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 $1,600 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 400.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 17.8 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 250W, a 185W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,500 vs 33,213).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 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 17.8 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($1,799 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,600 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 400.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 17.8 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 250W, a 185W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,500 vs 33,213).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.8 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($1,799 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX better than Ryzen 5 3600?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX 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 2990WX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 23.7% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is the better fit. You are getting 249.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).

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

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 3600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is 804.0% more expensive on MSRP at $1,799 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 23.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 3600 is also 400.5% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 17.8 PassMark/$), 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 2018). 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 2990WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	200 FPS	198 FPS
medium	161 FPS	177 FPS
high	135 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	154 FPS	160 FPS
medium	119 FPS	134 FPS
high	96 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	85 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	73 FPS
medium	58 FPS	64 FPS
high	46 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	41 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	442 FPS	536 FPS
medium	404 FPS	483 FPS
high	332 FPS	404 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	354 FPS
1440p
low	420 FPS	473 FPS
medium	359 FPS	424 FPS
high	303 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	299 FPS
4K
low	297 FPS	295 FPS
medium	259 FPS	265 FPS
high	230 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	201 FPS	213 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	442 FPS	768 FPS
medium	442 FPS	640 FPS
high	442 FPS	577 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	504 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	640 FPS
medium	442 FPS	533 FPS
high	442 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	432 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	469 FPS
medium	361 FPS	377 FPS
high	305 FPS	336 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	280 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	442 FPS	799 FPS
medium	442 FPS	799 FPS
high	442 FPS	704 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	616 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	728 FPS
medium	442 FPS	644 FPS
high	442 FPS	549 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	474 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	522 FPS
medium	442 FPS	473 FPS
high	413 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	362 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3600 and Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

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 2990WX

The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 August 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 31,945 points. Launch price was $1,799.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 3600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX has 26 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3600 scores 17,685 against the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX's 31,945 — a 57.5% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 9,500 vs 33,213 (111% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,295 vs 1,206, a 7.1% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,898 vs 7,612 (120.2% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600 vs 64 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	32 / 64+433%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+20%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)	64 MB+100%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-42%	12 nm
Architecture	Matisse (2019−2020)	Zen+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	17,685	31,945+81%
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,500	33,213+250%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,295+7%	1,206
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,898	7,612+301%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 5 3600) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 3600) vs 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX 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 2990WX).

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
Socket	AM4	TR4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	2048 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	No
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 2990WX). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation, Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX targets Extreme Content Creation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400; Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX rivals Core i9-9980XE.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	Yes	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming/Budget Workstation	Extreme Content Creation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 3600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX debuted at $1799. On MSRP ($199 vs $1799), the Ryzen 5 3600 is $1600 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 3600 delivers 88.9 pts/$ vs 17.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 133.4% better value option.