Intel Core i9-9940X vs Intel Xeon D-2775TE Comparison

The Intel Xeon D-2775TE and Intel Core i9-9940X occupy opposite ends of Intel’s design philosophy, yet benchmark data reveals their aggregate performance is remarkably close. The Xeon D-2775TE, a 16-core Ice Lake-D server chip, posts an average benchmark score of 6711, while the desktop-oriented i9-9940X, a 14-core Skylake-X part, scores 6657. That 0.8% difference places them as direct rivals in the database’s nearestRivals list, with the Xeon edging ahead in aggregate. However, a closer look at the head-to-head Cinebench results tells a different story: the i9-9940X wins every single benchmark iteration, albeit by narrow margins. This creates an interesting dynamic where the server part’s higher core count is offset by the desktop chip’s superior clock speeds, resulting in a statistical dead heat that depends heavily on workload and platform priorities.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Core i9-9940X sweeps all six shared Cinebench tests, but the margins are consistently tight. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i9-9940X scores 2400 against the Xeon D-2775TE’s 2338, a 2.6% advantage. The single-core R15 result follows the same pattern: 338 versus 330, again a 2.4% lead for the desktop part. Moving to Cinebench R20, the i9-9940X posts 10000 multicore and 1411 single-core, while the Xeon D-2775TE manages 9745 and 1375 respectively. Those deltas of 2.5% and 2.6% are consistent, suggesting a clock-speed-driven advantage rather than an architectural one. The R23 suite reinforces this: the i9-9940X leads 23810 to 23204 in multicore (2.5% delta) and 3361 to 3275 in single-core (2.6% delta). Across all six tests, the i9-9940X’s largest winning margin is 2.6%, and its smallest is 2.4%. The Xeon D-2775TE never wins a test in this comparison, but its losses are so narrow that the overall performance envelope is nearly identical.

The near-identical percentile rankings underscore this parity. Both CPUs sit at the 62nd percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they outperform roughly the same proportion of the field. The Xeon D-2775TE’s average score of 6711 is 0.8% higher than the i9-9940X’s 6657, which is a rounding error in practical terms. Yet the benchmark distribution matters: the i9-9940X’s wins are consistent across both multicore and single-core tests, while the Xeon D-2775TE’s aggregate edge comes from its additional benchmark entries (the Geekbench scores are only available for the i9-9940X, not the Xeon). This asymmetry in available data means the average score comparison slightly favors the Xeon, but the head-to-head Cinebench results are unambiguous: the i9-9940X is faster in every rendering workload tested.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i9-9940X wins in every measured benchmark category, but the reasons are clear from the specification sheet. Its base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost of 4.50 GHz dwarf the Xeon D-2775TE’s 2.00 GHz base and 3.10 GHz boost. That clock advantage directly translates to the 2.4–2.6% lead in single-core tests, and it also helps in multicore workloads where the i9-9940X’s 14 cores, running at higher frequencies, offset the Xeon’s two additional cores. For single-threaded applications, or lightly threaded tasks that depend on boost clocks, the i9-9940X is the clear choice. The data shows no scenario where the Xeon D-2775TE outperforms its rival in raw rendering performance.

The Xeon D-2775TE’s wins are not in benchmark scores but in platform characteristics. It offers 16 cores and 32 threads versus the i9-9940X’s 14 cores and 28 threads, providing more parallel throughput potential for heavily threaded server workloads that scale beyond what Cinebench captures. Its ECC memory support is a decisive feature for data integrity in server environments, something the i9-9940X lacks entirely. The Xeon also supports PCIe Gen 4 with 32 lanes, while the i9-9940X is limited to PCIe Gen 3 with 44 lanes — newer signaling versus more lanes. Memory bandwidth is another differentiator: the Xeon D-2775TE delivers 93.9 GB/s versus the i9-9940X’s 85.3 GB/s, a 10% advantage that can matter in memory-bound server workloads. Finally, the Xeon’s 100W TDP is dramatically lower than the i9-9940X’s 165W, making it far more power-efficient for dense deployments.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from entirely different design lineages. The Xeon D-2775TE is built on Intel’s 10 nm process and uses the Ice Lake-D architecture, a refinement of the Ice Lake core designed specifically for edge and compact server deployments. Its codename, Ice Lake-D, and generation label (Xeon D, Ice Lake-D) confirm this focus. The i9-9940X, by contrast, is a Skylake-X part built on the older 14 nm process, with a much larger 484 mm² die. That die size difference is notable: the 14 nm i9-9940X is physically bigger to accommodate its 14 cores, while the 10 nm Xeon packs 16 cores into a smaller area, though the Xeon’s die size is not listed in the data.

Cache configurations also differ substantially. The Xeon D-2775TE provides 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 25 MB of shared L3. The i9-9940X has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 19.25 MB shared L3. The Xeon’s larger per-core caches and 30% more L3 capacity (25 MB versus 19.25 MB) suggest better cache hit rates for certain workloads, though the benchmark data shows this does not translate into a Cinebench win. The memory controllers are both quad-channel DDR4, but with different bandwidth ratings as noted. ECC support is exclusive to the Xeon, while the i9-9940X offers an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a feature completely absent on the server part. The sockets are incompatible: the Xeon uses Intel BGA 2579 (soldered), while the i9-9940X uses Intel Socket 2066 (LGA).

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Xeon D-2775TE scores 6711 on average, which is 0.8% higher than the Intel Core i9-9940X’s 6657 average score.

Q: Does the Core i9-9940X win any benchmark against the Xeon D-2775TE?

A: Yes. The i9-9940X wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, with margins ranging from 2.4% (R15 single-core) to 2.6% (R15 multicore, R20 single-core, R23 single-core).

Q: What is the core and thread count difference?

A: The Xeon D-2775TE has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Core i9-9940X has 14 cores and 28 threads. The Xeon has two more cores and four more threads.

Q: Which CPU supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Xeon D-2775TE supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i9-9940X does not support ECC memory.

Q: How do their memory bandwidth figures compare?

A: The Xeon D-2775TE provides 93.9 GB/s of memory bandwidth, which is higher than the Core i9-9940X’s 85.3 GB/s. Both use quad-channel DDR4.

Q: What are the process nodes and release dates?

A: The Xeon D-2775TE is built on a 10 nm process and was released on 2022-02-23. The Core i9-9940X uses a 14 nm process and was released on 2018-10-18.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon D-2775TE | Intel Core i9-9940X |

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

| Cores | 16 | 14 |

| Threads | 32 | 28 |

| Base Clock | 2000.00 MHz | 3300.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.10 GHz | 4.50 GHz |

| TDP | 100 W | 165 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 2579 | Intel Socket 2066 |

| Architecture | Ice Lake | Skylake |

| Codename | Ice Lake-D | Skylake-X |

| Generation | Xeon D (Ice Lake-D) | Core i9 (X-Series 9th Gen) |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 14 nm |

| Die Size | Not listed | 484 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 1 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 25 MB (shared) | 19.25 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 93.9 GB/s | 85.3 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 32 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 44 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Desktop |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2022-02-23 | 2018-10-18 |

| Launch MSRP | $1751 | $1387 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |

| Part Number | SRM26SRLCM | SREZ5 |