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 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $420 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $749 MSRP).
✅Delivers 32.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 51.4 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $749 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 3950X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 38,519).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen 9 3950X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 51.4 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($749 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Ryzen 9 3950X

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $420 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $749 MSRP).
✅Delivers 32.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 51.4 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $749 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 3950X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 38,519).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 51.4 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($749 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 3950X better than Ryzen 7 3700X?

Yes. Ryzen 9 3950X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 16.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 71.7% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 3950X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 16.0% 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 9 3950X is the better fit. You are getting 71.7% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 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 9 3950X is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 7 3700X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 3950X is 127.7% more expensive on MSRP at $749 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you a 16.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 7 3700X is also 32.6% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 51.4 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 3950X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 7 3700X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 3950X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen 9 3950X
1080p
low	200 FPS	207 FPS
medium	163 FPS	182 FPS
high	137 FPS	147 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	119 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	167 FPS
medium	121 FPS	138 FPS
high	100 FPS	109 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	89 FPS
medium	71 FPS	79 FPS
high	56 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	50 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Ryzen 9 3950X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen 9 3950X
1080p
low	561 FPS	701 FPS
medium	525 FPS	616 FPS
high	428 FPS	497 FPS
ultra	383 FPS	438 FPS
1440p
low	545 FPS	580 FPS
medium	471 FPS	519 FPS
high	394 FPS	439 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	360 FPS
4K
low	350 FPS	340 FPS
medium	304 FPS	306 FPS
high	274 FPS	283 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	252 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Ryzen 9 3950X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen 9 3950X
1080p
low	561 FPS	871 FPS
medium	561 FPS	701 FPS
high	561 FPS	623 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	520 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	710 FPS
medium	561 FPS	572 FPS
high	538 FPS	498 FPS
ultra	470 FPS	422 FPS
4K
low	499 FPS	494 FPS
medium	394 FPS	412 FPS
high	343 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	307 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Ryzen 9 3950X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen 9 3950X
1080p
low	561 FPS	963 FPS
medium	561 FPS	963 FPS
high	561 FPS	887 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	796 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	883 FPS
medium	561 FPS	772 FPS
high	561 FPS	678 FPS
ultra	555 FPS	597 FPS
4K
low	561 FPS	649 FPS
medium	501 FPS	577 FPS
high	447 FPS	513 FPS
ultra	396 FPS	437 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Ryzen 9 3950X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 3700X and Ryzen 9 3950X

Ryzen 7 3700X

The Ryzen 7 3700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. 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: 22,430 points. Launch price was $329.

Ryzen 9 3950X

The Ryzen 9 3950X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 November 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 38,519 points. Launch price was $799.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 3700X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 9 3950X offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Ryzen 9 3950X has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 9 3950X — a 6.6% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 3950X (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). Both are built on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture using a 7 nm, 12 nm process. In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 22,430 against the Ryzen 9 3950X's 38,519 — a 52.8% lead for the Ryzen 9 3950X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 3950X.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen 9 3950X
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	16 / 32+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.7 GHz+7%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+3%	3.5 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB	64 MB+100%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	22,430	38,519+72%

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 4.0. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 24 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 3700X) and X570,B550 (Ryzen 9 3950X).

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen 9 3950X
Socket	AM4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	24	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X) / AMD-V (Ryzen 9 3950X).

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen 9 3950X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 3700X launched at $329 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 3950X debuted at $749. On MSRP ($329 vs $749), the Ryzen 7 3700X is $420 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 3700X delivers 68.2 pts/$ vs 51.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 3950X — making the Ryzen 7 3700X the 28% better value option.