Ryzen 7 3700X vs Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX

AMD

Ryzen 7 3700X

8 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2019

Popular choices:

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VS
AMD

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX

64 Cores128 Thrd350 WWMax: 5.4 GHz2025

Popular choices:

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Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

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

  • βœ…Costs $7,670 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $7,999 MSRP).
  • βœ…Delivers 253.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 19.3 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $7,999 MSRP).
  • βœ…Draws 65W instead of 350W, a 285W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 154,361).
  • ❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX, which brings 64 cores / 128 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
  • ❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX moves to sTR5 and DDR5.

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX

2025

Why buy it

  • βœ…Better for gaming: +12.5% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • βœ…Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 64 cores / 128 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
  • βœ…Newer platform on sTR5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
  • βœ…433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 19.3 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($7,999 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
  • ❌438.5% higher power demand at 350W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX better than Ryzen 7 3700X?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX 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 gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 12.5% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 32 MB.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX is the better fit. You are getting 588.2% better PassMark, backed by 64 cores and 128 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 700% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 32 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 7 3700X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX is 2331.3% more expensive on MSRP at $7,999 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you a 12.5% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 7 3700X is also 253.3% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 19.3 PassMark/$), 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 Threadripper PRO 9985WX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2019), a healthier platform with sTR5 and DDR5 instead of AM4, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 256 MB L3 cache instead of 32 MB, more multi-core headroom with 64 cores / 128 threads instead of 8/16, 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetRyzen 7 3700XRyzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX
1080p
low200 FPS303 FPS
medium163 FPS281 FPS
high137 FPS231 FPS
ultra110 FPS195 FPS
1440p
low156 FPS268 FPS
medium121 FPS224 FPS
high100 FPS172 FPS
ultra80 FPS152 FPS
4K
low84 FPS186 FPS
medium71 FPS155 FPS
high56 FPS117 FPS
ultra44 FPS105 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetRyzen 7 3700XRyzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX
1080p
low561 FPS803 FPS
medium525 FPS687 FPS
high428 FPS538 FPS
ultra383 FPS468 FPS
1440p
low545 FPS662 FPS
medium471 FPS590 FPS
high394 FPS477 FPS
ultra337 FPS386 FPS
4K
low350 FPS370 FPS
medium304 FPS334 FPS
high274 FPS308 FPS
ultra242 FPS269 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetRyzen 7 3700XRyzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX
1080p
low561 FPS889 FPS
medium561 FPS728 FPS
high561 FPS654 FPS
ultra561 FPS556 FPS
1440p
low561 FPS693 FPS
medium561 FPS567 FPS
high538 FPS498 FPS
ultra470 FPS419 FPS
4K
low499 FPS490 FPS
medium394 FPS407 FPS
high343 FPS365 FPS
ultra275 FPS303 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetRyzen 7 3700XRyzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX
1080p
low561 FPS1131 FPS
medium561 FPS1014 FPS
high561 FPS889 FPS
ultra561 FPS802 FPS
1440p
low561 FPS890 FPS
medium561 FPS783 FPS
high561 FPS688 FPS
ultra555 FPS599 FPS
4K
low561 FPS649 FPS
medium501 FPS579 FPS
high447 FPS514 FPS
ultra396 FPS437 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 3700X and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX

AMD

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) (2019βˆ’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.

AMD

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 July 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Shimada Peak (2025) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: sTR5. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 154,361 points. Launch price was $7,999.

⚑

Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 3700X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX offers 64 cores / 128 threads β€” the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX has 56 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX β€” a 20.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019βˆ’2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX uses Shimada Peak (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 22,430 against the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX's 154,361 β€” a 149.3% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X vs 256 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX.

FeatureRyzen 7 3700XRyzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
64 / 128+700%
Boost Clock
4.4 GHz
5.4 GHz+23%
Base Clock
3.6 GHz+12%
3.2 GHz
L3 Cache
32 MB
256 MB (total)+700%
L2 Cache
512K (per core)
1 MB (per core)+100%
Process
7 nm, 12 nm
4 nm-43%
Architecture
Matisse (Zen 2) (2019βˆ’2020)
Shimada Peak (2025)
PassMark
22,430
154,361+588%
Cinebench R23 Multi
β€”
120,000
Geekbench 6 Single
β€”
3,644
Geekbench 6 Multi
β€”
37,967
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX uses sTR5 (PCIe 4.0) β€” making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus DDR5-6400 on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX β€” the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB β€” 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 7 3700X) vs 8 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 7 3700X) vs 128 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX) β€” the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 3700X) and WRX90,TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX).

FeatureRyzen 7 3700XRyzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX
Socket
AM4
sTR5
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-3200
DDR5-6400+25%
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
2048 GB+1500%
RAM Channels
2
8+300%
ECC Support
Yes
Yes
PCIe Lanes
24
128+433%
πŸ”§

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X) / true (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX). Primary use case: Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX targets High-end Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX rivals Xeon w9-3475X.

FeatureRyzen 7 3700XRyzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX
Integrated GPU
No
No
AVX-512
β€”
Yes
Virtualization
β€”
true
Target Use
β€”
High-end Workstation
πŸ’°

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 3700X launched at $329 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX debuted at $7999. On MSRP ($329 vs $7999), the Ryzen 7 3700X is $7670 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 3700X delivers 68.2 pts/$ vs 19.3 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX β€” making the Ryzen 7 3700X the 111.8% better value option.

FeatureRyzen 7 3700XRyzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX
MSRP
$329-96%
$7999
Performance per Dollar
68.2+253%
19.3
Release Date
2019
2025