Ryzen 9 5900H vs Xeon E5-1660 v4

Ryzen 9 5900H vs Xeon E5-1660 v4 Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 9 5900H

8 / 16

13,510

+1.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Xeon E5-1660 v4

8 / 16

13,341

0.0%

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 5900H vs Xeon E5-1660 v4 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 5900H vs Xeon E5-1660 v4: 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 5900H

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 140W, a 95W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).

Xeon E5-1660 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,341 vs 13,510).
❌211.1% higher power demand at 140W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900H better than Xeon E5-1660 v4?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E5-1660 v4 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 5900H is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 5900H is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.8% 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 9 5900H is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 5900H still makes the most sense overall. Ryzen 9 5900H comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Ryzen 9 5900H makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 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 5900H vs Xeon E5-1660 v4 Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen 9 5900H

The Ryzen 9 5900H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 13,510 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E5-1660 v4

The Xeon E5-1660 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-EP (2016) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 13,341 points. Launch price was $1,113.

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Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 9 5900H and Xeon E5-1660 v4 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900H versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-1660 v4 — a 19% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900H (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900H uses the Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon E5-1660 v4 uses Broadwell-EP (2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900H scores 13,510 against the Xeon E5-1660 v4's 13,341 — a 1.3% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900H. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900H vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1660 v4.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900H	Xeon E5-1660 v4
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+21%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+3%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB	20 MB (total)+25%
L2 Cache	4 MB	256K (per core)+6300%
Process	7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022)	Broadwell-EP (2016)
PassMark	13,510+1%	13,341

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 5900H uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E5-1660 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.