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 $970 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 186.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 23.8 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,299 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 250W, a 185W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 30,954).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

2018

Why buy it

✅+38% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 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 23.8 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($1,299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $970 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 186.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 23.8 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,299 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 250W, a 185W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+38% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 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 (22,430 vs 30,954).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 23.8 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($1,299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 7 3700X 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, Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX is the better fit. You are getting 38% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 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 7 3700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 3700X is $970 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $1,299 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 38% better PassMark. It is also 186.1% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 23.8 PassMark/$), 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 7 3700X 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 7 3700X Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
1080p
low	200 FPS	198 FPS
medium	163 FPS	177 FPS
high	137 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	160 FPS
medium	121 FPS	134 FPS
high	100 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	85 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	73 FPS
medium	71 FPS	64 FPS
high	56 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	41 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
1080p
low	561 FPS	536 FPS
medium	525 FPS	483 FPS
high	428 FPS	404 FPS
ultra	383 FPS	354 FPS
1440p
low	545 FPS	473 FPS
medium	471 FPS	424 FPS
high	394 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	299 FPS
4K
low	350 FPS	295 FPS
medium	304 FPS	265 FPS
high	274 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	213 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
1080p
low	561 FPS	768 FPS
medium	561 FPS	640 FPS
high	561 FPS	577 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	504 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	640 FPS
medium	561 FPS	533 FPS
high	538 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	470 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	499 FPS	469 FPS
medium	394 FPS	377 FPS
high	343 FPS	336 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	280 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
1080p
low	561 FPS	774 FPS
medium	561 FPS	774 FPS
high	561 FPS	704 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	616 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	730 FPS
medium	561 FPS	644 FPS
high	561 FPS	549 FPS
ultra	555 FPS	474 FPS
4K
low	561 FPS	523 FPS
medium	501 FPS	473 FPS
high	447 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	396 FPS	362 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 3700X and Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

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 Threadripper 2970WX

The Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 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: 30,954 points. Launch price was $1,299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 3700X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 3700X (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 22,430 against the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX's 30,954 — a 31.9% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X vs 64 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	24 / 48+200%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+5%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+20%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB	64 MB+100%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-42%	12 nm
Architecture	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)	Zen+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	22,430	30,954+38%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	29,045
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,240
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	7,241

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 7 3700X) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 7 3700X) vs 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX offers 40 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 3700X) and X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX).

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
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	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	64+167%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X) / AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX). Primary use case: Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX targets Extreme Multi-threaded Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX rivals Core i9-7940X.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Extreme Multi-threaded Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 3700X launched at $329 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX debuted at $1299. On MSRP ($329 vs $1299), the Ryzen 7 3700X is $970 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 3700X delivers 68.2 pts/$ vs 23.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX — making the Ryzen 7 3700X the 96.4% better value option.