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: +27.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+300% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Delivers 50.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 47.2 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $362 MSRP).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
51.7% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$362 MSRP
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon E-2378

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $187 less on MSRP ($362 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (9,986 vs 11,888).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.2 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($362 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Xeon E-2378

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +27.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+300% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Delivers 50.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 47.2 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $362 MSRP).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $187 less on MSRP ($362 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌
51.7% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$362 MSRP
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (9,986 vs 11,888).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.2 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($362 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Xeon E-2378?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E-2378 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 27.1% 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 5900X is the better fit. You are getting 19% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 5900X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 5900X is 51.7% more expensive on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $362 MSRP, and it gives you a 27.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 50.5% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 47.2 PassMark/$), 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?

Xeon E-2378 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020) and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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

Xeon E-2378 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E-2378
1080p
low	323 FPS	287 FPS
medium	291 FPS	257 FPS
high	243 FPS	218 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	187 FPS
1440p
low	307 FPS	235 FPS
medium	248 FPS	189 FPS
high	192 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	157 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	193 FPS	164 FPS
medium	156 FPS	134 FPS
high	115 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	91 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Xeon E-2378

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E-2378
1080p
low	772 FPS	427 FPS
medium	647 FPS	427 FPS
high	508 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	450 FPS	362 FPS
1440p
low	619 FPS	427 FPS
medium	536 FPS	412 FPS
high	443 FPS	359 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	309 FPS
4K
low	365 FPS	351 FPS
medium	318 FPS	294 FPS
high	289 FPS	272 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	235 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Xeon E-2378

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E-2378
1080p
low	832 FPS	427 FPS
medium	645 FPS	427 FPS
high	558 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	427 FPS
1440p
low	721 FPS	427 FPS
medium	565 FPS	427 FPS
high	488 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	427 FPS
4K
low	511 FPS	427 FPS
medium	421 FPS	427 FPS
high	374 FPS	399 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	332 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Xeon E-2378

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E-2378
1080p
low	974 FPS	427 FPS
medium	974 FPS	427 FPS
high	934 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	826 FPS	427 FPS
1440p
low	959 FPS	427 FPS
medium	843 FPS	427 FPS
high	726 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	617 FPS	427 FPS
4K
low	694 FPS	427 FPS
medium	621 FPS	427 FPS
high	541 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	427 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Xeon E-2378

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 5900X and Xeon E-2378

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.

Xeon E-2378

The Xeon E-2378 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Rocket Lake-E (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 17,069 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 5900X packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon E-2378 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 5900X has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X versus 4.8 GHz on the Xeon E-2378 — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon E-2378 uses Rocket Lake-E (2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900X scores 38,955 against the Xeon E-2378's 17,069 — a 78.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,174 vs 1,821, a 17.7% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,888 vs 9,986 (17.4% advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X). L3 cache: 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X vs 16 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2378.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E-2378
Cores / Threads	12 / 24+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+42%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB+300%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)	Rocket Lake-E (2021)
PassMark	38,955+128%	17,069
Cinebench R23 Multi	21,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,174+19%	1,821
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,888+19%	9,986

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E-2378 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 9 5900X) vs 20 (Xeon E-2378) — the Ryzen 9 5900X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 9 5900X) and C252,C256 (Xeon E-2378).

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E-2378
Socket	AM4	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24+20%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Xeon E-2378 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5900X) vs Yes (Xeon E-2378). Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E-2378
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	Yes
Target Use	Workstation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 9 5900X launched at $549 MSRP, while the Xeon E-2378 debuted at $362. On MSRP ($549 vs $362), the Xeon E-2378 is $187 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 9 5900X delivers 71.0 pts/$ vs 47.2 pts/$ for the Xeon E-2378 — making the Ryzen 9 5900X the 40.3% better value option.