Intel Core i9-10900KF vs Intel Xeon W-2155 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clean sweep for the Intel Core i9-10900KF across every benchmark in the comparison set. The i9-10900KF wins all six head-to-head tests, while the Intel Xeon W-2155 records zero wins. The margin is remarkably consistent: every single test, whether single-threaded or multi-threaded, shows the i9-10900KF ahead by exactly 7.6%.

Starting with the multi-core workloads, the i9-10900KF scores 1901 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, against 1767 for the Xeon W-2155. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the i9-10900KF posts 7924, while the Xeon W-2155 manages 7365. The gap remains identical at 7.6% in Cinebench R23 multi-core, with the i9-10900KF reaching 18867 and the Xeon W-2155 scoring 17538.

The single-core results follow the same pattern. The i9-10900KF leads with 268 in Cinebench R15 single-core, compared to 249 for the Xeon W-2155. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the scores are 1118 versus 1039. The Cinebench R23 single-core test shows 2663 for the i9-10900KF and 2475 for the Xeon W-2155. Each of these victories also carries the 7.6% delta.

This uniformity in the delta percentage is notable. It suggests that the performance advantage of the i9-10900KF is not workload-specific. Instead, it appears to be a fundamental clock-speed or architectural efficiency advantage that scales equally across both lightly threaded and heavily threaded scenarios.

Looking at the broader database context, the i9-10900KF has an average benchmark score of 5316, placing it at the 60th percentile among all CPUs. The Xeon W-2155 has an average score of 5072, also at the 60th percentile. The i9-10900KF's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7281 with an average score of 5315 and a delta of 0%, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920X at 5306 with a 0.2% delta, and the Intel Core i9-9900X at 5301 with a 0.3% delta. The Xeon W-2155's closest competitors are the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5750GE at 5070 with a 0% delta, the Intel Core i9-12900TE at 5050 with a 0.4% delta, and the Intel Core i7-11850HE at 5095 with a -0.4% delta.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the same underlying process technology: Intel's 14 nm node. However, the architectures diverge significantly. The i9-10900KF is built on the Comet Lake architecture, part of the Core 10th Gen series, while the Xeon W-2155 uses the Skylake architecture, specifically the Skylake-W variant.

The core and thread counts are identical at 10 cores and 20 threads. The L1 cache is also the same at 64 KB per core. But the L2 cache differs substantially. The i9-10900KF has 256 KB per core, while the Xeon W-2155 has 1 MB per core. This means the Xeon W-2155 has four times the L2 cache per core, which can be beneficial for certain workloads that rely heavily on fast local data access.

The L3 cache also differs. The i9-10900KF has 20 MB shared L3, whereas the Xeon W-2155 has 13.75 MB shared. The i9-10900KF therefore has roughly 45% more L3 cache, which can help with larger working sets and multi-threaded data sharing.

Clock speeds are another major differentiator. The i9-10900KF has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. The Xeon W-2155 has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The i9-10900KF thus has a 0.40 GHz advantage in base clock and a 0.80 GHz advantage in boost clock. These higher clocks directly explain the consistent 7.6% benchmark advantage.

Power characteristics also differ. The i9-10900KF has a TDP of 125 watts, while the Xeon W-2155 has a TDP of 140 watts. Despite the higher power envelope, the Xeon W-2155 is slower, which indicates that the Comet Lake architecture achieves better performance per watt in these tests.

Memory support is a critical difference for platform-level considerations. Both support DDR4, but the i9-10900KF uses a dual-channel memory bus with a bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. The Xeon W-2155 uses a quad-channel memory bus with a bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s. The Xeon W-2155 therefore has nearly twice the memory bandwidth, which could matter for memory-intensive server workloads.

ECC memory support is present on the Xeon W-2155 but absent on the i9-10900KF. This is a key feature for reliability-focused workstation and server deployments. The Xeon W-2155 also has significantly more PCIe lanes: 48 lanes of Gen 3, compared to 16 lanes on the i9-10900KF.

The die size is recorded for the Xeon W-2155 at 484 mm². No die size is listed for the i9-10900KF. The sockets differ as well: the i9-10900KF uses Intel Socket 1200, while the Xeon W-2155 uses Intel Socket 2066.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Core i9-10900KF is faster. It wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests, with a 7.6% advantage in R15, R20, and R23. For example, in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i9-10900KF scores 18867 versus 17538 for the Xeon W-2155.

Q: Is the Xeon W-2155 better at single-threaded tasks due to its server positioning?

A: No. The i9-10900KF also wins all three single-core Cinebench tests by the same 7.6% margin. The Xeon W-2155's lower boost clock of 4.50 GHz, compared to 5.30 GHz on the i9-10900KF, puts it behind in every single-threaded test.

Q: What advantages does the Xeon W-2155 have despite losing all benchmarks?

A: The Xeon W-2155 offers ECC memory support, which the i9-10900KF lacks. It also has a quad-channel memory bus with 85.3 GB/s bandwidth, compared to dual-channel 46.9 GB/s on the i9-10900KF. Additionally, it provides 48 PCIe Gen 3 lanes versus 16 on the i9-10900KF.

Q: Do both processors have the same core count?

A: Yes, both have 10 cores and 20 threads. The performance difference comes from clock speeds and architecture, not core counts. The i9-10900KF has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost of 5.30 GHz, while the Xeon W-2155 has a base of 3.30 GHz and boost of 4.50 GHz.

Q: How do these processors compare to their nearest rivals in the database?

A: The i9-10900KF has an average benchmark score of 5316, with its closest rival being the AMD EPYC 7281 at 5315 (0% delta). The Xeon W-2155 has an average score of 5072, with the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5750GE at 5070 (0% delta) being its closest competitor.

Q: Are both processors still in production?

A: No, both are marked as end-of-life in the database. The Xeon W-2155 was released in August 2017, while the i9-10900KF was released in April 2020.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The Intel Core i9-10900KF outperforms the Intel Xeon W-2155 in every benchmark test recorded. The i9-10900KF wins all six head-to-head comparisons with a consistent 7.6% margin across both single-core and multi-core workloads.

The i9-10900KF achieves this with a lower TDP of 125 watts compared to the Xeon W-2155's 140 watts. It also has a higher boost clock of 5.30 GHz versus 4.50 GHz, and more L3 cache at 20 MB versus 13.75 MB.

However, the Xeon W-2155 is not without purpose. The data shows it offers ECC memory support, quad-channel memory with 85.3 GB/s bandwidth, and 48 PCIe lanes. These features are aimed at reliability and scalability in workstation and server environments, not raw benchmark performance.

The i9-10900KF is the clear choice for users whose priority is maximum CPU throughput in standard desktop applications. The Xeon W-2155 is the appropriate pick for those who need ECC memory, high memory bandwidth, and extensive PCIe connectivity for specialized hardware.

The launch MSRP for the i9-10900KF is $509. The launch MSRP for the Xeon W-2155 is $1440.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two processors:

• Base Clock: 3.70 GHz (i9-10900KF) vs 3.30 GHz (Xeon W-2155)
• Boost Clock: 5.30 GHz (i9-10900KF) vs 4.50 GHz (Xeon W-2155)
• TDP: 125 W (i9-10900KF) vs 140 W (Xeon W-2155)
• Socket: Intel Socket 1200 (i9-10900KF) vs Intel Socket 2066 (Xeon W-2155)
• Architecture: Comet Lake (i9-10900KF) vs Skylake (Xeon W-2155)
• Codename: Comet Lake (i9-10900KF) vs Skylake-W (Xeon W-2155)
• Generation: Core i9 (Comet Lake) vs Xeon W (Skylake-W)
• Die Size: Not listed (i9-10900KF) vs 484 mm² (Xeon W-2155)
• L2 Cache: 256 KB per core (i9-10900KF) vs 1 MB per core (Xeon W-2155)
• L3 Cache: 20 MB shared (i9-10900KF) vs 13.75 MB shared (Xeon W-2155)
• Memory Bus: Dual-channel (i9-10900KF) vs Quad-channel (Xeon W-2155)
• Memory Bandwidth: 46.9 GB/s (i9-10900KF) vs 85.3 GB/s (Xeon W-2155)
• ECC Memory: Not supported (i9-10900KF) vs Supported (Xeon W-2155)
• PCIe: Gen 3, 16 Lanes (i9-10900KF) vs Gen 3, 48 Lanes (Xeon W-2155)
• Market Segment: Desktop (i9-10900KF) vs Server/Workstation (Xeon W-2155)
• Release Date: 2020-04-29 (i9-10900KF) vs 2017-08-28 (Xeon W-2155)
• Launch MSRP: $509 (i9-10900KF) vs $1440 (Xeon W-2155)
• Multiplier Unlocked: Yes (i9-10900KF) vs No (Xeon W-2155)
• Part Number: SRH92 (i9-10900KF) vs SR3LR (Xeon W-2155)

Fields that are identical include cores (10), threads (20), process node (14 nm), foundry (Intel), L1 cache (64 KB per core), memory support (DDR4), and integrated graphics (none).

Where Each One Wins

Intel Core i9-10900KF wins in:

• All benchmark tests: 6 out of 6 head-to-head comparisons
• Single-core performance: Cinebench R15, R20, R23 all show a 7.6% lead
• Multi-core performance: Cinebench R15, R20, R23 all show a 7.6% lead
• Clock speed: higher base clock (3.70 GHz) and boost clock (5.30 GHz)
• L3 cache capacity: 20 MB versus 13.75 MB
• Power efficiency: achieves higher performance at 125 W TDP versus 140 W
• Overclocking: unlocked multiplier allows manual frequency adjustment
• Lower launch MSRP: $509 versus $1440

Intel Xeon W-2155 wins in:

• Memory bandwidth: 85.3 GB/s versus 46.9 GB/s
• Memory channels: quad-channel versus dual-channel
• ECC memory support: present versus absent
• PCIe lane count: 48 lanes versus 16 lanes
• L2 cache per core: 1 MB versus 256 KB
• Die size data: recorded at 484 mm²
• Server/workstation feature set: designed for reliability-focused platforms

The use-case split is clear. The i9-10900KF is the better processor for raw compute performance in desktop applications where clock speed and single-thread responsiveness matter. The Xeon W-2155 is the better platform choice for systems requiring high memory bandwidth, ECC reliability, and extensive PCIe expansion for accelerators or storage controllers. The average benchmark scores reflect this: the i9-10900KF sits at 5316, while the Xeon W-2155 sits at 5072.