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 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $750 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $1,299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 197.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 23.8 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $1,299 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 250W, a 145W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (21,000 vs 29,045).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

2018

Why buy it

✅+38.3% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 23.8 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($1,299 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌138.1% higher power demand at 250W vs 105W.

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $750 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $1,299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 197.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 23.8 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $1,299 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 250W, a 145W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+38.3% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (21,000 vs 29,045).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 23.8 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($1,299 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌138.1% higher power demand at 250W vs 105W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 5900X 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, Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX is the better fit. You are getting 38.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 5900X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 5900X is $750 cheaper on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $1,299 MSRP, and it gives you a 21.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 38.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. It is also 197.8% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 23.8 PassMark/$), 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 5900X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2018). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 9 5900X Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
1080p
low	323 FPS	198 FPS
medium	291 FPS	177 FPS
high	243 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	307 FPS	160 FPS
medium	248 FPS	134 FPS
high	192 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	157 FPS	85 FPS
4K
low	193 FPS	73 FPS
medium	156 FPS	64 FPS
high	115 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	41 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
1080p
low	772 FPS	536 FPS
medium	647 FPS	483 FPS
high	508 FPS	404 FPS
ultra	450 FPS	354 FPS
1440p
low	619 FPS	473 FPS
medium	536 FPS	424 FPS
high	443 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	299 FPS
4K
low	365 FPS	295 FPS
medium	318 FPS	265 FPS
high	289 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	213 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
1080p
low	832 FPS	768 FPS
medium	645 FPS	640 FPS
high	558 FPS	577 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	504 FPS
1440p
low	721 FPS	640 FPS
medium	565 FPS	533 FPS
high	488 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	511 FPS	469 FPS
medium	421 FPS	377 FPS
high	374 FPS	336 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	280 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
1080p
low	974 FPS	774 FPS
medium	974 FPS	774 FPS
high	934 FPS	704 FPS
ultra	826 FPS	616 FPS
1440p
low	959 FPS	730 FPS
medium	843 FPS	644 FPS
high	726 FPS	549 FPS
ultra	617 FPS	474 FPS
4K
low	694 FPS	523 FPS
medium	621 FPS	473 FPS
high	541 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	362 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 5900X and Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Ryzen 9 5900X

The Ryzen 9 5900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 38,955 points. Launch price was $549.

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

The Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 30,954 points. Launch price was $1,299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 5900X packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX — a 13.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900X scores 38,955 against the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX's 30,954 — a 22.9% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 21,000 vs 29,045 (32.2% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,174 vs 1,240, a 54.7% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,888 vs 7,241 (48.6% advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X). Both processors carry 64 MB of L3 cache.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
Cores / Threads	12 / 24	24 / 48+100%
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+14%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+23%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB	64 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-42%	12 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)	Zen+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	38,955+26%	30,954
Cinebench R23 Multi	21,000	29,045+38%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,174+75%	1,240
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,888+64%	7,241

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 9 5900X) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 9 5900X) vs 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX offers 40 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 9 5900X) and X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX).

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
Socket	AM4	TR4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	2048 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	64+167%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation, Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX targets Extreme Multi-threaded Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K; Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX rivals Core i9-7940X.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Workstation	Extreme Multi-threaded Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 9 5900X launched at $549 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX debuted at $1299. On MSRP ($549 vs $1299), the Ryzen 9 5900X is $750 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 9 5900X delivers 71.0 pts/$ vs 23.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX — making the Ryzen 9 5900X the 99.4% better value option.