Intel Core i5-3470 vs Intel Core i9-9980XE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i9-9980XE dominates every recorded benchmark in this comparison. Across eight head-to-head tests, the i9-9980XE takes all eight wins, with no single test going to the Core i5-3470. The margins are enormous, but they vary meaningfully by workload type.

The largest deltas come in multi-threaded rendering workloads. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i9-9980XE scores 2699 against the i5-3470's 398, a 578.1% advantage. That pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where 11247 versus 1661 translates to a 577.1% lead, and in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where 26780 versus 3957 represents a 576.8% gap. These are not incremental improvements; they are generational leaps in throughput.

Single-core results tell a similar story, though with slightly different proportions. The i9-9980XE posts 380 in Cinebench R15 single-core versus 56 for the i5-3470, a 578.6% delta. Cinebench R20 single-core shows 1587 against 234, a 578.2% lead. Cinebench R23 single-core records 3780 versus 558, a 577.4% margin. Interestingly, the single-core deltas are almost identical to the multi-core deltas, hovering around 577% to 579%. That indicates the per-core performance gap is just as wide as the core-count advantage, not merely a product of having more cores.

Geekbench results show a different pattern. The multi-core test gives the i9-9980XE a 11270 score against 2015, a 459.3% lead. But the single-core Geekbench test narrows considerably: 1437 versus 715, a 101% advantage. This is the smallest delta in the entire head-to-head set. It still represents a doubling of single-thread performance, but it is far less dramatic than the Cinebench numbers. The discrepancy between Geekbench single-core and Cinebench single-core deltas suggests the two CPUs respond differently to the specific instruction mixes in each test suite.

The average benchmark scores place both CPUs at the 63rd percentile among all processors in the database, but that masks the underlying disparity. The i9-9980XE carries an average benchmark score of 7398, while the i5-3470 sits at 6906. The i9-9980XE's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7282 at 7409 (0.1% ahead), the Intel Core i9-9990XE at 7415 (0.2% ahead), and the Intel Core i5-4570 at 7421 (0.3% ahead). The i5-3470's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon W-2195 at 6892 (0.2% behind), the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G at 6931 (0.4% ahead), and the Intel Core i3-1115G4 at 6851 (0.8% behind). The i5-3470's average score is buoyed by a set of PassMark tests that the i9-9980XE does not have recorded, which keeps its aggregate figure closer to the newer chip.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras of Intel design. The i9-9980XE uses the Skylake architecture, specifically the Skylake-X codename, built on a 14 nm process with a die size of 484 mm². The i5-3470 uses the Ivy Bridge architecture, built on a 22 nm process with a die size of 160 mm² and 1,400 million transistors. The node shrink from 22 nm to 14 nm is a fundamental difference that affects both power characteristics and achievable clock speeds.

Core and thread counts diverge sharply. The i9-9980XE has 18 cores and 36 threads, while the i5-3470 has 4 cores and 4 threads. That is a 14-core and 32-thread gap. The i9-9980XE runs at a 3.00 GHz base clock and boosts to 4.50 GHz. The i5-3470 has a higher base clock of 3.20 GHz but a lower boost clock of 3.60 GHz. Despite the lower base frequency, the i9-9980XE's boost capability is 0.90 GHz higher, and its per-core performance in the recorded benchmarks is far ahead.

Cache hierarchies are also structured differently. The i9-9980XE provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 24.75 MB of shared L3 cache. The i5-3470 also has 64 KB of L1 per core, but only 256 KB of L2 per core and 6 MB of shared L3. The L3 cache difference alone is 18.75 MB in favor of the i9-9980XE. The per-core L2 difference is substantial as well, with the i9-9980XE offering four times the L2 per core.

Memory support reflects their respective platforms. The i9-9980XE uses DDR4 memory with a quad-channel memory bus and 85.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The i5-3470 uses DDR3 memory with a dual-channel bus and 25.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The i9-9980XE delivers roughly 3.3 times the memory bandwidth, which matters for memory-intensive workloads. Neither chip supports ECC memory. The i9-9980XE provides 44 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU, while the i5-3470 provides 16 Gen 3 lanes.

The i9-9980XE has no integrated graphics, while the i5-3470 includes Intel HD 2500. The i9-9980XE has an unlocked multiplier, while the i5-3470 is locked. The i9-9980XE uses the Intel Socket 2066 platform, while the i5-3470 uses Intel Socket 1155. The i9-9980XE carries the part number SREZ3, and the i5-3470 carries SR0T8. The i9-9980XE has a TDP of 165 watts, and the i5-3470 has a TDP of 77 watts. Both are end-of-life products. The i9-9980XE was released in October 2018, while the i5-3470 arrived in May 2012. The i9-9980XE launched with an MSRP of $1979, while the i5-3470 launched with an MSRP of $184.

Where Each One Wins

The i9-9980XE wins every category where data exists. Multi-threaded rendering, single-threaded rendering, and general-purpose compute all favor the newer chip. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 26780 against 3957 shows a CPU that can handle heavy parallel workloads with ease. The Geekbench multi-core result of 11270 versus 2015 reinforces that position. For anyone running video renders, software compilation, scientific simulations, or any workload that scales across cores, the i9-9980XE is categorically superior.

The i5-3470's only recorded advantages are in areas where the database lacks direct head-to-head comparisons. It has PassMark scores for data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating point math, integer math, multithread, physics, and random string sorting. Those scores exist only for the i5-3470, not for the i9-9980XE, so no direct comparison is possible. The i5-3470 also has integrated graphics, which the i9-9980XE lacks entirely. That makes the i5-3470 capable of basic display output without a discrete GPU, an option the i9-9980XE does not offer.

The i5-3470 also draws less power, with a 77 watt TDP versus 165 watts for the i9-9980XE. That is a real operational difference, though the performance gap dwarfs it. The i5-3470's lower memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s and dual-channel bus are adequate for its 4-core design, but they are bottlenecks compared to the i9-9980XE's quad-channel 85.3 GB/s configuration.

For single-threaded tasks, the i9-9980XE still wins, but the margin varies by test. The Geekbench single-core delta of 101% is the closest any benchmark comes to a competitive result. The Cinebench single-core tests show a much larger gap, around 578%. The i5-3470's higher base clock of 3.20 GHz does not translate into a win anywhere, because the i9-9980XE's newer architecture and higher boost clock of 4.50 GHz overcome the base frequency disadvantage.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i9-9980XE is the clear choice for any workload represented in the database. It wins all eight head-to-head benchmarks with deltas ranging from 101% to 578.6%. Its 18 cores, 36 threads, 24.75 MB of L3 cache, quad-channel DDR4 memory, and 44 PCIe Gen 3 lanes make it a high-end desktop part aimed at heavy compute tasks. The i5-3470 is a quad-core Ivy Bridge chip from 2012, and its 4 threads and 6 MB of L3 cache simply cannot compete.

Pick the i9-9980XE if the workload is multi-threaded rendering, large-scale compilation, or any parallel compute task where the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 26780 matters. Pick it if single-threaded performance is also important, since it doubles the i5-3470 in Geekbench single-core and is nearly seven times faster in Cinebench single-core tests. Pick it if memory bandwidth is a priority, as the 85.3 GB/s quad-channel setup is over three times the i5-3470's 25.6 GB/s.

Pick the i5-3470 only if the system requires integrated graphics, as the i9-9980XE has none. Pick it if power draw is a hard constraint, since its 77 watt TDP is less than half the i9-9980XE's 165 watts. Pick it if the platform is already Socket 1155 and the use case is limited to basic tasks that do not stress the CPU. The i5-3470 has PassMark scores in several categories, but those are not comparable to the i9-9980XE because the newer chip has no recorded scores in those same tests.

The data does not support any scenario where the i5-3470 wins on raw performance. The i9-9980XE is faster in every recorded benchmark, often by multiples of five or six. The only reasons to choose the i5-3470 are platform compatibility, integrated graphics, or power constraints. On performance alone, the verdict is unambiguous.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the Intel Core i9-9980XE than the Intel Core i5-3470 in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The i9-9980XE scores 26780 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the i5-3470 scores 3957, a 576.8% advantage for the i9-9980XE.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-3470 have any integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the i5-3470 includes Intel HD 2500 integrated graphics. The i9-9980XE has no integrated graphics at all.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two CPUs?

A: The i9-9980XE supports quad-channel DDR4 memory with 85.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The i5-3470 supports dual-channel DDR3 memory with 25.6 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The i9-9980XE has 18 cores and 36 threads. The i5-3470 has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What are the launch MSRPs for both processors?

A: The i9-9980XE launched with an MSRP of $1979, and the i5-3470 launched with an MSRP of $184.

Q: Are both CPUs still in production?

A: No, both are end-of-life products. The i9-9980XE was released in October 2018, and the i5-3470 was released in May 2012.

Q: What is the smallest performance gap between the two in any recorded benchmark?

A: The smallest gap is in Geekbench single-core, where the i9-9980XE scores 1437 against 715 for the i5-3470, a 101% advantage.