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

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a remarkably consistent picture: the Intel Core i9-10980XE wins every single recorded head-to-head test against the Intel Core i9-9990XE. Across six Cinebench workloads, the 10980XE maintains a nearly uniform advantage, with all delta percentages landing between 5.8% and 5.9%. There are no mixed results here, no workload where the 9990XE manages to claw back ground. The database shows a clean sweep.

Starting with multi-core performance, the 10980XE scores 2734 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, beating the 9990XE's 2584 by 5.8%. That gap persists identically in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where 11394 versus 10767 again yields a 5.8% advantage. In the newer Cinebench R23 multi-core test, the 10980XE posts 27130 against 25637, once more a 5.8% edge. These three results tell a straightforward story: in heavily threaded workloads, the 10980XE consistently outperforms its predecessor by a small but reliable margin.

Single-core results follow the same pattern. Cinebench R15 single-core shows 385 for the 10980XE and 364 for the 9990XE, a 5.8% win. Cinebench R20 single-core delivers 1608 versus 1519, a 5.9% margin, the largest recorded delta in the entire comparison. Cinebench R23 single-core rounds out the set with 3830 against 3619, again 5.8%. The consistency of these deltas suggests the architectural improvements in the 10980XE benefit both single-threaded and multi-threaded execution equally, rather than favoring one workload type over another.

Looking at the broader context, the 10980XE holds an average benchmark score of 7910 across all recorded tests, placing it in the 64th percentile of all CPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7551P at 7952 (0.5% ahead of the 10980XE) and the Intel Core i7-13700E at 7957 (0.6% ahead). The 10980XE also sits 2.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX, which scores 7741. The 9990XE, by contrast, averages 7415, landing in the 63rd percentile, with its closest competitor being the Intel Core i9-9980XE at 7398, a mere 0.2% behind. The 9990XE's rival list includes mainstream desktop parts like the Intel Core i5-4570 and Core i5-7400, which sit within 0.7% of its average score, underscoring how the 9990XE's overall standing is much closer to mid-range territory than to the top of the chart.

Where Each One Wins

The data indicates that the Intel Core i9-10980XE wins in every scenario where these two processors are directly compared. With six wins out of six head-to-head benchmarks, there is no recorded test category where the 9990XE takes the lead. This means that for users prioritizing raw Cinebench performance, whether single-core or multi-core, the 10980XE is the superior choice across the board.

The 10980XE's advantage is especially relevant for heavily threaded productivity workloads. Its multi-core scores in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 are consistently about 5.8% higher than the 9990XE's, making it the better option for rendering, video encoding, scientific computing, and other parallel tasks. The 10980XE achieves this with 18 cores and 36 threads, compared to the 9990XE's 14 cores and 28 threads, while also offering a larger shared L3 cache of 24.75 MB versus 19.25 MB.

For users who prioritize single-threaded responsiveness, the 10980XE again comes out ahead, with single-core deltas of 5.8% to 5.9% across all three Cinebench versions. This is notable because the 9990XE features a higher base clock of 4.00 GHz and a higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz, yet it still trails the 10980XE, which runs at 3.00 GHz base and 4.80 GHz boost. The 10980XE's newer Cascade Lake architecture clearly compensates for its lower clock speeds, delivering better per-clock performance.

There is no workload category in the recorded data where the 9990XE wins. The only area where the 9990XE holds any distinction is its higher boost clock, but that does not translate into benchmark victories. For users with workloads that resemble Cinebench's rendering and ray-tracing tasks, the 10980XE is the definitive pick.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i9-10980XE scores 3830 in Cinebench R23 single-core, while the Intel Core i9-9990XE scores 3619. The 10980XE leads by 5.8%.

Q: How does the 10980XE compare to the 9990XE in multi-core Cinebench R20?

A: The 10980XE scores 11394 in Cinebench R20 multi-core, versus 10767 for the 9990XE, a 5.8% advantage for the 10980XE.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The 10980XE has an average benchmark score of 7910, placing it in the 64th percentile of all CPUs. The 9990XE averages 7415, placing it in the 63rd percentile.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The 10980XE has 18 cores and 36 threads. The 9990XE has 14 cores and 28 threads.

Q: What are the closest rivals to the 10980XE in the database?

A: The nearest rivals are the AMD EPYC 7551P with an average score of 7952 (0.5% ahead), the Intel Core i7-13700E at 7957 (0.6% ahead), and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX at 7741 (2.2% behind).

Q: Does the 9990XE win any head-to-head benchmark?

A: No, the recorded data shows the 9990XE loses all six head-to-head Cinebench comparisons against the 10980XE.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The 10980XE is built on Cascade Lake architecture from the Core 10th Gen series, while the 9990XE uses Skylake architecture from the Core 9th Gen series. Core counts differ significantly: the 10980XE has 18 cores and 36 threads, whereas the 9990XE has 14 cores and 28 threads.

Clock speeds also diverge. The 10980XE has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The 9990XE runs at a higher base clock of 4.00 GHz and a higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Despite the 9990XE's clock advantage, the 10980XE still wins all benchmarks.

Thermal design power (TDP) varies as well: the 10980XE has a TDP of 165, while the 9990XE draws more at 255. Both use the Intel Socket 2066 and support quad-channel DDR4 memory, but memory bandwidth differs, with the 10980XE rated at 93.9 GB/s versus 85.3 GB/s for the 9990XE. The 10980XE also offers more PCIe lanes, with 48 Gen 3 lanes (CPU only) compared to 44 for the 9990XE.

Cache configurations differ: the 10980XE has 24.75 MB of shared L3 cache, while the 9990XE has 19.25 MB. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 cache per core. Neither supports ECC memory, and both have unlocked multipliers.

The launch dates are one year apart, with the 9990XE released on 2018-10-18 and the 10980XE on 2019-10-18. Their part numbers differ (SRGSG for the 10980XE, SREZA for the 9990XE), and both are marked as end-of-life.

Architecture Differences

The 10980XE is based on Cascade Lake, specifically the Cascade Lake-X variant from the Core i9 Extreme X-Series 10th Gen family. The 9990XE uses Skylake, specifically Skylake-X from the Core i9 Extreme X-Series 9th Gen family. Both are manufactured on Intel's 14 nm process node and built by Intel's own foundry.

The most impactful architectural difference is core count. The 10980XE's 18 cores and 36 threads provide a 28.6% core advantage over the 9990XE's 14 cores and 28 threads. This explains why the 10980XE wins multi-core benchmarks even though its clock speeds are lower. The additional cores more than compensate for the 9990XE's higher base and boost clocks.

Cache architecture also reflects the core count difference. The 10980XE's shared L3 cache is 24.75 MB, which is 5.5 MB larger than the 9990XE's 19.25 MB. Per-core L1 and L2 caches are identical at 64 KB and 1 MB respectively. The larger L3 cache on the 10980XE helps feed its additional cores and likely contributes to its consistent benchmark lead.

Memory architecture shows a modest improvement on the 10980XE, with memory bandwidth rated at 93.9 GB/s versus 85.3 GB/s for the 9990XE. Both support quad-channel DDR4 memory. The 10980XE also gains additional PCIe connectivity, offering 48 Gen 3 lanes (CPU only) compared to 44 on the 9990XE, which can benefit systems with multiple GPUs or high-speed storage devices.

The 10980XE's Cascade Lake architecture appears to deliver better instructions per clock (IPC) than the 9990XE's Skylake design. This is evident in the single-core benchmarks, where the 10980XE wins despite having a 300 MHz lower base clock and a 300 MHz lower boost clock. The 5.8% single-core lead in Cinebench R23, for instance, comes entirely from architectural efficiency rather than clock speed. The 9990XE's higher clocks cannot overcome the 10980XE's newer microarchitecture, making the 10980XE the stronger processor in every recorded workload.