Intel Core i9-9980XE vs Intel Core i9-9990XE Comparison

The Intel Core i9-9990XE and Intel Core i9-9980XE are both 9th Generation Intel Core i9 Extreme processors built on the Skylake-X architecture, yet they pursue distinctly different design goals. The 9990XE prioritizes maximum clock speeds with a 4.00 GHz base and 5.10 GHz boost, while the 9980XE offers more physical cores at lower frequencies. Both are end-of-life desktop parts on the Intel Socket 2066 platform, and benchmark data reveals a clear, consistent performance hierarchy between them.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are strikingly uniform across every test in the data set, with the Intel Core i9-9980XE winning all six head-to-head comparisons. The largest margin appears in multi-threaded workloads, where the 9980XE scores 26780 in Cinebench R23 multi-core against the 9990XE’s 25637, a delta of -4.3%. That same 4.3% gap repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the 9980XE posts 11247 versus 10767, and again in Cinebench R15 multi-core with scores of 2699 and 2584 respectively. The consistency of this margin across three generations of Cinebench suggests a stable architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

Single-core performance tells a similar story, though the raw numbers are closer in absolute terms. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the 9980XE scores 3780 compared to the 9990XE’s 3619, again a 4.3% advantage. Cinebench R20 single-core shows the 9980XE at 1587 versus 1519, and Cinebench R15 single-core has the 9980XE at 380 versus 364. The uniformity of the 4.3% delta across both single-threaded and multi-threaded tests is notable; it indicates that the 9980XE’s advantage is not merely a matter of core count scaling but reflects a fundamental per-thread efficiency lead in these benchmarks.

Looking at aggregate performance, the two CPUs sit nearly adjacent in the broader market. The 9990XE has an average benchmark score of 7415, while the 9980XE averages 7398. In the nearest rivals list, the 9980XE trails the 9990XE by just 0.2%, and the 9990XE leads the 9980XE by the same 0.2% in its own list. This near-identical average score places both processors at the 63rd percentile among all CPUs, with the AMD EPYC 7282 (average score 7409) sitting between them in one ordering and the Intel Core i5-4570 (7421) and Core i5-7400 (7469) flanking the pair in both lists. The deltaPct values among these four rivals range from -1.0% to 0.1%, underscoring how tightly clustered this performance tier is.

Despite the 9980XE’s clean sweep in head-to-head tests, the 9990XE is not without merit in the data. Its 5.10 GHz boost clock is the highest figure listed for either processor, and its 4.00 GHz base clock is a full 1 GHz above the 9980XE’s 3.00 GHz. Yet the benchmark results do not reflect this frequency advantage, as the 9980XE wins even the single-core tests by a consistent margin. This suggests the 9980XE’s 18-core configuration with 24.75 MB of shared L3 cache provides a structural benefit that clock speed alone cannot overcome.

Where Each One Wins

The data offers a clear split: the 9980XE wins every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, making it the default choice for any workload represented in the Cinebench suite. For multi-threaded rendering tasks in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, the 9980XE’s 18 cores and 36 threads deliver consistently higher scores, with the 4.3% margin holding steady across all three versions. This makes it the stronger option for content creation, 3D rendering, or any parallel workload that scales with core count.

The 9990XE, by contrast, does not win a single head-to-head benchmark in the data. Its highest clock speeds are impressive on paper, but the benchmark results show no test where that frequency advantage translates into a score victory. The 9990XE does have a higher average benchmark score (7415 vs 7398) in the aggregate data, but this is a marginal 0.2% difference that falls within the noise of the nearest rivals comparison. In practical terms, the data indicates the 9990XE’s role is that of a high-frequency part that still loses to the higher-core-count 9980XE in every measured test.

For single-core performance, the 9980XE again leads, though the margin is identical to the multi-core gap at 4.3%. This is unusual because single-core tests typically reward higher clock speeds, and the 9990XE has a 0.60 GHz boost advantage (5.10 vs 4.50). The fact that the 9980XE still wins these tests by the same margin as the multi-core tests suggests that the 9980XE’s per-core performance in Cinebench is inherently stronger, possibly due to higher effective IPC or better thermal headroom at its lower 165 W TDP compared to the 9990XE’s 255 W.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the same fundamental architecture: Skylake, on the Skylake-X codename, built on Intel’s 14 nm process node. They are both manufactured by Intel and fit the Intel Socket 2066 platform. The core counts differ significantly, with the 9990XE featuring 14 cores and 28 threads, while the 9980XE offers 18 cores and 36 threads. This four-core, eight-thread difference is the primary architectural divergence and directly explains the 9980XE’s multi-core benchmark wins.

Cache configurations also differ. The 9990XE has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 cache per core, which are identical per-core figures to the 9980XE. However, the shared L3 cache scales with core count: the 9990XE has 19.25 MB shared, while the 9980XE has 24.75 MB shared. This 5.5 MB difference in L3 capacity provides the 9980XE with more room for shared data, which can benefit multi-threaded workloads. The die size is only listed for the 9980XE at 484 mm²; no die size is given for the 9990XE.

Memory support is identical: both support DDR4 with a quad-channel memory bus and 85.3 GB/s of bandwidth. Neither supports ECC memory. PCIe connectivity is also the same at Gen 3 with 44 lanes (CPU only). Both have unlocked multipliers, indicating overclocking capability, and neither includes integrated graphics. The production status is end-of-life for both, with the same release date of 2018-10-18.

The TDP figures present a notable contrast. The 9990XE is rated at 255 W, while the 9980XE is rated at 165 W. This 90 W difference means the 9990XE consumes significantly more power to achieve its higher clock speeds, yet still loses in performance. The 9980XE’s lower TDP combined with higher benchmark scores makes it the more efficient part in this comparison, though efficiency numbers are not directly measured in the data.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-9990XE has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, which is higher than the Intel Core i9-9980XE’s 4.50 GHz boost clock.

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

A: No. The data shows the 9980XE wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, including every Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 test for both single-core and multi-core.

Q: What is the core count difference between the two processors?

A: The 9990XE has 14 cores and 28 threads, while the 9980XE has 18 cores and 36 threads, giving the 9980XE a 4-core, 8-thread advantage.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: The 9990XE has 19.25 MB of shared L3 cache, while the 9980XE has 24.75 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Are both processors on the same socket?

A: Yes, both use Intel Socket 2066 and are based on the Skylake-X architecture on a 14 nm process node.

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

A: The 9990XE has an average benchmark score of 7415, and the 9980XE has an average benchmark score of 7398, a difference of 0.2%.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i9-9990XE | Intel Core i9-9980XE |

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

| Cores | 14 | 18 |

| Threads | 28 | 36 |

| Base Clock | 4.00 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.10 GHz | 4.50 GHz |

| TDP | 255 W | 165 W |

| L3 Cache | 19.25 MB (shared) | 24.75 MB (shared) |

| Die Size | Not listed | 484 mm² |

| Launch MSRP | $2800 | $1979 |

| Part Number | SREZA | SREZ3 |

The processors share identical specifications for L1 cache (64 KB per core), L2 cache (1 MB per core), memory support (DDR4 quad-channel, 85.3 GB/s), PCIe (Gen 3, 44 lanes), ECC support (false), integrated graphics (none), socket (Intel Socket 2066), architecture (Skylake-X), process node (14 nm), and market segment (Desktop). Both have unlocked multipliers and the same release date.