Core i7-4930K vs Ryzen 5 2500X

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.

Core i7-4930K

2013

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 2500X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (9,379 vs 9,388).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.0 vs 59.0 PassMark/$ ($670 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 2500X

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $511 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $670 MSRP).
✅Delivers 321.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 59.0 vs 14.0 PassMark/$ ($159 MSRP vs $670 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i7-4930K

2013

Ryzen 5 2500X

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $511 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $670 MSRP).
✅Delivers 321.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 59.0 vs 14.0 PassMark/$ ($159 MSRP vs $670 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 2500X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (9,379 vs 9,388).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.0 vs 59.0 PassMark/$ ($670 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 2500X better than Core i7-4930K?

Yes. Ryzen 5 2500X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 3.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.1% better 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 5 2500X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 3.1% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 2500X is the better fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 2500X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 2500X is $511 cheaper on MSRP at $159 MSRP versus $670 MSRP, and it gives you a 3.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 321.8% better value on MSRP (59.0 vs 14.0 PassMark/$), 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 5 2500X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2013), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/12. 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.

Core i7-4930K Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 2500X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-4930K	Ryzen 5 2500X
1080p
low	168 FPS	219 FPS
medium	144 FPS	187 FPS
high	116 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	108 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	182 FPS
medium	118 FPS	149 FPS
high	93 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	71 FPS
medium	57 FPS	62 FPS
high	45 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i7-4930K Open Ryzen 5 2500X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-4930K	Ryzen 5 2500X
1080p
low	212 FPS	235 FPS
medium	186 FPS	209 FPS
high	171 FPS	187 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	146 FPS
1440p
low	189 FPS	216 FPS
medium	164 FPS	188 FPS
high	152 FPS	166 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	163 FPS	156 FPS
medium	143 FPS	138 FPS
high	128 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	84 FPS

Open Core i7-4930K Open Ryzen 5 2500X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-4930K	Ryzen 5 2500X
1080p
low	234 FPS	235 FPS
medium	234 FPS	235 FPS
high	234 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	235 FPS
1440p
low	234 FPS	235 FPS
medium	234 FPS	235 FPS
high	234 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	235 FPS
4K
low	234 FPS	235 FPS
medium	234 FPS	235 FPS
high	234 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	201 FPS

Open Core i7-4930K Open Ryzen 5 2500X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-4930K	Ryzen 5 2500X
1080p
low	234 FPS	235 FPS
medium	234 FPS	235 FPS
high	234 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	235 FPS
1440p
low	234 FPS	235 FPS
medium	234 FPS	235 FPS
high	234 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	235 FPS
4K
low	234 FPS	235 FPS
medium	234 FPS	235 FPS
high	234 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	235 FPS

Open Core i7-4930K Open Ryzen 5 2500X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-4930K and Ryzen 5 2500X

Core i7-4930K

The Core i7-4930K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge-E (2013) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 9,379 points. Launch price was $670.

Ryzen 5 2500X

The Ryzen 5 2500X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 9,388 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-4930K packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 5 2500X offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-4930K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i7-4930K versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 2500X — a 2.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 2500X (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i7-4930K uses the Ivy Bridge-E (2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Ryzen 5 2500X uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-4930K scores 9,379 against the Ryzen 5 2500X's 9,388 — a 0.1% lead for the Ryzen 5 2500X. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-4930K vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 2500X.

Feature	Core i7-4930K	Ryzen 5 2500X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	4 GHz+3%
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	3.6 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	22 nm	12 nm-45%
Architecture	Ivy Bridge-E (2013)	Zen+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	9,379	9,388

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-4930K uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 2500X uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-4930K	Ryzen 5 2500X
Socket	LGA2011	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-4930K launched at $670 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 2500X debuted at $159. On MSRP ($670 vs $159), the Ryzen 5 2500X is $511 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-4930K delivers 14.0 pts/$ vs 59.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 2500X — making the Ryzen 5 2500X the 123.3% better value option.