Pentium Gold 4417U vs Ryzen 9 5900X

Pentium Gold 4417U vs Ryzen 9 5900X Performance Spectrum

Pentium Gold 4417U

2 / 4

3,240

0.0%

38,955

+1102.3%

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX

About PassMark

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.

Pentium Gold 4417U vs Ryzen 9 5900X FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Pentium Gold 4417U vs Ryzen 9 5900X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Pentium Gold 4417U

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $388 less on MSRP ($161 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 105W, a 104W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,240 vs 38,955).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 20.1 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($161 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +313.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+3100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 2 MB).
✅Delivers 252.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 20.1 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $161 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
241% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$161 MSRP
❌10400% higher power demand at 105W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Pentium Gold 4417U?

Yes. Ryzen 9 5900X is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 313.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1102.3% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 313.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5900X is the stronger fit. You are getting 1102.3% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 3100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 2 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 5900X is the better buy right now. Ryzen 9 5900X comes in 241.0% more expensive on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $161 MSRP, and it still gives you a 313.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 252.6% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 20.1 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 5900X makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2019), 3100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 2 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium Gold 4417U vs Ryzen 9 5900X Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Pentium Gold 4417U

The Pentium Gold 4417U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 February 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,240 points. Launch price was $161.

Ryzen 9 5900X

The Ryzen 9 5900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 38,955 points. Launch price was $549.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium Gold 4417U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5900X offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 5900X has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Pentium Gold 4417U versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X — a 70.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Pentium Gold 4417U uses the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Gold 4417U scores 3,240 against the Ryzen 9 5900X's 38,955 — a 169.3% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Pentium Gold 4417U vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X.

Feature	Pentium Gold 4417U	Ryzen 9 5900X
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	12 / 24+500%
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz	4.8 GHz+109%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	3.7 GHz+61%
L3 Cache	2 MB	64 MB+3100%
L2 Cache	1 MB	512K (per core)+51100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-50%
Architecture	Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019)	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	3,240	38,955+1102%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	21,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,174
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	11,888

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium Gold 4417U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium Gold 4417U	Ryzen 9 5900X
Socket	BGA1356	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium Gold 4417U) / AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5900X). Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K.

Feature	Pentium Gold 4417U	Ryzen 9 5900X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Pentium Gold 4417U was priced at $161, while the Ryzen 9 5900X came in at $549. On launch pricing ($161 vs $549), Pentium Gold 4417U was $388 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium Gold 4417U delivers 20.1 pts/$ vs 71.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 5900X — making the Ryzen 9 5900X the 111.6% better value option.

Feature	Pentium Gold 4417U	Ryzen 9 5900X
MSRP	$161-71%	$549
Performance per Dollar	20.1	71.0+253%
Release Date	2019	2020

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