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 8745HX

2025

Why buy it

✅Draws 55W instead of 170W, a 115W reduction.
✅16.7% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Ryzen 9 9950X3D.

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (32 MB vs 128 MB).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,000 vs 44,500).

Ryzen 9 9950X3D

2025

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 128 MB vs 32 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $699 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 8745HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌209.1% higher power demand at 170W vs 55W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 7 8745HX.

Ryzen 7 8745HX

2025

Ryzen 9 9950X3D

2025

Why buy it

✅Draws 55W instead of 170W, a 115W reduction.
✅16.7% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Ryzen 9 9950X3D.

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 128 MB vs 32 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (32 MB vs 128 MB).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,000 vs 44,500).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $699 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 8745HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌209.1% higher power demand at 170W vs 55W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 7 8745HX.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 9950X3D better than Ryzen 7 8745HX?

Yes. Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 147.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 115.1% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.8% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 32 MB.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the better fit. You are getting 147.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 32 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 9950X3D is at an unclear MSRP at $699 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (100.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 32 MB and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 8/16. That extra cache should hold up really well in CPU-limited games and high-refresh builds.

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 8745HX Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 9950X3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 8745HX	Ryzen 9 9950X3D
1080p
low	254 FPS	300 FPS
medium	236 FPS	274 FPS
high	204 FPS	227 FPS
ultra	175 FPS	191 FPS
1440p
low	218 FPS	276 FPS
medium	183 FPS	228 FPS
high	152 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	152 FPS	190 FPS
medium	127 FPS	156 FPS
high	99 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	106 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 8745HX Open Ryzen 9 9950X3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 8745HX	Ryzen 9 9950X3D
1080p
low	620 FPS	722 FPS
medium	518 FPS	615 FPS
high	428 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	387 FPS	385 FPS
1440p
low	529 FPS	591 FPS
medium	463 FPS	524 FPS
high	388 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	332 FPS	319 FPS
4K
low	310 FPS	332 FPS
medium	277 FPS	299 FPS
high	261 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	224 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 8745HX Open Ryzen 9 9950X3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 8745HX	Ryzen 9 9950X3D
1080p
low	816 FPS	893 FPS
medium	735 FPS	725 FPS
high	653 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	560 FPS	560 FPS
1440p
low	701 FPS	720 FPS
medium	564 FPS	585 FPS
high	490 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	415 FPS	437 FPS
4K
low	486 FPS	516 FPS
medium	405 FPS	431 FPS
high	364 FPS	387 FPS
ultra	304 FPS	322 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 8745HX Open Ryzen 9 9950X3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 8745HX	Ryzen 9 9950X3D
1080p
low	816 FPS	1116 FPS
medium	816 FPS	1001 FPS
high	816 FPS	878 FPS
ultra	772 FPS	792 FPS
1440p
low	816 FPS	872 FPS
medium	755 FPS	766 FPS
high	663 FPS	673 FPS
ultra	579 FPS	584 FPS
4K
low	568 FPS	637 FPS
medium	509 FPS	566 FPS
high	459 FPS	503 FPS
ultra	399 FPS	435 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 8745HX Open Ryzen 9 9950X3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 8745HX and Ryzen 9 9950X3D

Ryzen 7 8745HX

The Ryzen 7 8745HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 April 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Dragon Range (2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FL1. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 32,620 points. Launch price was $499.

Ryzen 9 9950X3D

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 4.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.7 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 170 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 70,177 points. Launch price was $699.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 8745HX packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 9 9950X3D offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Ryzen 9 9950X3D has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 8745HX versus 5.7 GHz on the Ryzen 9 9950X3D — a 11.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D (base: 3.6 GHz vs 4.3 GHz). The Ryzen 7 8745HX uses the Dragon Range (2025) architecture (5 nm), while the Ryzen 9 9950X3D uses Granite Ridge (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 8745HX scores 32,620 against the Ryzen 9 9950X3D's 70,177 — a 73.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 18,000 vs 44,500 (84.8% advantage for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,700 vs 3,398, a 22.9% lead for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 13,500 vs 22,206 (48.8% advantage for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 8745HX vs 128 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 9950X3D.

Feature	Ryzen 7 8745HX	Ryzen 9 9950X3D
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	16 / 32+100%
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz	5.7 GHz+12%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	4.3 GHz+19%
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)	128 MB (total)+300%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm	4 nm-20%
Architecture	Dragon Range (2025)	Granite Ridge (2024−2025)
PassMark	32,620	70,177+115%
Cinebench R23 Multi	18,000	44,500+147%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,700	3,398+26%
Geekbench 6 Multi	13,500	22,206+64%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 8745HX uses the FL1 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 9950X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5200 memory speed. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 28 (Ryzen 7 8745HX) vs 24 (Ryzen 9 9950X3D) — the Ryzen 7 8745HX offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FL1 (Ryzen 7 8745HX) and X670E,X670,B650E,B650 (Ryzen 9 9950X3D).

Feature	Ryzen 7 8745HX	Ryzen 9 9950X3D
Socket	FL1	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	192 GB+200%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	28+17%	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 7 8745HX) vs true (Ryzen 9 9950X3D). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon 610M (Ryzen 7 8745HX) and Radeon Graphics (2 Cores) (Ryzen 9 9950X3D) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 8745HX targets High-end Gaming Laptop. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 8745HX rivals Core i7-14700HX; Ryzen 9 9950X3D rivals Core Ultra 9 285K.

Feature	Ryzen 7 8745HX	Ryzen 9 9950X3D
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Radeon 610M	Radeon Graphics (2 Cores)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	true
Target Use	High-end Gaming Laptop	—