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

✅Costs $2,200 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 279.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 19.3 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 250W, a 185W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-3345 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 48,140).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-3345, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Xeon W-3345

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 19.3 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Xeon W-3345

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,200 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 279.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 19.3 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 250W, a 185W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-3345 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 48,140).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-3345, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 19.3 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon W-3345 better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-3345 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-3345 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 14.6% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon W-3345 is the better fit. You are getting 120.4% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads.

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

Xeon W-3345 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon W-3345 is 735.8% more expensive on MSRP at $2,499 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 14.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 279.3% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 19.3 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon W-3345 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020), more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 6/12, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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.

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Xeon W-3345 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon W-3345
1080p
low	203 FPS	194 FPS
medium	174 FPS	155 FPS
high	140 FPS	127 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	159 FPS
medium	141 FPS	124 FPS
high	113 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	73 FPS
medium	76 FPS	60 FPS
high	60 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	39 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Xeon W-3345

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon W-3345
1080p
low	464 FPS	497 FPS
medium	387 FPS	431 FPS
high	324 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	285 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	425 FPS
medium	334 FPS	376 FPS
high	290 FPS	309 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	245 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	264 FPS
medium	226 FPS	237 FPS
high	205 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	174 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Xeon W-3345

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon W-3345
1080p
low	546 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	473 FPS	973 FPS
high	432 FPS	914 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	826 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	841 FPS
medium	413 FPS	744 FPS
high	375 FPS	699 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	626 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	540 FPS
medium	292 FPS	444 FPS
high	255 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	320 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Xeon W-3345

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon W-3345
1080p
low	546 FPS	938 FPS
medium	546 FPS	847 FPS
high	546 FPS	732 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	635 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	735 FPS
medium	546 FPS	645 FPS
high	546 FPS	554 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	481 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	534 FPS
medium	484 FPS	477 FPS
high	435 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	362 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Xeon W-3345

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Xeon W-3345

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-3345

The Xeon W-3345 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-W (2021) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 48,140 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon W-3345 offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon W-3345 has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 4 GHz on the Xeon W-3345 — a 14% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon W-3345 uses Ice Lake-W (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Xeon W-3345's 48,140 — a 75.1% lead for the Xeon W-3345. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 36 MB (total) on the Xeon W-3345.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon W-3345
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	24 / 48+300%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+15%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+23%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB	36 MB (total)+13%
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	48,140+120%

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon W-3345 uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 3200 on the Xeon W-3345 — the Xeon W-3345 supports 199.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon W-3345 supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 8 (Xeon W-3345). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 128 (Xeon W-3345) — the Xeon W-3345 offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X) and SP3,C621A (Xeon W-3345).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon W-3345
Socket	AM4	LGA4189
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	3200+79900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+3276700%	4096
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	128+433%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon W-3345 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon W-3345). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Xeon W-3345 rivals Xeon Platinum 8362.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Xeon W-3345
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600X launched at $299 MSRP, while the Xeon W-3345 debuted at $2499. On MSRP ($299 vs $2499), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $2200 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600X delivers 73.1 pts/$ vs 19.3 pts/$ for the Xeon W-3345 — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 116.5% better value option.