Ryzen 5 5600X vs Xeon W-2170B

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

✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-2170B across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 24,448).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-2170B, which brings 14 cores / 28 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Xeon W-2170B mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon W-2170B

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 14 cores / 28 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Xeon W-2170B

2017

Why buy it

✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 14 cores / 28 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-2170B across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 24,448).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-2170B, which brings 14 cores / 28 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Xeon W-2170B mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon W-2170B better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-2170B 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 gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon W-2170B is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 24.2% 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, Xeon W-2170B is the better fit. You are getting 11.9% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads.

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

Xeon W-2170B is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon W-2170B is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 24.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds 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.

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Xeon W-2170B Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon W-2170B
1080p
low	203 FPS	167 FPS
medium	174 FPS	147 FPS
high	140 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	139 FPS
medium	141 FPS	118 FPS
high	113 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	73 FPS
medium	76 FPS	67 FPS
high	60 FPS	53 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	41 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Xeon W-2170B

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon W-2170B
1080p
low	464 FPS	430 FPS
medium	387 FPS	380 FPS
high	324 FPS	329 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	298 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	378 FPS
medium	334 FPS	339 FPS
high	290 FPS	294 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	257 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	245 FPS
medium	226 FPS	219 FPS
high	205 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	178 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Xeon W-2170B

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon W-2170B
1080p
low	546 FPS	611 FPS
medium	473 FPS	611 FPS
high	432 FPS	611 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	611 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	611 FPS
medium	413 FPS	611 FPS
high	375 FPS	611 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	567 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	511 FPS
medium	292 FPS	426 FPS
high	255 FPS	383 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	317 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Xeon W-2170B

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon W-2170B
1080p
low	546 FPS	611 FPS
medium	546 FPS	611 FPS
high	546 FPS	611 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	611 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	611 FPS
medium	546 FPS	611 FPS
high	546 FPS	611 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	557 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	611 FPS
medium	484 FPS	554 FPS
high	435 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	410 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Xeon W-2170B

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Xeon W-2170B

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 W-2170B

The Xeon W-2170B is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 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): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 24,448 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon W-2170B offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Xeon W-2170B has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 4.3 GHz on the Xeon W-2170B — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon W-2170B uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Xeon W-2170B's 24,448 — a 11.2% lead for the Xeon W-2170B. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 19.25 MB (total) on the Xeon W-2170B.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon W-2170B
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	14 / 28+133%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+7%	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+48%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+66%	19.25 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	21,845	24,448+12%

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon W-2170B uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.