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.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $800 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 302.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 22.1 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 180W, a 115W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Threadripper 1950.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,295 vs 1,961).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,500 vs 18,780).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 1950, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper 1950

2017

Why buy it

✅+51.4% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 22.1 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($999 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Ryzen Threadripper 1950

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $800 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 302.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 22.1 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 180W, a 115W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Threadripper 1950.

Why buy it

✅+51.4% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,295 vs 1,961).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,500 vs 18,780).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 1950, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 22.1 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($999 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 1950 better than Ryzen 5 3600?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 1950 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 3600 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 1950 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.0% more average FPS across 43 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper 1950 is the better fit. You are getting 97.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads.

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

Ryzen Threadripper 1950 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 3600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Threadripper 1950 is 402.0% more expensive on MSRP at $999 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.0% average FPS lead across 43 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 3600 is also 302.1% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 22.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 3600 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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.

Ryzen 5 3600 Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 1950 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 1950
1080p
low	200 FPS	173 FPS
medium	161 FPS	153 FPS
high	135 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	154 FPS	139 FPS
medium	119 FPS	117 FPS
high	96 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	65 FPS
medium	58 FPS	59 FPS
high	46 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	36 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 1950
1080p
low	442 FPS	336 FPS
medium	404 FPS	304 FPS
high	332 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	210 FPS
1440p
low	420 FPS	287 FPS
medium	359 FPS	264 FPS
high	303 FPS	228 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	182 FPS
4K
low	297 FPS	184 FPS
medium	259 FPS	169 FPS
high	230 FPS	147 FPS
ultra	201 FPS	115 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 1950
1080p
low	442 FPS	552 FPS
medium	442 FPS	505 FPS
high	442 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	407 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	531 FPS
medium	442 FPS	439 FPS
high	442 FPS	385 FPS
ultra	432 FPS	341 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	401 FPS
medium	361 FPS	318 FPS
high	305 FPS	281 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	234 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 1950
1080p
low	442 FPS	552 FPS
medium	442 FPS	552 FPS
high	442 FPS	552 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	487 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	552 FPS
medium	442 FPS	535 FPS
high	442 FPS	462 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	391 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	416 FPS
medium	442 FPS	382 FPS
high	413 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	295 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3600 and Ryzen Threadripper 1950

Ryzen 5 3600

The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.

Ryzen Threadripper 1950

The Ryzen Threadripper 1950 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3r2. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,077 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 3600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 versus 3.2 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 — a 27% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3600 scores 17,685 against the Ryzen Threadripper 1950's 22,077 — a 22.1% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 1950. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 9,500 vs 18,780 (65.6% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 1950). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,295 vs 1,961, a 40.9% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,898 vs 10,100 (136.7% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 1950). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600 vs 32 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 1950.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 1950
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 32+167%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+31%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+12%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)	32 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Matisse (2019−2020)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	17,685	22,077+25%
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,500	18,780+98%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,295	1,961+51%
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,898	10,100+432%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 uses SP3r2 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 5 3600) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 1950). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 3600) vs 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 1950) — the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 offers 40 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD B550,AMD X570,AMD B450,AMD X470 (Ryzen 5 3600) and X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 1950).

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 1950
Socket	AM4	SP3r2
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	64+167%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Virtualization support: Yes (Ryzen 5 3600) vs AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper 1950). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation, Ryzen Threadripper 1950 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400; Ryzen Threadripper 1950 rivals Core i9-7960X.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 1950
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	Yes	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming/Budget Workstation	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 3600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 debuted at $999. On MSRP ($199 vs $999), the Ryzen 5 3600 is $800 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 3600 delivers 88.9 pts/$ vs 22.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 120.3% better value option.