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 9700X

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +29.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $3,479 less on MSRP ($359 MSRP vs $3,838 MSRP).
✅Delivers 993.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 103.5 vs 9.5 PassMark/$ ($359 MSRP vs $3,838 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E7-8857 v2, which brings 12 cores / 12 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E7-8857 v2

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 12 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅66.7% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (36,304 vs 37,145).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.5 vs 103.5 PassMark/$ ($3,838 MSRP vs $359 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Ryzen 7 9700X moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 7 9700X

2024

Xeon E7-8857 v2

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +29.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $3,479 less on MSRP ($359 MSRP vs $3,838 MSRP).
✅Delivers 993.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 103.5 vs 9.5 PassMark/$ ($359 MSRP vs $3,838 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 12 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅66.7% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E7-8857 v2, which brings 12 cores / 12 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (36,304 vs 37,145).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.5 vs 103.5 PassMark/$ ($3,838 MSRP vs $359 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Ryzen 7 9700X moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 9700X better than Xeon E7-8857 v2?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E7-8857 v2 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 7 9700X 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 9700X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 29.8% 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 9700X is the better fit. You are getting 2.3% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 9700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 9700X is $3,479 cheaper on MSRP at $359 MSRP versus $3,838 MSRP, and it gives you a 29.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 993.8% better value on MSRP (103.5 vs 9.5 PassMark/$), 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 9700X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2014), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA2011, more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 12/12, 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 9700X Benchmark Check

Xeon E7-8857 v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon E7-8857 v2
1080p
low	265 FPS	178 FPS
medium	245 FPS	142 FPS
high	209 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	226 FPS	145 FPS
medium	188 FPS	113 FPS
high	154 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	157 FPS	67 FPS
medium	131 FPS	56 FPS
high	101 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	35 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 9700X Open Xeon E7-8857 v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon E7-8857 v2
1080p
low	639 FPS	328 FPS
medium	526 FPS	288 FPS
high	436 FPS	241 FPS
ultra	392 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	545 FPS	287 FPS
medium	470 FPS	258 FPS
high	395 FPS	217 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	174 FPS
4K
low	319 FPS	188 FPS
medium	281 FPS	169 FPS
high	265 FPS	145 FPS
ultra	232 FPS	114 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 9700X Open Xeon E7-8857 v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon E7-8857 v2
1080p
low	929 FPS	908 FPS
medium	744 FPS	786 FPS
high	650 FPS	744 FPS
ultra	558 FPS	660 FPS
1440p
low	736 FPS	742 FPS
medium	589 FPS	622 FPS
high	506 FPS	589 FPS
ultra	431 FPS	520 FPS
4K
low	508 FPS	467 FPS
medium	420 FPS	365 FPS
high	378 FPS	323 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	260 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 9700X Open Xeon E7-8857 v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon E7-8857 v2
1080p
low	929 FPS	908 FPS
medium	929 FPS	901 FPS
high	850 FPS	767 FPS
ultra	756 FPS	649 FPS
1440p
low	889 FPS	839 FPS
medium	773 FPS	718 FPS
high	678 FPS	607 FPS
ultra	584 FPS	507 FPS
4K
low	582 FPS	581 FPS
medium	517 FPS	508 FPS
high	466 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	376 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 9700X Open Xeon E7-8857 v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 9700X and Xeon E7-8857 v2

Ryzen 7 9700X

The Ryzen 7 9700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 August 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.5 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 37,145 points. Launch price was $359.

Xeon E7-8857 v2

The Xeon E7-8857 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 36,304 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 9700X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E7-8857 v2 offers 12 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon E7-8857 v2 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 9700X versus 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E7-8857 v2 — a 41.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 9700X (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 7 9700X is built on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 9700X scores 37,145 against the Xeon E7-8857 v2's 36,304 — a 2.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 9700X. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 9700X vs 30 MB on the Xeon E7-8857 v2.

Feature	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon E7-8857 v2
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	12 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	5.5 GHz+53%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+27%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+7%	30 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	—
Process	4 nm-82%	22 nm
Architecture	Granite Ridge (2024−2025)	—
PassMark	37,145+2%	36,304

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 9700X uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E7-8857 v2 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 5600 on the Ryzen 7 9700X versus 1600 on the Xeon E7-8857 v2 — the Ryzen 7 9700X supports 111.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E7-8857 v2 supports up to 1536 of RAM compared to 256 — 142.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 7 9700X) vs 4 (Xeon E7-8857 v2). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 7 9700X) vs 40 (Xeon E7-8857 v2) — the Xeon E7-8857 v2 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X870E,X670E,B650 (Ryzen 7 9700X) and C602J (Xeon E7-8857 v2).

Feature	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon E7-8857 v2
Socket	AM5	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	5600+250%	1600
Max RAM Capacity	256	1536+500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	40+67%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 9700X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 7 9700X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen 7 9700X) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E7-8857 v2). The Ryzen 7 9700X includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)), while the Xeon E7-8857 v2 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 9700X rivals Core i7-14700K; Xeon E7-8857 v2 rivals Xeon E7-4850 v2.

Feature	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon E7-8857 v2
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 9700X launched at $359 MSRP, while the Xeon E7-8857 v2 debuted at $3838. On MSRP ($359 vs $3838), the Ryzen 7 9700X is $3479 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 9700X delivers 103.5 pts/$ vs 9.5 pts/$ for the Xeon E7-8857 v2 — making the Ryzen 7 9700X the 166.5% better value option.