Ryzen 7 3700X vs Xeon Silver 4309Y

AMD

Ryzen 7 3700X

8 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2019

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon Silver 4309Y

8 Cores16 Thrd105 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2021

Popular choices:

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

  • Better for gaming: +30.5% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).
  • Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Xeon Silver 4309Y mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon Silver 4309Y

2021

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
    • Lower PassMark (18,718 vs 22,430).
    • Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 32 MB).
    • 61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than Xeon Silver 4309Y?
    Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Silver 4309Y 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 7 3700X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 30.5% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 3700X is the better fit. You are getting 19.8% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 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 at an unclear MSRP at $329 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 30.5% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?
    Xeon Silver 4309Y is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2019). 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.

    Path of Exile 2

    Path of Exile 2

    PresetRyzen 7 3700XXeon Silver 4309Y
    1080p
    low200 FPS174 FPS
    medium163 FPS138 FPS
    high137 FPS114 FPS
    ultra110 FPS90 FPS
    1440p
    low156 FPS144 FPS
    medium121 FPS113 FPS
    high100 FPS91 FPS
    ultra80 FPS72 FPS
    4K
    low84 FPS67 FPS
    medium71 FPS56 FPS
    high56 FPS44 FPS
    ultra44 FPS35 FPS
    Counter-Strike 2

    Counter-Strike 2

    PresetRyzen 7 3700XXeon Silver 4309Y
    1080p
    low561 FPS245 FPS
    medium525 FPS212 FPS
    high428 FPS191 FPS
    ultra383 FPS151 FPS
    1440p
    low545 FPS217 FPS
    medium471 FPS193 FPS
    high394 FPS176 FPS
    ultra337 FPS140 FPS
    4K
    low350 FPS176 FPS
    medium304 FPS161 FPS
    high274 FPS138 FPS
    ultra242 FPS107 FPS
    League of Legends

    League of Legends

    PresetRyzen 7 3700XXeon Silver 4309Y
    1080p
    low561 FPS468 FPS
    medium561 FPS468 FPS
    high561 FPS468 FPS
    ultra561 FPS468 FPS
    1440p
    low561 FPS468 FPS
    medium561 FPS468 FPS
    high538 FPS468 FPS
    ultra470 FPS468 FPS
    4K
    low499 FPS468 FPS
    medium394 FPS378 FPS
    high343 FPS334 FPS
    ultra275 FPS272 FPS
    Valorant

    Valorant

    PresetRyzen 7 3700XXeon Silver 4309Y
    1080p
    low561 FPS468 FPS
    medium561 FPS468 FPS
    high561 FPS468 FPS
    ultra561 FPS468 FPS
    1440p
    low561 FPS468 FPS
    medium561 FPS468 FPS
    high561 FPS468 FPS
    ultra555 FPS468 FPS
    4K
    low561 FPS468 FPS
    medium501 FPS464 FPS
    high447 FPS414 FPS
    ultra396 FPS353 FPS

    Technical Specifications

    Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 3700X and Xeon Silver 4309Y

    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) (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.

    Intel

    Xeon Silver 4309Y

    The Xeon Silver 4309Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2667. Passmark benchmark score: 18,718 points. Launch price was $800.

    Processing Power

    Both the Ryzen 7 3700X and Xeon Silver 4309Y share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus 3.6 GHz on the Xeon Silver 4309Y — a 20% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 3700X (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon Silver 4309Y uses Ice Lake-SP (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 22,430 against the Xeon Silver 4309Y's 18,718 — a 18% lead for the Ryzen 7 3700X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X vs 12 MB (total) on the Xeon Silver 4309Y.

    FeatureRyzen 7 3700XXeon Silver 4309Y
    Cores / Threads
    8 / 16
    8 / 16
    Boost Clock
    4.4 GHz+22%
    3.6 GHz
    Base Clock
    3.6 GHz+29%
    2.8 GHz
    L3 Cache
    32 MB+167%
    12 MB (total)
    L2 Cache
    512K (per core)
    1 MB (per core)+100%
    Process
    7 nm, 12 nm-30%
    10 nm
    Architecture
    Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
    Ice Lake-SP (2021)
    PassMark
    22,430+20%
    18,718
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Silver 4309Y uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureRyzen 7 3700XXeon Silver 4309Y
    Socket
    AM4
    LGA4189
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 4.0
    PCIe 4.0
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR4-3200
    Max RAM Capacity
    128 GB
    RAM Channels
    2
    ECC Support
    Yes
    PCIe Lanes
    24