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: +50.0% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Costs $223 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $552 MSRP).
✅Delivers 159.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 26.3 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $552 MSRP).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-1290TE, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Xeon W-1290TE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Xeon W-1290TE

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics P630, while Ryzen 7 3700X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,505 vs 22,430).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 26.3 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($552 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Xeon W-1290TE

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +50.0% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Costs $223 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $552 MSRP).
✅Delivers 159.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 26.3 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $552 MSRP).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics P630, while Ryzen 7 3700X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-1290TE, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Xeon W-1290TE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,505 vs 22,430).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 26.3 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($552 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than Xeon W-1290TE?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-1290TE 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 50.0% more average FPS across 5 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 54.6% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 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 $223 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $552 MSRP, and it gives you a 50.0% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 159.5% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 26.3 PassMark/$), 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 W-1290TE is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 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.

Ryzen 7 3700X Benchmark Check

Xeon W-1290TE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-1290TE
1080p
low	200 FPS	163 FPS
medium	163 FPS	144 FPS
high	137 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	138 FPS
medium	121 FPS	118 FPS
high	100 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	75 FPS
medium	71 FPS	69 FPS
high	56 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	43 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon W-1290TE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-1290TE
1080p
low	561 FPS	267 FPS
medium	525 FPS	230 FPS
high	428 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	383 FPS	178 FPS
1440p
low	545 FPS	230 FPS
medium	471 FPS	203 FPS
high	394 FPS	176 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	153 FPS
4K
low	350 FPS	143 FPS
medium	304 FPS	126 FPS
high	274 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	104 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon W-1290TE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-1290TE
1080p
low	561 FPS	363 FPS
medium	561 FPS	363 FPS
high	561 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	363 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	363 FPS
medium	561 FPS	363 FPS
high	538 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	470 FPS	363 FPS
4K
low	499 FPS	363 FPS
medium	394 FPS	345 FPS
high	343 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	254 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon W-1290TE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-1290TE
1080p
low	561 FPS	363 FPS
medium	561 FPS	363 FPS
high	561 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	363 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	363 FPS
medium	561 FPS	363 FPS
high	561 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	555 FPS	363 FPS
4K
low	561 FPS	363 FPS
medium	501 FPS	363 FPS
high	447 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	396 FPS	363 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon W-1290TE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 3700X and Xeon W-1290TE

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.

Xeon W-1290TE

The Xeon W-1290TE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 13 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,505 points. Launch price was $552.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 3700X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon W-1290TE offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon W-1290TE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus 4.5 GHz on the Xeon W-1290TE — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Xeon W-1290TE (base: 3.6 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon W-1290TE uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 22,430 against the Xeon W-1290TE's 14,505 — a 42.9% lead for the Ryzen 7 3700X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon W-1290TE.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-1290TE
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	10 / 20+25%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+100%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+60%	20 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)	Comet Lake (2020−2025)
PassMark	22,430+55%	14,505
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,507
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	2,478

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon W-1290TE uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 7 3700X) vs 16 (Xeon W-1290TE) — the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 3700X) and W480 (Xeon W-1290TE).

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-1290TE
Socket	AM4	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24+50%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon W-1290TE). The Xeon W-1290TE includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics P630), while the Ryzen 7 3700X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Xeon W-1290TE targets Workstation.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-1290TE
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel UHD Graphics P630
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 3700X launched at $329 MSRP, while the Xeon W-1290TE debuted at $552. On MSRP ($329 vs $552), the Ryzen 7 3700X is $223 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 3700X delivers 68.2 pts/$ vs 26.3 pts/$ for the Xeon W-1290TE — making the Ryzen 7 3700X the 88.7% better value option.