Ryzen 9 5900X
Xeon Gold 6338T
Ryzen 9 5900X vs Xeon Gold 6338T Performance Spectrum
About PassMark
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.
Ryzen 9 5900X vs Xeon Gold 6338T FPS Benchmarks
Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.
Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Ryzen 9 5900X vs Xeon Gold 6338T: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict
See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.
Ryzen 9 5900X
2020Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +29.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
- ✅Costs $2,590 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $3,139 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 522.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 11.4 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $3,139 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 105W instead of 165W, a 60W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6338T, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.
- ❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.
Xeon Gold 6338T
2021Why buy it
- ✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
- ✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
- ✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (35,801 vs 38,955).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.4 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($3,139 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
- ❌57.1% higher power demand at 165W vs 105W.
Quick Answers
So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Xeon Gold 6338T?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Ryzen 9 5900X vs Xeon Gold 6338T Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
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 Gold 6338T
The Xeon Gold 6338T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 35,801 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Ryzen 9 5900X packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6338T offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon Gold 6338T has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6338T — a 34.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6338T uses Ice Lake-SP (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900X scores 38,955 against the Xeon Gold 6338T's 35,801 — a 8.4% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. L3 cache: 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X vs 36 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 6338T.
| Feature | Ryzen 9 5900X | Xeon Gold 6338T |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 12 / 24 | 24 / 48+100% |
| Boost Clock | 4.8 GHz+41% | 3.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.7 GHz+76% | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 64 MB+78% | 36 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512K (per core)+51100% | 1 MB (per core) |
| Process | 7 nm, 12 nm-30% | 10 nm |
| Architecture | Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) | Ice Lake-SP (2021) |
| PassMark | 38,955+9% | 35,801 |
| 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 Gold 6338T uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Xeon Gold 6338T supports up to 6144 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 4700% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 9 5900X) vs 8 (Xeon Gold 6338T). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 9 5900X) vs 64 (Xeon Gold 6338T) — the Xeon Gold 6338T offers 40 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 9 5900X) and C621A (Xeon Gold 6338T).
| Feature | Ryzen 9 5900X | Xeon Gold 6338T |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM4 | LGA4189 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-3200 | 3200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | 6144 GB+4700% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 8+300% |
| ECC Support | Yes | Yes |
| PCIe Lanes | 24 | 64+167% |
Advanced Features
Only the Ryzen 9 5900X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon Gold 6338T supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5900X) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6338T). Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K; Xeon Gold 6338T rivals EPYC 7443P.
| Feature | Ryzen 9 5900X | Xeon Gold 6338T |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | Yes | No |
| AVX-512 | No | Yes |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | Workstation | — |
Value Analysis
At launch, the Ryzen 9 5900X was priced at $549, while the Xeon Gold 6338T came in at $3139. On launch pricing ($549 vs $3139), Ryzen 9 5900X was $2590 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 9 5900X delivers 71.0 pts/$ vs 11.4 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6338T — making the Ryzen 9 5900X the 144.6% better value option.
| Feature | Ryzen 9 5900X | Xeon Gold 6338T |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $549-83% | $3139 |
| Performance per Dollar | 71.0+523% | 11.4 |
| Release Date | 2020 | 2021 |
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