Ryzen 5 5600X vs Xeon W-3323

AMD

Ryzen 5 5600X

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2020

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon W-3323

12 Cores24 Thrd220 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2021

Popular choices:

Ryzen 5 5600X

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 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

  • +77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).
  • Costs $650 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $949 MSRP).
  • Delivers 149.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 29.3 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $949 MSRP).
  • Draws 65W instead of 220W, a 155W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 27,822).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-3323, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads.

Xeon W-3323

2021

Why buy it

  • +27.4% higher PassMark.
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads.

Trade-offs

  • Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).
  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 29.3 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($949 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
  • 238.5% higher power demand at 220W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Xeon W-3323?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-3323 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 W-3323 is the better fit. You are getting 27.4% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 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 $650 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $949 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon W-3323 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 27.4% better PassMark. It is also 149.2% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 29.3 PassMark/$), 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?
Xeon W-3323 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetRyzen 5 5600XXeon W-3323
1080p
low203 FPS176 FPS
medium174 FPS140 FPS
high140 FPS115 FPS
ultra107 FPS92 FPS
1440p
low169 FPS146 FPS
medium141 FPS114 FPS
high113 FPS92 FPS
ultra86 FPS73 FPS
4K
low85 FPS67 FPS
medium76 FPS56 FPS
high60 FPS45 FPS
ultra47 FPS35 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetRyzen 5 5600XXeon W-3323
1080p
low464 FPS447 FPS
medium387 FPS385 FPS
high324 FPS313 FPS
ultra291 FPS264 FPS
1440p
low397 FPS384 FPS
medium334 FPS342 FPS
high290 FPS283 FPS
ultra253 FPS234 FPS
4K
low263 FPS246 FPS
medium226 FPS221 FPS
high205 FPS196 FPS
ultra171 FPS162 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetRyzen 5 5600XXeon W-3323
1080p
low546 FPS696 FPS
medium473 FPS696 FPS
high432 FPS696 FPS
ultra358 FPS693 FPS
1440p
low508 FPS696 FPS
medium413 FPS642 FPS
high375 FPS608 FPS
ultra312 FPS537 FPS
4K
low348 FPS482 FPS
medium292 FPS377 FPS
high255 FPS336 FPS
ultra199 FPS273 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetRyzen 5 5600XXeon W-3323
1080p
low546 FPS696 FPS
medium546 FPS696 FPS
high546 FPS696 FPS
ultra546 FPS602 FPS
1440p
low546 FPS696 FPS
medium546 FPS615 FPS
high546 FPS533 FPS
ultra524 FPS458 FPS
4K
low529 FPS482 FPS
medium484 FPS433 FPS
high435 FPS388 FPS
ultra379 FPS338 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Xeon W-3323

AMD

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.

Intel

Xeon W-3323

The Xeon W-3323 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-W (2021) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 220 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 27,822 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon W-3323 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon W-3323 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon W-3323 — a 16.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon W-3323 uses Ice Lake-W (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Xeon W-3323's 27,822 — a 24.1% lead for the Xeon W-3323. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 18 MB (total) on the Xeon W-3323.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600XXeon W-3323
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock
4.6 GHz+18%
3.9 GHz
Base Clock
3.7 GHz+6%
3.5 GHz
L3 Cache
32 MB+78%
18 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512K (per core)
1 MB (per core)+100%
Process
7 nm, 12 nm-30%
10 nm
Architecture
Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
Ice Lake-W (2021)
PassMark
21,845
27,822+27%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon W-3323 uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600XXeon W-3323
Socket
AM4
LGA4189
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
Yes
PCIe Lanes
24
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X) / not specified (Xeon W-3323). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600XXeon W-3323
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Desktop
💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600X launched at $299 MSRP, while the Xeon W-3323 debuted at $949. On MSRP ($299 vs $949), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $650 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600X delivers 73.1 pts/$ vs 29.3 pts/$ for the Xeon W-3323 — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 85.5% better value option.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600XXeon W-3323
MSRP
$299-68%
$949
Performance per Dollar
73.1+149%
29.3
Release Date
2020
2021