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

✅Costs $791 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $1,340 MSRP).
✅Delivers 67.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 42.4 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $1,340 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 350W, a 245W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (38,955 vs 56,854).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX moves to sTR5 and DDR5.

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Newer platform on sTR5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 42.4 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($1,340 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌233.3% higher power demand at 350W vs 105W.

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $791 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $1,340 MSRP).
✅Delivers 67.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 42.4 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $1,340 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 350W, a 245W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Newer platform on sTR5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (38,955 vs 56,854).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX moves to sTR5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 42.4 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($1,340 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌233.3% higher power demand at 350W vs 105W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX better than Ryzen 9 5900X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX 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 Threadripper PRO 9945WX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.9% 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 Threadripper PRO 9945WX is the better fit. You are getting 45.9% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads.

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

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 9 5900X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX is 144.1% more expensive on MSRP at $1,340 MSRP versus $549 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 9 5900X is also 67.2% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 42.4 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2020), a healthier platform with sTR5 and DDR5 instead of AM4, more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 12/24, 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 9 5900X Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX
1080p
low	323 FPS	278 FPS
medium	291 FPS	253 FPS
high	243 FPS	216 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	188 FPS
1440p
low	307 FPS	262 FPS
medium	248 FPS	214 FPS
high	192 FPS	169 FPS
ultra	157 FPS	152 FPS
4K
low	193 FPS	180 FPS
medium	156 FPS	147 FPS
high	115 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	98 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX
1080p
low	772 FPS	786 FPS
medium	647 FPS	649 FPS
high	508 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	450 FPS	408 FPS
1440p
low	619 FPS	645 FPS
medium	536 FPS	552 FPS
high	443 FPS	426 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	331 FPS
4K
low	365 FPS	362 FPS
medium	318 FPS	314 FPS
high	289 FPS	275 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	232 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX
1080p
low	832 FPS	886 FPS
medium	645 FPS	704 FPS
high	558 FPS	622 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	534 FPS
1440p
low	721 FPS	712 FPS
medium	565 FPS	566 FPS
high	488 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	414 FPS
4K
low	511 FPS	507 FPS
medium	421 FPS	418 FPS
high	374 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	315 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX
1080p
low	974 FPS	1106 FPS
medium	974 FPS	991 FPS
high	934 FPS	867 FPS
ultra	826 FPS	781 FPS
1440p
low	959 FPS	860 FPS
medium	843 FPS	759 FPS
high	726 FPS	664 FPS
ultra	617 FPS	576 FPS
4K
low	694 FPS	632 FPS
medium	621 FPS	562 FPS
high	541 FPS	496 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	429 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 5900X and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX

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 9945WX

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2025-01-01. It is based on the Shimada Peak (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: sTR5. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 56,854 points. Launch price was $2,000.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 9 5900X and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX share an identical 12-core/24-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX (base: 3.7 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX uses Shimada Peak (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900X scores 38,955 against the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX's 56,854 — a 37.4% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX. L3 cache: 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX
Cores / Threads	12 / 24	12 / 24
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	5.4 GHz+13%
Base Clock	3.7 GHz	4.7 GHz+27%
L3 Cache	64 MB	64 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)	Shimada Peak (2025)
PassMark	38,955	56,854+46%
Cinebench R23 Multi	21,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,174	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,888	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX uses sTR5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 9 5900X versus 6400 on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX supports 199.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX supports up to 2048 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 9 5900X) vs 8 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 9 5900X) vs 128 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 9 5900X) and WRX90,TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX).

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX
Socket	AM4	sTR5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	6400+159900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+6553500%	2048
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	128+433%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5900X) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX). Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K; Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX rivals Xeon w7-3545.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V
Target Use	Workstation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 9 5900X launched at $549 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX debuted at $1340. On MSRP ($549 vs $1340), the Ryzen 9 5900X is $791 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 9 5900X delivers 71.0 pts/$ vs 42.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX — making the Ryzen 9 5900X the 50.3% better value option.