Ryzen 7 3700X vs Xeon W-2235

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: +37.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+287.9% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8.3 MB).
✅Costs $226 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $555 MSRP).
✅Delivers 165.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 25.6 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $555 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Xeon W-2235

2019

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,235 vs 22,430).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8.3 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 25.6 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($555 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Xeon W-2235

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +37.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+287.9% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8.3 MB).
✅Costs $226 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $555 MSRP).
✅Delivers 165.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 25.6 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $555 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,235 vs 22,430).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8.3 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 25.6 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($555 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than Xeon W-2235?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-2235 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 37.0% more average FPS across 50 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 57.6% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 287.9% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8.3 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 $226 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $555 MSRP, and it gives you a 37.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 165.8% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 25.6 PassMark/$), 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 287.9% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8.3 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. 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

Xeon W-2235 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-2235
1080p
low	200 FPS	184 FPS
medium	163 FPS	146 FPS
high	137 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	151 FPS
medium	121 FPS	118 FPS
high	100 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	82 FPS
medium	71 FPS	69 FPS
high	56 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	44 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon W-2235

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-2235
1080p
low	561 FPS	310 FPS
medium	525 FPS	259 FPS
high	428 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	383 FPS	204 FPS
1440p
low	545 FPS	275 FPS
medium	471 FPS	232 FPS
high	394 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	183 FPS
4K
low	350 FPS	228 FPS
medium	304 FPS	196 FPS
high	274 FPS	179 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	151 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon W-2235

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-2235
1080p
low	561 FPS	356 FPS
medium	561 FPS	356 FPS
high	561 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	356 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	356 FPS
medium	561 FPS	356 FPS
high	538 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	470 FPS	356 FPS
4K
low	499 FPS	356 FPS
medium	394 FPS	356 FPS
high	343 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	274 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon W-2235

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-2235
1080p
low	561 FPS	356 FPS
medium	561 FPS	356 FPS
high	561 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	356 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	356 FPS
medium	561 FPS	356 FPS
high	561 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	555 FPS	356 FPS
4K
low	561 FPS	356 FPS
medium	501 FPS	356 FPS
high	447 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	396 FPS	356 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon W-2235

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 3700X and Xeon W-2235

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-2235

The Xeon W-2235 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 8.25 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 14,235 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 3700X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon W-2235 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 7 3700X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus 4.6 GHz on the Xeon W-2235 — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Xeon W-2235 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Ryzen 7 3700X is built on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 22,430 against the Xeon W-2235's 14,235 — a 44.7% lead for the Ryzen 7 3700X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X vs 8.25 MB on the Xeon W-2235.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-2235
Cores / Threads	8 / 16+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.6 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	3.8 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	32 MB+288%	8.25 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	—
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)	—
PassMark	22,430+58%	14,235

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon W-2235 uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon W-2235
Socket	AM4	LGA2066
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	24	—

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Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 3700X launched at $329 MSRP, while the Xeon W-2235 debuted at $555. On MSRP ($329 vs $555), the Ryzen 7 3700X is $226 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 3700X delivers 68.2 pts/$ vs 25.6 pts/$ for the Xeon W-2235 — making the Ryzen 7 3700X the 90.7% better value option.