
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX
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Xeon 6521P
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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 Threadripper PRO 9955WX
2025Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +23.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅Costs $821 less on MSRP ($429 MSRP vs $1,250 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 204.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 157.5 vs 51.8 PassMark/$ ($429 MSRP vs $1,250 MSRP).
Trade-offs
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (64 MB vs 144 MB).
- ❌55.6% higher power demand at 350W vs 225W.
Xeon 6521P
2025Why buy it
- ✅+125% larger total L3 cache (144 MB vs 64 MB).
- ✅Draws 225W instead of 350W, a 125W reduction.
- ✅6.3% more PCIe lanes (136 vs 128) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (64,761 vs 67,561).
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 51.8 vs 157.5 PassMark/$ ($1,250 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX
2025Xeon 6521P
2025Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +23.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅Costs $821 less on MSRP ($429 MSRP vs $1,250 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 204.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 157.5 vs 51.8 PassMark/$ ($429 MSRP vs $1,250 MSRP).
Why buy it
- ✅+125% larger total L3 cache (144 MB vs 64 MB).
- ✅Draws 225W instead of 350W, a 125W reduction.
- ✅6.3% more PCIe lanes (136 vs 128) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
Trade-offs
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (64 MB vs 144 MB).
- ❌55.6% higher power demand at 350W vs 225W.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (64,761 vs 67,561).
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 51.8 vs 157.5 PassMark/$ ($1,250 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).
Quick Answers
So, is Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX better than Xeon 6521P?
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?
Games Benchmarks
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
| Preset | Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX | Xeon 6521P |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 297 FPS | 188 FPS |
| medium | 270 FPS | 165 FPS |
| high | 223 FPS | 131 FPS |
| ultra | 188 FPS | 106 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 273 FPS | 155 FPS |
| medium | 224 FPS | 131 FPS |
| high | 174 FPS | 100 FPS |
| ultra | 153 FPS | 82 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 187 FPS | 70 FPS |
| medium | 154 FPS | 63 FPS |
| high | 118 FPS | 49 FPS |
| ultra | 104 FPS | 40 FPS |

Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX | Xeon 6521P |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 786 FPS | 585 FPS |
| medium | 643 FPS | 517 FPS |
| high | 477 FPS | 428 FPS |
| ultra | 403 FPS | 376 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 647 FPS | 489 FPS |
| medium | 549 FPS | 437 FPS |
| high | 422 FPS | 372 FPS |
| ultra | 328 FPS | 309 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 363 FPS | 304 FPS |
| medium | 312 FPS | 274 FPS |
| high | 273 FPS | 250 FPS |
| ultra | 230 FPS | 222 FPS |

League of Legends
| Preset | Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX | Xeon 6521P |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 888 FPS | 900 FPS |
| medium | 705 FPS | 829 FPS |
| high | 622 FPS | 768 FPS |
| ultra | 534 FPS | 677 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 713 FPS | 770 FPS |
| medium | 567 FPS | 706 FPS |
| high | 489 FPS | 650 FPS |
| ultra | 414 FPS | 581 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 507 FPS | 510 FPS |
| medium | 418 FPS | 429 FPS |
| high | 375 FPS | 383 FPS |
| ultra | 315 FPS | 318 FPS |

Valorant
| Preset | Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX | Xeon 6521P |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 1106 FPS | 983 FPS |
| medium | 991 FPS | 884 FPS |
| high | 867 FPS | 764 FPS |
| ultra | 781 FPS | 663 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 860 FPS | 803 FPS |
| medium | 759 FPS | 699 FPS |
| high | 664 FPS | 601 FPS |
| ultra | 576 FPS | 517 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 632 FPS | 579 FPS |
| medium | 562 FPS | 520 FPS |
| high | 496 FPS | 461 FPS |
| ultra | 429 FPS | 396 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX and Xeon 6521P


Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX
The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 July 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Shimada Peak (2025) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 4.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: sTR5. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 67,561 points. Launch price was $1,649.

Xeon 6521P
Xeon 6521P
The Xeon 6521P is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Granite Rapids (2024−2025) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 144 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4710. Thermal design power (TDP): 225 Watt. Memory support: DDR5(6400MT/s). Passmark benchmark score: 64,761 points. Launch price was $1,250.
Processing Power
The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon 6521P offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon 6521P has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX versus 4.1 GHz on the Xeon 6521P — a 27.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX (base: 4.5 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX uses the Shimada Peak (2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Xeon 6521P uses Granite Rapids (2024−2025) (Intel 3 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX scores 67,561 against the Xeon 6521P's 64,761 — a 4.2% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX vs 144 MB (total) on the Xeon 6521P.
| Feature | Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX | Xeon 6521P |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 16 / 32 | 24 / 48+50% |
| Boost Clock | 5.4 GHz+32% | 4.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 4.5 GHz+73% | 2.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 64 MB (total) | 144 MB (total)+125% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 2 MB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 4 nm | Intel 3 nm-25% |
| Architecture | Shimada Peak (2025) | Granite Rapids (2024−2025) |
| PassMark | 67,561+4% | 64,761 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 40,000 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 3,016 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 23,596 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX uses the sTR5 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon 6521P uses LGA4710 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-6400 on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX versus 6400 on the Xeon 6521P — the Xeon 6521P supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon 6521P supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 2048 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 128 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX) vs 136 (Xeon 6521P) — the Xeon 6521P offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: WRX90 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX) and C741 (Xeon 6521P).
| Feature | Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX | Xeon 6521P |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | sTR5 | LGA4710 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 5.0+25% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR5-6400 | 6400+127900% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2048 GB+52428700% | 4096 |
| RAM Channels | 8 | 8 |
| ECC Support | Yes | Yes |
| PCIe Lanes | 128 | 136+6% |
Advanced Features
Only the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: true (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon 6521P). Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX rivals Xeon w7-3555; Xeon 6521P rivals EPYC 9354.
| Feature | Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX | Xeon 6521P |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | None | None |
| Unlocked | Yes | No |
| AVX-512 | Yes | Yes |
| Virtualization | true | VT-x, VT-d |
Value Analysis
The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX launched at $429 MSRP, while the Xeon 6521P debuted at $1250. On MSRP ($429 vs $1250), the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX is $821 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX delivers 157.5 pts/$ vs 51.8 pts/$ for the Xeon 6521P — making the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX the 101% better value option.
| Feature | Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX | Xeon 6521P |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $429-66% | $1250 |
| Performance per Dollar | 157.5+204% | 51.8 |
| Release Date | 2025 | 2025 |
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