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: +5.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+42.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 23 MB).
✅Costs $280 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $609 MSRP).
✅Delivers 45.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 47.0 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $609 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 175W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 28,641).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w3-2525, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Xeon w3-2525 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Xeon w3-2525

2024

Why buy it

✅+27.7% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (23 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.0 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($609 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌169.2% higher power demand at 175W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Xeon w3-2525

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+42.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 23 MB).
✅Costs $280 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $609 MSRP).
✅Delivers 45.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 47.0 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $609 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 175W, a 110W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+27.7% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 28,641).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w3-2525, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Xeon w3-2525 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (23 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.0 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($609 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌169.2% higher power demand at 175W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than Xeon w3-2525?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon w3-2525 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, Xeon w3-2525 is the better fit. You are getting 27.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 7 3700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 3700X is $280 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $609 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon w3-2525 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 27.7% better PassMark. It is also 45.0% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 47.0 PassMark/$), 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 w3-2525 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2019), a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of AM4, more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 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.

Ryzen 7 3700X Benchmark Check

Xeon w3-2525 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon w3-2525
1080p
low	200 FPS	188 FPS
medium	163 FPS	155 FPS
high	137 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	108 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	152 FPS
medium	121 FPS	122 FPS
high	100 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	83 FPS
medium	71 FPS	72 FPS
high	56 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	45 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon w3-2525

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon w3-2525
1080p
low	561 FPS	587 FPS
medium	525 FPS	486 FPS
high	428 FPS	401 FPS
ultra	383 FPS	361 FPS
1440p
low	545 FPS	497 FPS
medium	471 FPS	429 FPS
high	394 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	350 FPS	308 FPS
medium	304 FPS	268 FPS
high	274 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	218 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon w3-2525

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon w3-2525
1080p
low	561 FPS	716 FPS
medium	561 FPS	716 FPS
high	561 FPS	716 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	716 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	716 FPS
medium	561 FPS	716 FPS
high	538 FPS	716 FPS
ultra	470 FPS	651 FPS
4K
low	499 FPS	552 FPS
medium	394 FPS	454 FPS
high	343 FPS	412 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	332 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon w3-2525

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon w3-2525
1080p
low	561 FPS	716 FPS
medium	561 FPS	716 FPS
high	561 FPS	716 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	716 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	716 FPS
medium	561 FPS	716 FPS
high	561 FPS	716 FPS
ultra	555 FPS	634 FPS
4K
low	561 FPS	692 FPS
medium	501 FPS	604 FPS
high	447 FPS	533 FPS
ultra	396 FPS	437 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon w3-2525

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 3700X and Xeon w3-2525

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 w3-2525

The Xeon w3-2525 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 August 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 22.5 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 175 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 28,641 points. Launch price was $609.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 7 3700X and Xeon w3-2525 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus 4.5 GHz on the Xeon w3-2525 — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Xeon w3-2525 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon w3-2525 uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 22,430 against the Xeon w3-2525's 28,641 — a 24.3% lead for the Xeon w3-2525. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X vs 22.5 MB on the Xeon w3-2525.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon w3-2525
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+3%	3.5 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+42%	22.5 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+300%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	22,430	28,641+28%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,000
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	15,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon w3-2525 uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus DDR5-4400 on the Xeon w3-2525 — the Xeon w3-2525 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 3700X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 2 TB — 193.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 7 3700X) vs 4 (Xeon w3-2525). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 7 3700X) vs 64 (Xeon w3-2525) — the Xeon w3-2525 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 W790 (Xeon w3-2525).

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon w3-2525
Socket	AM4	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-4400+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	2 TB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	64+167%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon w3-2525). Primary use case: Xeon w3-2525 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon w3-2525 rivals Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon w3-2525
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 3700X launched at $329 MSRP, while the Xeon w3-2525 debuted at $609. On MSRP ($329 vs $609), the Ryzen 7 3700X is $280 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 3700X delivers 68.2 pts/$ vs 47.0 pts/$ for the Xeon w3-2525 — making the Ryzen 7 3700X the 36.7% better value option.