PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $414 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 280W, a 185W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 48,756).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 61.0 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +57.9% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Delivers 63.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 61.0 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($799 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅700% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
107.5% HIGHER MSRP
$799 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌194.7% higher power demand at 280W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $414 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 280W, a 185W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +57.9% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Delivers 63.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 61.0 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($799 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅700% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 48,756).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 61.0 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌
107.5% HIGHER MSRP
$799 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌194.7% higher power demand at 280W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX better than Core i7-9700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-9700K is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 57.9% more average FPS across 5 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX is the better fit. You are getting 238.7% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX is the smarter buy today. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX is 107.5% more expensive on MSRP at $799 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 57.9% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 63.2% better value on MSRP (61.0 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018), 433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB), more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 8/8, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i7-9700K Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX
1080p
low	308 FPS	216 FPS
medium	278 FPS	175 FPS
high	231 FPS	148 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	108 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	190 FPS
medium	221 FPS	152 FPS
high	178 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	92 FPS
medium	140 FPS	79 FPS
high	108 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	50 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX
1080p
low	360 FPS	770 FPS
medium	321 FPS	656 FPS
high	291 FPS	516 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	453 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	639 FPS
medium	282 FPS	554 FPS
high	258 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	373 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	375 FPS
medium	221 FPS	327 FPS
high	208 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	262 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX
1080p
low	360 FPS	806 FPS
medium	360 FPS	662 FPS
high	360 FPS	605 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	526 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	618 FPS
medium	360 FPS	507 FPS
high	360 FPS	459 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	395 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	448 FPS
medium	360 FPS	357 FPS
high	360 FPS	323 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	258 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX
1080p
low	360 FPS	1200 FPS
medium	360 FPS	1015 FPS
high	360 FPS	911 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	806 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	933 FPS
medium	360 FPS	817 FPS
high	360 FPS	703 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	601 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	667 FPS
medium	360 FPS	599 FPS
high	360 FPS	521 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX

Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 March 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Chagall PRO (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: sWRX8. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 48,756 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX — a 8.5% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX uses Chagall PRO (2022) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX's 48,756 — a 108.8% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 64 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	16 / 32+100%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+9%	4.5 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	4 GHz+11%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	64 MB+433%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Chagall PRO (2022)
PassMark	14,397	48,756+239%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX uses sWRX8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus 3200 on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX supports 199.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX supports up to 2048 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-9700K) vs 8 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 128 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX offers 112 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and WRX80 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX
Socket	LGA1151	sWRX8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	3200+79900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+6553500%	2048
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	128+700%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX rivals Xeon w5-3335.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	None
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX debuted at $799. On MSRP ($385 vs $799), the Core i7-9700K is $414 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 61.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX — making the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX the 48% better value option.