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 Threadripper 2950X

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $2,173 less on MSRP ($899 MSRP vs $3,072 MSRP).
✅Delivers 246.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 32.8 vs 9.4 PassMark/$ ($899 MSRP vs $3,072 MSRP).
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon Gold 6148

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 2950X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,500 vs 21,444).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.4 vs 32.8 PassMark/$ ($3,072 MSRP vs $899 MSRP).

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

2018

Xeon Gold 6148

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $2,173 less on MSRP ($899 MSRP vs $3,072 MSRP).
✅Delivers 246.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 32.8 vs 9.4 PassMark/$ ($899 MSRP vs $3,072 MSRP).
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 2950X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,500 vs 21,444).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.4 vs 32.8 PassMark/$ ($3,072 MSRP vs $899 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 2950X better than Xeon Gold 6148?

Yes. Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 26.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 15.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 1.5% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 26.7% 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 Threadripper 2950X is the better fit. You are getting 15.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads.

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

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is $2,173 cheaper on MSRP at $899 MSRP versus $3,072 MSRP, and it gives you a 26.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 246.9% better value on MSRP (32.8 vs 9.4 PassMark/$), 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 Threadripper 2950X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 20/40. 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 Threadripper 2950X Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6148 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X	Xeon Gold 6148
1080p
low	200 FPS	186 FPS
medium	175 FPS	151 FPS
high	143 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	157 FPS	146 FPS
medium	131 FPS	115 FPS
high	106 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	68 FPS
medium	74 FPS	57 FPS
high	59 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	36 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 2950X Open Xeon Gold 6148

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X	Xeon Gold 6148
1080p
low	532 FPS	397 FPS
medium	463 FPS	345 FPS
high	395 FPS	287 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	241 FPS
1440p
low	471 FPS	344 FPS
medium	417 FPS	306 FPS
high	359 FPS	256 FPS
ultra	307 FPS	212 FPS
4K
low	302 FPS	225 FPS
medium	267 FPS	200 FPS
high	247 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	213 FPS	145 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 2950X Open Xeon Gold 6148

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X	Xeon Gold 6148
1080p
low	737 FPS	726 FPS
medium	630 FPS	726 FPS
high	584 FPS	726 FPS
ultra	509 FPS	648 FPS
1440p
low	632 FPS	705 FPS
medium	525 FPS	605 FPS
high	471 FPS	573 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	506 FPS
4K
low	461 FPS	455 FPS
medium	371 FPS	357 FPS
high	332 FPS	318 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	259 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 2950X Open Xeon Gold 6148

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X	Xeon Gold 6148
1080p
low	737 FPS	726 FPS
medium	737 FPS	726 FPS
high	714 FPS	663 FPS
ultra	636 FPS	576 FPS
1440p
low	737 FPS	682 FPS
medium	667 FPS	598 FPS
high	570 FPS	516 FPS
ultra	500 FPS	442 FPS
4K
low	515 FPS	469 FPS
medium	468 FPS	421 FPS
high	415 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	327 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 2950X Open Xeon Gold 6148

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen Threadripper 2950X and Xeon Gold 6148

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

The Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 August 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the ZEN+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 29,462 points. Launch price was $899.

Xeon Gold 6148

The Xeon Gold 6148 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 25 April 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 27.5 MB. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 29,021 points. Launch price was $3,072.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen Threadripper 2950X packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6148 offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon Gold 6148 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6148 — a 17.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Ryzen Threadripper 2950X uses the ZEN+ (2018−2019) architecture (12 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6148 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X scores 29,462 against the Xeon Gold 6148's 29,021 — a 1.5% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 21,444 vs 18,500 (14.7% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,255 vs 1,254, a 0.1% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 8,814 vs 9,445 (6.9% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6148). L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X vs 27.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 6148.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X	Xeon Gold 6148
Cores / Threads	16 / 32	20 / 40+25%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+19%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+46%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+16%	27.5 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	20 MB+3900%
Process	12 nm-14%	14 nm
Architecture	ZEN+ (2018−2019)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	29,462+2%	29,021
Cinebench R23 Multi	21,444+16%	18,500
Geekbench 6 Single	1,255	1,254
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,814	9,445+7%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen Threadripper 2950X uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6148 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2933 memory speed. The Xeon Gold 6148 supports up to 768 GB of RAM compared to 256 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 2950X) vs 6 (Xeon Gold 6148). PCIe lanes: 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 2950X) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 6148) — the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Socket TR4 / X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 2950X) and C620 (Xeon Gold 6148).

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X	Xeon Gold 6148
Socket	TR4	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB	768 GB+200%
RAM Channels	4	6+50%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	64+33%	48

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon Gold 6148 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper 2950X) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon Gold 6148). Primary use case: Xeon Gold 6148 targets Legacy Enterprise Workloads. Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 6148 rivals EPYC 7401.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 2950X	Xeon Gold 6148
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	—	Legacy Enterprise Workloads

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen Threadripper 2950X launched at $899 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6148 debuted at $3072. On MSRP ($899 vs $3072), the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is $2173 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X delivers 32.8 pts/$ vs 9.4 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6148 — making the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X the 110.5% better value option.