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 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 65W instead of 155W, a 90W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 30,946).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E7-4890 v2, which brings 15 cores / 30 threads and 32 PCIe lanes.
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Xeon E7-4890 v2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E7-4890 v2

2014

Why buy it

✅+41.7% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 15 cores / 30 threads, plus 32 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (32 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌138.5% higher power demand at 155W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Xeon E7-4890 v2

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 65W instead of 155W, a 90W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+41.7% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 15 cores / 30 threads, plus 32 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (32 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 30,946).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E7-4890 v2, which brings 15 cores / 30 threads and 32 PCIe lanes.
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Xeon E7-4890 v2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌138.5% higher power demand at 155W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Xeon E7-4890 v2?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E7-4890 v2 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 5600X is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E7-4890 v2 is the better fit. You are getting 41.7% better PassMark, backed by 15 cores and 30 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 at an unclear MSRP at $299 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon E7-4890 v2 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 41.7% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 5 5600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2014). 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.

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Xeon E7-4890 v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon E7-4890 v2
1080p
low	203 FPS	186 FPS
medium	174 FPS	148 FPS
high	140 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	92 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	153 FPS
medium	141 FPS	119 FPS
high	113 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	72 FPS
medium	76 FPS	59 FPS
high	60 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	38 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Xeon E7-4890 v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon E7-4890 v2
1080p
low	464 FPS	368 FPS
medium	387 FPS	324 FPS
high	324 FPS	270 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	216 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	318 FPS
medium	334 FPS	282 FPS
high	290 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	184 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	199 FPS
medium	226 FPS	178 FPS
high	205 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	121 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Xeon E7-4890 v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon E7-4890 v2
1080p
low	546 FPS	774 FPS
medium	473 FPS	774 FPS
high	432 FPS	763 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	679 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	744 FPS
medium	413 FPS	638 FPS
high	375 FPS	605 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	537 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	479 FPS
medium	292 FPS	376 FPS
high	255 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	274 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Xeon E7-4890 v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon E7-4890 v2
1080p
low	546 FPS	774 FPS
medium	546 FPS	774 FPS
high	546 FPS	765 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	648 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	774 FPS
medium	546 FPS	686 FPS
high	546 FPS	586 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	581 FPS
medium	484 FPS	506 FPS
high	435 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	377 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Xeon E7-4890 v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Xeon E7-4890 v2

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.

Xeon E7-4890 v2

The Xeon E7-4890 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 15 cores and 30 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 37.5 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 155 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 30,946 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E7-4890 v2 offers 15 cores / 30 threads — the Xeon E7-4890 v2 has 9 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E7-4890 v2 — a 30% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X is built on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Xeon E7-4890 v2's 30,946 — a 34.5% lead for the Xeon E7-4890 v2. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 37.5 MB on the Xeon E7-4890 v2.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon E7-4890 v2
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	15 / 30+150%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+35%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+32%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB	37.5 MB+17%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	—
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-68%	22 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	—
PassMark	21,845	30,946+42%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	6,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	730
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	5,500

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E7-4890 v2 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus DDR3-1600 on the Xeon E7-4890 v2 — the Ryzen 5 5600X supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E7-4890 v2 supports up to 1536 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 169.2% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 4 (Xeon E7-4890 v2). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 32 (Xeon E7-4890 v2) — the Xeon E7-4890 v2 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X) and C602 (Xeon E7-4890 v2).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon E7-4890 v2
Socket	AM4	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200+33%	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	1536 GB+1100%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	32+33%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon E7-4890 v2). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop, Xeon E7-4890 v2 targets Enterprise Server (Legacy). Direct competitor: Xeon E7-4890 v2 rivals Xeon E5-2697 v2.