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: +298.5% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+700% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Delivers 261.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 19.6 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $273 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
101.1% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$273 MSRP
❌31.3% higher power demand at 105W vs 80W.

Xeon E3-1240

2011

Why buy it

✅Costs $276 less on MSRP ($273 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Draws 80W instead of 105W, a 25W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,361 vs 38,955).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 19.6 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($273 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Xeon E3-1240

2011

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +298.5% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+700% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Delivers 261.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 19.6 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $273 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $276 less on MSRP ($273 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Draws 80W instead of 105W, a 25W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌
101.1% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$273 MSRP
❌31.3% higher power demand at 105W vs 80W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,361 vs 38,955).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 19.6 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($273 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Xeon E3-1240?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E3-1240 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 298.5% more average FPS across 5 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 626.6% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 700% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 8 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 101.1% more expensive on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $273 MSRP, and it gives you a 298.5% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 261.3% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 19.6 PassMark/$), 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 2011), 700% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 4/8. 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

Xeon E3-1240 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E3-1240
1080p
low	323 FPS	134 FPS
medium	291 FPS	134 FPS
high	243 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	307 FPS	134 FPS
medium	248 FPS	115 FPS
high	192 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	157 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	193 FPS	63 FPS
medium	156 FPS	56 FPS
high	115 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	35 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Xeon E3-1240

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E3-1240
1080p
low	772 FPS	134 FPS
medium	647 FPS	134 FPS
high	508 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	450 FPS	122 FPS
1440p
low	619 FPS	134 FPS
medium	536 FPS	134 FPS
high	443 FPS	133 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	109 FPS
4K
low	365 FPS	129 FPS
medium	318 FPS	114 FPS
high	289 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	67 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Xeon E3-1240

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E3-1240
1080p
low	832 FPS	134 FPS
medium	645 FPS	134 FPS
high	558 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	134 FPS
1440p
low	721 FPS	134 FPS
medium	565 FPS	134 FPS
high	488 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	511 FPS	134 FPS
medium	421 FPS	134 FPS
high	374 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	134 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Xeon E3-1240

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E3-1240
1080p
low	974 FPS	134 FPS
medium	974 FPS	134 FPS
high	934 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	826 FPS	134 FPS
1440p
low	959 FPS	134 FPS
medium	843 FPS	134 FPS
high	726 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	617 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	694 FPS	134 FPS
medium	621 FPS	134 FPS
high	541 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	134 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Xeon E3-1240

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 5900X and Xeon E3-1240

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 E3-1240

The Xeon E3-1240 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 April 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,361 points. Launch price was $209.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 5900X packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon E3-1240 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Ryzen 9 5900X has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E3-1240 — a 25.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon E3-1240 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900X scores 38,955 against the Xeon E3-1240's 5,361 — a 151.6% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. L3 cache: 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1240.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E3-1240
Cores / Threads	12 / 24+200%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+30%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+12%	3.3 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB+700%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-78%	32 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	38,955+627%	5,361
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 Xeon E3-1240 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E3-1240
Socket	AM4	LGA1155
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+100%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	24	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5900X) / not specified (Xeon E3-1240). Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Xeon E3-1240
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	—
Target Use	Workstation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 9 5900X launched at $549 MSRP, while the Xeon E3-1240 debuted at $273. On MSRP ($549 vs $273), the Xeon E3-1240 is $276 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 9 5900X delivers 71.0 pts/$ vs 19.6 pts/$ for the Xeon E3-1240 — making the Ryzen 9 5900X the 113.3% better value option.