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 i9-7940X

2017

Why buy it

✅+16.5% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.2 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($1,399 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Costs $1,100 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 301.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 18.2 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 25,452).

Core i9-7940X

2017

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅+16.5% higher PassMark.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Costs $1,100 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 301.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 18.2 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.2 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($1,399 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 25,452).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Core i9-7940X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 5600X is ahead with a 11.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7940X pulls ahead with 16.5% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600X also has the bigger cache pool with 66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7940X is the better fit. You are getting 16.5% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 5600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5600X is $1,100 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $1,399 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-7940X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 16.5% better PassMark. It is also 301.6% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 18.2 PassMark/$), 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 5600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017) and 66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 i9-7940X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-7940X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	168 FPS	203 FPS
medium	148 FPS	174 FPS
high	116 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	169 FPS
medium	121 FPS	141 FPS
high	95 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	85 FPS
medium	73 FPS	76 FPS
high	57 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i9-7940X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-7940X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	447 FPS	464 FPS
medium	384 FPS	387 FPS
high	331 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	303 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	392 FPS	397 FPS
medium	344 FPS	334 FPS
high	298 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	250 FPS	263 FPS
medium	219 FPS	226 FPS
high	205 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i9-7940X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-7940X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	534 FPS	546 FPS
medium	451 FPS	473 FPS
high	409 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	365 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	485 FPS	508 FPS
medium	415 FPS	413 FPS
high	374 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	334 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	379 FPS	348 FPS
medium	319 FPS	292 FPS
high	283 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	233 FPS	199 FPS

Open Core i9-7940X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-7940X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	636 FPS	546 FPS
medium	636 FPS	546 FPS
high	636 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	610 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	636 FPS	546 FPS
medium	636 FPS	546 FPS
high	573 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	500 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	524 FPS	529 FPS
medium	475 FPS	484 FPS
high	418 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	379 FPS

Open Core i9-7940X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-7940X and Ryzen 5 5600X

Core i9-7940X

The Core i9-7940X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 25,452 points. Launch price was $1,399.

Ryzen 5 5600X

The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-7940X packs 14 cores / 28 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-7940X has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i9-7940X versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i9-7940X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-7940X scores 25,452 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 15.3% lead for the Core i9-7940X. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-7940X vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i9-7940X	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	14 / 28+133%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.6 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.1 GHz	3.7 GHz+19%
L3 Cache	19.25 MB (total)	32 MB+66%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-50%
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	25,452+17%	21,845

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-7940X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i9-7940X	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	LGA2066	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-7940X) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i9-7940X	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-7940X launched at $1399 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($1399 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $1100 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-7940X delivers 18.2 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 120.3% better value option.