
Generation	9	4
Turbo Frequency	4.5 MHz	4.8 MHz
Frequency	3 MHz	3.7 MHz
Cores	18	12
Threads	36	24
Bus rate	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	8600 millions	9400 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	105 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency		3200
Memory bandwidth	85 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache		6MB
L3 cache	24.75 MB	64MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		100-000000061 100-100000061WOF

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 9 5900X is 18% better than Core i9-9980XE in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9980XE has 6 more core than Ryzen 9 5900X. 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 i9-9980XE is better: 19
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is better: 17
Although it should be realized that all the data in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i9-9980XE and AMD Ryzen 9 5900X before making a selection which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i9-9980XE specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen 9 5900X specs and review.