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 5600

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $990 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $1,189 MSRP).
✅Delivers 255.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 108.3 vs 30.4 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $1,189 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 270W, a 205W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Xeon w5-3425.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon w5-3425 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,550 vs 36,178).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w5-3425, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads and 112 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Xeon w5-3425 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Xeon w5-3425

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +43.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads, plus 112 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅366.7% more PCIe lanes (112 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 30.4 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($1,189 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌315.4% higher power demand at 270W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Xeon w5-3425

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $990 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $1,189 MSRP).
✅Delivers 255.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 108.3 vs 30.4 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $1,189 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 270W, a 205W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Xeon w5-3425.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +43.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads, plus 112 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅366.7% more PCIe lanes (112 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon w5-3425 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,550 vs 36,178).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w5-3425, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads and 112 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Xeon w5-3425 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 30.4 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($1,189 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌315.4% higher power demand at 270W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon w5-3425 better than Ryzen 5 5600?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon w5-3425 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 5600 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, Xeon w5-3425 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 43.1% 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, Xeon w5-3425 is the better fit. You are getting 67.9% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads.

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

Xeon w5-3425 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon w5-3425 is 497.5% more expensive on MSRP at $1,189 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 43.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600 is also 255.9% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 30.4 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Xeon w5-3425 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of AM4, more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 6/12, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 5600 Benchmark Check

Xeon w5-3425 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon w5-3425
1080p
low	161 FPS	172 FPS
medium	130 FPS	155 FPS
high	112 FPS	127 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	143 FPS
medium	113 FPS	123 FPS
high	95 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	77 FPS
medium	69 FPS	71 FPS
high	55 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	44 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Xeon w5-3425

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon w5-3425
1080p
low	508 FPS	579 FPS
medium	419 FPS	497 FPS
high	351 FPS	417 FPS
ultra	310 FPS	378 FPS
1440p
low	447 FPS	490 FPS
medium	375 FPS	433 FPS
high	323 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	322 FPS
4K
low	313 FPS	303 FPS
medium	268 FPS	269 FPS
high	243 FPS	251 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	219 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Xeon w5-3425

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon w5-3425
1080p
low	539 FPS	898 FPS
medium	526 FPS	812 FPS
high	483 FPS	775 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	691 FPS
1440p
low	539 FPS	781 FPS
medium	434 FPS	703 FPS
high	396 FPS	667 FPS
ultra	339 FPS	595 FPS
4K
low	371 FPS	523 FPS
medium	298 FPS	440 FPS
high	255 FPS	399 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	332 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Xeon w5-3425

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon w5-3425
1080p
low	539 FPS	904 FPS
medium	539 FPS	904 FPS
high	539 FPS	884 FPS
ultra	539 FPS	765 FPS
1440p
low	539 FPS	904 FPS
medium	539 FPS	847 FPS
high	539 FPS	727 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	619 FPS
4K
low	501 FPS	683 FPS
medium	448 FPS	604 FPS
high	398 FPS	534 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	437 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Xeon w5-3425

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600 and Xeon w5-3425

Ryzen 5 5600

The Ryzen 5 5600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 21,550 points. Launch price was $299.

Xeon w5-3425

The Xeon w5-3425 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 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 270 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 36,178 points. Launch price was $1,189.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon w5-3425 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon w5-3425 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 versus 4.6 GHz on the Xeon w5-3425 — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Xeon w5-3425 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon w5-3425 uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600 scores 21,550 against the Xeon w5-3425's 36,178 — a 50.7% lead for the Xeon w5-3425. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600 vs 30 MB on the Xeon w5-3425.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon w5-3425
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.6 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+9%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+7%	30 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+300%
Process	7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (2020−2025)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	21,550	36,178+68%
Cinebench R23 Multi	11,077	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,052	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,600	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon w5-3425 uses LGA4677 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600 versus DDR5-4800 on the Xeon w5-3425 — the Xeon w5-3425 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon w5-3425 supports up to 4096 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 5 5600) vs 8 (Xeon w5-3425). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600) vs 112 (Xeon w5-3425) — the Xeon w5-3425 offers 88 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: B550,X570,B450,X470,A520 (Ryzen 5 5600) and W790 (Xeon w5-3425).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon w5-3425
Socket	AM4	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	4096 GB+3100%
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	112+367%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon w5-3425 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon w5-3425). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon w5-3425
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Xeon w5-3425 debuted at $1189. On MSRP ($199 vs $1189), the Ryzen 5 5600 is $990 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600 delivers 108.3 pts/$ vs 30.4 pts/$ for the Xeon w5-3425 — making the Ryzen 5 5600 the 112.3% better value option.