Ryzen 9 4900H vs Xeon W-1290E

Ryzen 9 4900H vs Xeon W-1290E Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 9 4900H

8 / 16

18,887

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Xeon W-1290E

10 / 20

19,060

+0.9%

About PassMark

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.

Ryzen 9 4900H vs Xeon W-1290E FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Ryzen 9 4900H vs Xeon W-1290E: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Ryzen 9 4900H

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 95W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-1290E across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,887 vs 19,060).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-1290E, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.

Xeon W-1290E

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+150% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.

Trade-offs

❌111.1% higher power demand at 95W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon W-1290E better than Ryzen 9 4900H?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon W-1290E makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 4900H is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon W-1290E is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 8.8% 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, Xeon W-1290E is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 150% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Xeon W-1290E still makes the most sense overall. Xeon W-1290E comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 8.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon W-1290E makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 150% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 8 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 20 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Ryzen 9 4900H vs Xeon W-1290E Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Ryzen 9 4900H

The Ryzen 9 4900H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 16 March 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-H (Zen 2) (2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 18,887 points. Launch price was $299.

Xeon W-1290E

The Xeon W-1290E 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 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,060 points. Launch price was $552.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 4900H packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon W-1290E offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon W-1290E has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 9 4900H versus 4.8 GHz on the Xeon W-1290E — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Xeon W-1290E (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Ryzen 9 4900H uses the Renoir-H (Zen 2) (2020) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon W-1290E uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 4900H scores 18,887 against the Xeon W-1290E's 19,060 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon W-1290E. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 4900H vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon W-1290E.

Feature	Ryzen 9 4900H	Xeon W-1290E
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	10 / 20+25%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock	3.3 GHz	3.5 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+150%
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Renoir-H (Zen 2) (2020)	Comet Lake (2020−2025)
PassMark	18,887	19,060

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 4900H uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon W-1290E uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.