Ryzen 9 5900X vs Xeon W-2245

AMD

Ryzen 9 5900X

12 Cores24 Thrd105 WWMax: 4.8 GHz2020

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon W-2245

8 Cores16 Thrd155 WWMax: 4.7 GHz2019

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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.

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: +26.4% higher average FPS across 33 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +287.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 17 MB).
  • Draws 105W instead of 155W, a 50W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $549 MSRP, while Xeon W-2245 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon W-2245

2019

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 33 shared CPU benchmark tests.
    • Lower PassMark (19,422 vs 38,955).
    • Smaller total L3 cache (17 MB vs 64 MB).
    • 47.6% higher power demand at 155W vs 105W.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Xeon W-2245?
    Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-2245 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 26.4% more average FPS across 33 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 100.6% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 287.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 17 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 at an unclear MSRP at $549 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 26.4% average FPS lead across 33 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2019), 287.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 17 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 8/16. 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.

    Path of Exile 2

    Path of Exile 2

    PresetRyzen 9 5900XXeon W-2245
    1080p
    low323 FPS184 FPS
    medium291 FPS147 FPS
    high243 FPS122 FPS
    ultra193 FPS100 FPS
    1440p
    low307 FPS151 FPS
    medium248 FPS118 FPS
    high192 FPS97 FPS
    ultra157 FPS80 FPS
    4K
    low193 FPS82 FPS
    medium156 FPS69 FPS
    high115 FPS56 FPS
    ultra103 FPS44 FPS
    Counter-Strike 2

    Counter-Strike 2

    PresetRyzen 9 5900XXeon W-2245
    1080p
    low772 FPS396 FPS
    medium647 FPS329 FPS
    high508 FPS288 FPS
    ultra450 FPS254 FPS
    1440p
    low619 FPS351 FPS
    medium536 FPS300 FPS
    high443 FPS263 FPS
    ultra364 FPS226 FPS
    4K
    low365 FPS246 FPS
    medium318 FPS214 FPS
    high289 FPS199 FPS
    ultra255 FPS171 FPS
    League of Legends

    League of Legends

    PresetRyzen 9 5900XXeon W-2245
    1080p
    low832 FPS486 FPS
    medium645 FPS486 FPS
    high558 FPS486 FPS
    ultra459 FPS486 FPS
    1440p
    low721 FPS486 FPS
    medium565 FPS486 FPS
    high488 FPS486 FPS
    ultra407 FPS486 FPS
    4K
    low511 FPS486 FPS
    medium421 FPS486 FPS
    high374 FPS452 FPS
    ultra308 FPS378 FPS
    Valorant

    Valorant

    PresetRyzen 9 5900XXeon W-2245
    1080p
    low974 FPS486 FPS
    medium974 FPS486 FPS
    high934 FPS486 FPS
    ultra826 FPS486 FPS
    1440p
    low959 FPS486 FPS
    medium843 FPS486 FPS
    high726 FPS486 FPS
    ultra617 FPS486 FPS
    4K
    low694 FPS486 FPS
    medium621 FPS486 FPS
    high541 FPS486 FPS
    ultra437 FPS437 FPS

    Technical Specifications

    Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 5900X and Xeon W-2245

    AMD

    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.

    Intel

    Xeon W-2245

    The Xeon W-2245 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 16.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 155 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 19,422 points. Launch price was $800.

    Processing Power

    The Ryzen 9 5900X packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon W-2245 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 4.7 GHz on the Xeon W-2245 — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.9 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900X is built on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900X scores 38,955 against the Xeon W-2245's 19,422 — a 66.9% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. L3 cache: 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X vs 16.5 MB on the Xeon W-2245.

    FeatureRyzen 9 5900XXeon W-2245
    Cores / Threads
    12 / 24+50%
    8 / 16
    Boost Clock
    4.8 GHz+2%
    4.7 GHz
    Base Clock
    3.7 GHz
    3.9 GHz+5%
    L3 Cache
    64 MB+288%
    16.5 MB
    L2 Cache
    512K (per core)
    Process
    7 nm, 12 nm-50%
    14 nm
    Architecture
    Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)
    PassMark
    38,955+101%
    19,422
    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 W-2245 uses LGA2066 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureRyzen 9 5900XXeon W-2245
    Socket
    AM4
    LGA2066
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 4.0
    PCIe 4.0
    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 W-2245). Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K.

    FeatureRyzen 9 5900XXeon W-2245
    Integrated GPU
    No
    Unlocked
    Yes
    AVX-512
    No
    Virtualization
    AMD-V
    Target Use
    Workstation