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: +15.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $600 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $1,149 MSRP).
✅Delivers 143.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 29.1 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $1,149 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 280W, a 175W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 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 Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,500 vs 21,000).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 29.1 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($1,149 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌166.7% higher power demand at 280W vs 105W.

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $600 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $1,149 MSRP).
✅Delivers 143.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 29.1 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $1,149 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 280W, a 175W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,500 vs 21,000).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 29.1 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($1,149 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌166.7% higher power demand at 280W vs 105W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX 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 gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 15.2% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better fit. You are getting 13.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 24 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 $600 cheaper on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $1,149 MSRP, and it gives you a 15.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 143.7% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 29.1 PassMark/$), 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 more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 12/24. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 PRO 3945WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
1080p
low	323 FPS	202 FPS
medium	291 FPS	164 FPS
high	243 FPS	138 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	307 FPS	183 FPS
medium	248 FPS	145 FPS
high	192 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	157 FPS	88 FPS
4K
low	193 FPS	86 FPS
medium	156 FPS	73 FPS
high	115 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	46 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
1080p
low	772 FPS	557 FPS
medium	647 FPS	485 FPS
high	508 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	450 FPS	351 FPS
1440p
low	619 FPS	478 FPS
medium	536 FPS	424 FPS
high	443 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	296 FPS
4K
low	365 FPS	299 FPS
medium	318 FPS	268 FPS
high	289 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	217 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
1080p
low	832 FPS	772 FPS
medium	645 FPS	637 FPS
high	558 FPS	568 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	494 FPS
1440p
low	721 FPS	599 FPS
medium	565 FPS	494 FPS
high	488 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	376 FPS
4K
low	511 FPS	431 FPS
medium	421 FPS	344 FPS
high	374 FPS	303 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	243 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
1080p
low	974 FPS	836 FPS
medium	974 FPS	836 FPS
high	934 FPS	823 FPS
ultra	826 FPS	725 FPS
1440p
low	959 FPS	836 FPS
medium	843 FPS	745 FPS
high	726 FPS	630 FPS
ultra	617 FPS	540 FPS
4K
low	694 FPS	594 FPS
medium	621 FPS	540 FPS
high	541 FPS	468 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	405 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 5900X and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

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 PRO 3945WX

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 July 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Castle Peak (2020) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: sWRX8. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 33,455 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 9 5900X and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX share an identical 12-core/24-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX — a 11% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX uses Castle Peak (2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900X scores 38,955 against the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX's 33,455 — a 15.2% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 21,000 vs 18,500 (12.7% advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,174 vs 1,652, a 27.3% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,888 vs 11,500 (3.3% advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X). Both processors carry 64 MB of L3 cache.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
Cores / Threads	12 / 24	12 / 24
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+12%	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz	4 GHz+8%
L3 Cache	64 MB	64 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)	Castle Peak (2020)
PassMark	38,955+16%	33,455
Cinebench R23 Multi	21,000+14%	18,500
Geekbench 6 Single	2,174+32%	1,652
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,888+3%	11,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX uses sWRX8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX 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 8 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 9 5900X) vs 128 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 9 5900X) and WRX80 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX).

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
Socket	AM4	sWRX8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	2048 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	128+433%

🔧

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 PRO 3945WX targets Professional Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K; Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX rivals Xeon w5-2455X.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Workstation	Professional Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 9 5900X launched at $549 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX debuted at $1149. On MSRP ($549 vs $1149), the Ryzen 9 5900X is $600 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 9 5900X delivers 71.0 pts/$ vs 29.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX — making the Ryzen 9 5900X the 83.6% better value option.