Intel Atom x7213RE vs Intel Core i9-9980HK Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split is decisively one-sided, but that does not mean the two processors occupy the same purpose. The Intel Core i9-9980HK wins all five recorded head-to-head benchmarks, covering both single-core and multi-core workloads across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. Its dominance ranges from 427.5% to 431.1% depending on the test, which is not a marginal gap but a categorical separation in compute throughput.

The Intel Atom x7213RE, despite losing every comparison in the shared test suite, has its own recorded strengths in the database that the Core i9 does not contest. The Atom posts a PassMark data compression score of 27860, a floating point math result of 4885, and an integer math score of 7058. These are not comparable to the Core i9 because the database does not record those same PassMark workloads for the 9980HK, but they establish that the Atom is a functioning, low-power part rather than a placeholder. The Atom also shows a multi-thread PassMark score of 2641 and a single-thread score of 1601, though again no direct Core i9 equivalent exists in the shared measurements.

The use-case split becomes clear from the available data. The Core i9-9980HK is the processor for sustained compute-heavy tasks: rendering, compilation, content creation, anything where Cinebench scores matter. The Atom x7213RE, with 2 cores and 2 threads, is not designed for that class of work. Its role is better inferred from its 9 W TDP, single-channel memory bus, and active production status. The data suggests an embedded or low-power mobile part, one that trades throughput for efficiency and longevity in the market.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different architectural lineages entirely. The Core i9-9980HK uses Coffee Lake, specifically Coffee Lake-HR, built on Intel's 14 nm process with a die size of 149 mm². The Atom x7213RE uses Amston Lake, built on a 10 nm process, with no die size recorded in the database. The Core i9 belongs to the Core i9 generation, while the Atom belongs to the Atom generation built on Gracemont cores. That generational split matters: Gracemont is an efficiency-oriented core design, while Coffee Lake is a high-performance design from an earlier era.

Core and thread counts diverge sharply. The Core i9 has 8 cores and 16 threads, the Atom has 2 cores and 2 threads. The Core i9's base clock is 2.40 GHz with a boost of 5.00 GHz, while the Atom runs at 2.00 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost. Cache hierarchies also differ. The Core i9 features 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Atom has 96 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of shared L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. Notably, the Atom's L1 is larger per core, but its shared L2 and smaller L3 reflect a design that does not need the same cache footprint as a high-core-count performance part.

Memory support separates them further. The Core i9 supports DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with 42.7 GB/s of bandwidth. The Atom supports both DDR4 and DDR5 on a single-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s. Neither supports ECC memory. For PCIe, both use Gen 3, but the Atom lists 9 lanes (CPU only), while the Core i9 does not specify a lane count in the database. Integrated graphics differ: the Core i9 has UHD 630, the Atom has UHD Graphics 16EU. Both are mobile parts, but the Core i9 is end-of-life with a release date of April 2019, while the Atom is active with a release date of April 2024. The Core i9 has an unlocked multiplier; the Atom does not. The Core i9 uses socket BGA 1440, the Atom uses BGA 1264.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The shared benchmark suite consists of five Cinebench tests, and the Core i9-9980HK wins all of them by nearly identical margins. The smallest delta is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Core i9 scores 11836 against the Atom's 2244, a 427.5% advantage. The largest delta is in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the Core i9 scores 701 against 132, a 431.1% gap. These deltas are strikingly consistent, hovering around 428% to 431% regardless of workload type, which indicates the performance difference is not workload-dependent but architectural.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Core i9 posts 1193 versus the Atom's 226, a 427.9% lead. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the score is 4971 against 942, a 427.7% gap. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Core i9 reaches 1671 while the Atom manages 316, a 428.8% difference. The consistency of these margins suggests that the Atom's Gracemont cores, despite their efficiency focus, are not competitive with Coffee Lake cores on a per-thread basis in these tests. The single-core deltas are actually slightly larger than the multi-core deltas, which is unusual. It implies the Core i9's per-core advantage is even more pronounced than its multi-core advantage, likely because the Atom's 2-core design cannot compensate through parallelism.

The average benchmark scores in the database tell a different story, however. The Core i9-9980HK has an average benchmark score of 3577, while the Atom x7213RE has an average of 3520. That is only a 1.6% difference in the aggregate metric, despite the massive Cinebench deltas. This discrepancy exists because the two CPUs are measured on different benchmark suites. The Atom's PassMark results, including a data compression score of 27860 and a floating point score of 4885, pull its average up substantially. The Core i9's average is based on its Cinebench and Geekbench results, which include a Geekbench multi-core score of 6687 and single-core of 1389. The averages are not apples-to-apples, but they are what the database records.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core performance in the shared benchmarks?

A: The Core i9-9980HK wins all multi-core Cinebench tests. In R23 multi-core, it scores 11836 versus the Atom's 2244, a 427.5% advantage. In R20 multi-core, it scores 4971 versus 942, a 427.7% gap.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare?

A: The Core i9-9980HK leads in single-core as well. In R23 single-core, it scores 1671 against the Atom's 316, a 428.8% delta. In R20 single-core, it scores 701 against 132, a 431.1% delta.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two chips?

A: The Core i9-9980HK has a TDP of 45 W, while the Atom x7213RE has a TDP of 9 W. This makes the Atom far more power-efficient on paper, though the database does not record any power consumption measurements.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The database lists ECC memory support as false for both the Core i9-9980HK and the Atom x7213RE.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The Core i9-9980HK supports DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. The Atom x7213RE supports DDR4 and DDR5 on a single-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which processor is still in production?

A: The Atom x7213RE is listed as active, with a release date of April 2024. The Core i9-9980HK is end-of-life, with a release date of April 2019.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion for compute-heavy workloads: the Core i9-9980HK is the superior processor by every measured shared benchmark. Its 8 cores, 16 threads, 5.00 GHz boost clock, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache produce Cinebench scores that are over four times higher than the Atom's across the board. For rendering, multi-threaded compilation, or any task that scales with cores and clock speed, the Core i9 is the only choice in this comparison.

The Atom x7213RE, however, is not a failed product. Its 9 W TDP, single-channel memory, and active production status suggest a different role entirely. The database shows it has its own PassMark strengths, including a data compression score of 27860, which may be relevant for specific embedded or low-power workloads. Its 10 nm process, DDR5 support, and 2024 release date indicate a modern, efficiency-focused design. It is not meant to compete with a 45 W mobile Core i9, and the benchmark data confirms that.

Who should pick which? If the workload is compute-bound and power budget is secondary, the Core i9-9980HK is the clear winner. If the priority is low power consumption, long-term availability, and a modern process node, the Atom x7213RE has its place. The average benchmark scores, 3577 for the Core i9 and 3520 for the Atom, are nearly identical, but that is an artifact of different test suites. The head-to-head Cinebench results leave no ambiguity about raw performance.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i9-9980HK | Intel Atom x7213RE |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 8 | 2 |

| Threads | 16 | 2 |

| Base clock | 2.40 GHz | 2.00 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.00 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 9 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1440 | Intel BGA 1264 |

| Architecture | Coffee Lake | Amston Lake |

| Codename | Coffee Lake-HR | Amston Lake |

| Generation | Core i9 (Coffee Lake-HR) | Atom (Gracemont) |

| Process node | 14 nm | 10 nm |

| Die size | 149 mm² | Not recorded |

| L1 cache | 64 KB (per core) | 96 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 256 KB (per core) | 2 MB (shared) |

| L3 cache | 16 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory bus | Dual-channel | Single-channel |

| Memory bandwidth | 42.7 GB/s | 38.4 GB/s |

| Integrated graphics | UHD 630 | UHD Graphics 16EU |

| Production status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release date | April 2019 | April 2024 |

| Multiplier unlocked | Yes | No |

| Part number | SRFD0 | SRNEP |

| PCIe | Gen 3 | Gen 3, 9 Lanes (CPU only) |