Intel Core i9-9990XE vs Intel Core i9-10980XE

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   For example you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i9-9990XE vs Intel Core i9-10980XE and understand which is better for games or normal use for programming, video editing, machine learning, streaming, rendering. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or several benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in synthetic type tests like 7zip, VeraCrypt, SuperPi, Gears 5, Handbrake, AIDA64, MATLAB, Blender, Prime95, RealBench, UserBenchmark, Dolphin Emulator, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 3DMark, Blender, PassMark, WPrime, PCMark 10, Furmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results of joint benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10980XE or Intel Core i9-9990XE.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-9990XE

59%

Core i9-10980XE

60%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-10980XE is 1% better than Core i9-9990XE. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-9990XE

59%

Core i9-10980XE

61%

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 play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a low game result, 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: Ghostrunner, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Half-Life: Alyx, Hitman 3, Monster Hunter World, NBA 2K20, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, League of Legends (LOL), Microsoft Flight Simulator, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, DOTA 2A, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Forza Horizon 4, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Battlefield V, Control, Metro Exodus.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	104.6	108.7
Valorant	118.9	123.5
Cyberpunk 2077	66.6	69.2
Apex Legends	111.7	116.1
Call of Duty Warzone	89.1	92.6
Overwatch	96.3	100.0
Red Dead Redemption 2	82.0	85.2
DOOM Eternal	59.4	61.8
Warzone	92.7	96.3
Assassin's Creed	99.8	103.7
Valheim	98.6	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: 4K, 2K 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i9-9990XE

16%

Core i9-10980XE

28%

To make a final resolution 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 i9-9990XE since it has less power consumption: 260W vs. 165W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. 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

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, programming, video rendering or video editing, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum performance. 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 can 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 i9-9990XE	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Cinbench 15 Single-core	199	211
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3215	3800
Cinbench 20 Single-core	455	480
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	7457	8848
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1115	1191
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	22765	24309

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

	Intel Core i9-9990XE	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Single-Core	3072	2626
Multi-Core	31845	34005

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

	Intel Core i9-9990XE	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Single-Core	1308	1417
Multi-Core	16263	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 you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS even in the newest games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i9-9990XE	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Announcement date	April 01, 2020	October 01, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	LGA2066	FCLGA2066
Core name	Skylake	Cascade Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	10
Turbo Frequency	5.2 MHz	4.8 MHz
Frequency	4.2 MHz	3 MHz
Cores	14	18
Threads	28	36
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s DMI3
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	8600 millions	9200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	260 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	32 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 i9-9990XE is 28% better than Core i9-10980XE in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-10980XE has 4 more core than Core i9-9990XE. 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 i9-9990XE is better: 5
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10980XE is better: 28
Although it should be understood that all the figures in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i9-9990XE and Intel Core i9-10980XE before making a choice which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i9-9990XE specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-10980XE specs and review.