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 9600X

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 150W, a 85W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core), while Xeon Gold 6248 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,500 vs 19,000).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6248, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.
❌Launch MSRP is still $279 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 6248 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon Gold 6248

2019

Why buy it

✅+8.6% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads, plus 48 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅71.4% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 9600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌130.8% higher power demand at 150W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 9600X moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 9600X can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 9600X

2024

Xeon Gold 6248

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 150W, a 85W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core), while Xeon Gold 6248 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+8.6% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads, plus 48 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅71.4% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,500 vs 19,000).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6248, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.
❌Launch MSRP is still $279 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 6248 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 9600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌130.8% higher power demand at 150W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 9600X moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 9600X can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 9600X better than Xeon Gold 6248?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Gold 6248 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 9600X is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6248 is the better fit. You are getting 8.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 20 cores and 40 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 9600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 9600X is at an unclear MSRP at $279 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 15.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon Gold 6248 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 8.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (107.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 5 9600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA3647. 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 9600X Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6248 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 9600X	Xeon Gold 6248
1080p
low	264 FPS	186 FPS
medium	243 FPS	151 FPS
high	207 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	177 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	225 FPS	146 FPS
medium	188 FPS	115 FPS
high	153 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	156 FPS	68 FPS
medium	131 FPS	57 FPS
high	101 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	36 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 9600X Open Xeon Gold 6248

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 9600X	Xeon Gold 6248
1080p
low	546 FPS	401 FPS
medium	451 FPS	349 FPS
high	379 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	339 FPS	244 FPS
1440p
low	469 FPS	348 FPS
medium	401 FPS	310 FPS
high	342 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	294 FPS	215 FPS
4K
low	294 FPS	227 FPS
medium	256 FPS	202 FPS
high	239 FPS	179 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	147 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 9600X Open Xeon Gold 6248

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 9600X	Xeon Gold 6248
1080p
low	750 FPS	738 FPS
medium	724 FPS	738 FPS
high	641 FPS	730 FPS
ultra	551 FPS	648 FPS
1440p
low	724 FPS	705 FPS
medium	565 FPS	605 FPS
high	486 FPS	573 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	506 FPS
4K
low	471 FPS	455 FPS
medium	397 FPS	357 FPS
high	346 FPS	318 FPS
ultra	285 FPS	259 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 9600X Open Xeon Gold 6248

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 9600X	Xeon Gold 6248
1080p
low	750 FPS	738 FPS
medium	750 FPS	738 FPS
high	750 FPS	663 FPS
ultra	750 FPS	576 FPS
1440p
low	750 FPS	682 FPS
medium	750 FPS	598 FPS
high	676 FPS	516 FPS
ultra	583 FPS	442 FPS
4K
low	577 FPS	469 FPS
medium	512 FPS	421 FPS
high	462 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	399 FPS	327 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 9600X Open Xeon Gold 6248

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 9600X and Xeon Gold 6248

Ryzen 5 9600X

The Ryzen 5 9600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 August 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,003 points. Launch price was $279.

Xeon Gold 6248

The Xeon Gold 6248 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 27.5 MB. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 29,535 points. Launch price was $3,072.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 9600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6248 offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon Gold 6248 has 14 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 9600X versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6248 — a 32.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 9600X (base: 3.9 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Ryzen 5 9600X uses the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6248 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 9600X scores 30,003 against the Xeon Gold 6248's 29,535 — a 1.6% lead for the Ryzen 5 9600X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 17,500 vs 19,000 (8.2% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6248). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 3,300 vs 1,327, a 85.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 9600X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 15,000 vs 15,277 (1.8% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6248). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 9600X vs 27.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 6248.

Feature	Ryzen 5 9600X	Xeon Gold 6248
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	20 / 40+233%
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+38%	3.9 GHz
Base Clock	3.9 GHz+56%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+16%	27.5 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	20 MB+1900%
Process	4 nm-71%	14 nm
Architecture	Granite Ridge (2024−2025)	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark	30,003+2%	29,535
Cinebench R23 Multi	17,500	19,000+9%
Geekbench 6 Single	3,300+149%	1,327
Geekbench 6 Multi	15,000	15,277+2%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 9600X uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Gold 6248 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 5 9600X versus DDR4-2933 on the Xeon Gold 6248 — the Ryzen 5 9600X supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6248 supports up to 1024 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 136.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 5 9600X) vs 6 (Xeon Gold 6248). PCIe lanes: 28 (Ryzen 5 9600X) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 6248) — the Xeon Gold 6248 offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X870E,X870,X670E,X670,B650E,B650 (Ryzen 5 9600X) and C620 (Xeon Gold 6248).

Feature	Ryzen 5 9600X	Xeon Gold 6248
Socket	AM5	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600+25%	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	1024 GB+433%
RAM Channels	2	6+200%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	28	48+71%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 9600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 9600X) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon Gold 6248). The Ryzen 5 9600X includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)), while the Xeon Gold 6248 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 9600X targets Gaming, Xeon Gold 6248 targets General Purpose Enterprise Server. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 9600X rivals Intel Core i5-14600K; Xeon Gold 6248 rivals EPYC 7352.

Feature	Ryzen 5 9600X	Xeon Gold 6248
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)	—
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming	General Purpose Enterprise Server