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

✅Better for gaming: +37.7% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+113.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 15 MB).
✅Costs $160 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $359 MSRP).
✅Delivers 102.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 44.0 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $359 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 120W, a 55W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Xeon w3-2423 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Xeon w3-2423

2023

Why buy it

✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (15,797 vs 17,685).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (15 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 44.0 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($359 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌84.6% higher power demand at 120W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Xeon w3-2423

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +37.7% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+113.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 15 MB).
✅Costs $160 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $359 MSRP).
✅Delivers 102.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 44.0 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $359 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 120W, a 55W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Xeon w3-2423 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (15,797 vs 17,685).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (15 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 44.0 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($359 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌84.6% higher power demand at 120W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3600 better than Xeon w3-2423?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon w3-2423 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 5 3600 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 37.7% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 3600 is the better fit. You are getting 12% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 113.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 15 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 3600 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 3600 is $160 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $359 MSRP, and it gives you a 37.7% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 102.0% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 44.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Xeon w3-2423 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of AM4. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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

Xeon w3-2423 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon w3-2423
1080p
low	200 FPS	181 FPS
medium	161 FPS	150 FPS
high	135 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	154 FPS	146 FPS
medium	119 FPS	118 FPS
high	96 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	68 FPS
medium	58 FPS	58 FPS
high	46 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	37 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Xeon w3-2423

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon w3-2423
1080p
low	442 FPS	171 FPS
medium	404 FPS	149 FPS
high	332 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	117 FPS
1440p
low	420 FPS	152 FPS
medium	359 FPS	135 FPS
high	303 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	106 FPS
4K
low	297 FPS	120 FPS
medium	259 FPS	109 FPS
high	230 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	201 FPS	86 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Xeon w3-2423

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon w3-2423
1080p
low	442 FPS	395 FPS
medium	442 FPS	395 FPS
high	442 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	395 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	395 FPS
medium	442 FPS	395 FPS
high	442 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	432 FPS	395 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	395 FPS
medium	361 FPS	395 FPS
high	305 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	277 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Xeon w3-2423

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon w3-2423
1080p
low	442 FPS	395 FPS
medium	442 FPS	395 FPS
high	442 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	395 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	395 FPS
medium	442 FPS	395 FPS
high	442 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	395 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	395 FPS
medium	442 FPS	395 FPS
high	413 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	371 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Xeon w3-2423

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3600 and Xeon w3-2423

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.

Xeon w3-2423

The Xeon w3-2423 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 February 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 15,797 points. Launch price was $359.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 3600 and Xeon w3-2423 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 versus 4.2 GHz on the Xeon w3-2423 — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon w3-2423 uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3600 scores 17,685 against the Xeon w3-2423's 15,797 — a 11.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600 vs 15 MB on the Xeon w3-2423.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon w3-2423
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+71%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+113%	15 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+300%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Matisse (2019−2020)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	17,685+12%	15,797
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,500	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,295	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,898	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon w3-2423 uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon w3-2423
Socket	AM4	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	24	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Ryzen 5 3600) / not specified (Xeon w3-2423). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon w3-2423
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	Yes	—
Target Use	Gaming/Budget Workstation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 3600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Xeon w3-2423 debuted at $359. On MSRP ($199 vs $359), the Ryzen 5 3600 is $160 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 3600 delivers 88.9 pts/$ vs 44.0 pts/$ for the Xeon w3-2423 — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 67.5% better value option.