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 i9-10940X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.6% higher average FPS across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅71.4% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 35.3 vs 94.7 PassMark/$ ($784 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌57.1% higher power demand at 165W vs 105W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7600X moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 7600X can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Costs $485 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $784 MSRP).
✅Delivers 168.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 94.7 vs 35.3 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $784 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 165W, a 60W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10940X across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (15,300 vs 19,000).

Core i9-10940X

2019

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.6% higher average FPS across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅71.4% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Costs $485 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $784 MSRP).
✅Delivers 168.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 94.7 vs 35.3 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $784 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 165W, a 60W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 35.3 vs 94.7 PassMark/$ ($784 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌57.1% higher power demand at 165W vs 105W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7600X moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 7600X can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10940X across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (15,300 vs 19,000).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-10940X better than Ryzen 5 7600X?

Yes. Core i9-10940X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 5.6% average FPS lead across 45 shared CPU game tests in our data and 24.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-10940X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.6% more average FPS across 45 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-10940X is the better fit. You are getting 24.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads.

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

Core i9-10940X is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 7600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-10940X is 162.2% more expensive on MSRP at $784 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.6% average FPS lead across 45 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 7600X is also 168.3% better value on MSRP (94.7 vs 35.3 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM5 + DDR5 setup, Ryzen 5 7600X can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Ryzen 5 7600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066, and 66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB). That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 i9-10940X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	279 FPS	266 FPS
medium	249 FPS	246 FPS
high	206 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	233 FPS	226 FPS
medium	189 FPS	189 FPS
high	154 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	164 FPS	157 FPS
medium	134 FPS	131 FPS
high	105 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i9-10940X Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	550 FPS	649 FPS
medium	457 FPS	524 FPS
high	379 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	342 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	456 FPS	544 FPS
medium	394 FPS	455 FPS
high	332 FPS	388 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	329 FPS
4K
low	283 FPS	341 FPS
medium	246 FPS	290 FPS
high	226 FPS	271 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	232 FPS

Open Core i9-10940X Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	692 FPS	708 FPS
medium	692 FPS	652 FPS
high	692 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	692 FPS	484 FPS
1440p
low	692 FPS	708 FPS
medium	692 FPS	554 FPS
high	692 FPS	479 FPS
ultra	656 FPS	409 FPS
4K
low	595 FPS	463 FPS
medium	500 FPS	392 FPS
high	444 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	281 FPS

Open Core i9-10940X Open Ryzen 5 7600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	692 FPS	708 FPS
medium	692 FPS	708 FPS
high	692 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	692 FPS	708 FPS
1440p
low	692 FPS	708 FPS
medium	692 FPS	708 FPS
high	639 FPS	658 FPS
ultra	560 FPS	571 FPS
4K
low	580 FPS	560 FPS
medium	516 FPS	502 FPS
high	464 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	391 FPS

Open Core i9-10940X Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-10940X and Ryzen 5 7600X

Core i9-10940X

The Core i9-10940X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake-X (2019) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 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: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 27,684 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 7600X

The Ryzen 5 7600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 28,325 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-10940X packs 14 cores / 28 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-10940X has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-10940X versus 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7600X — a 9.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600X (base: 3.3 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The Core i9-10940X uses the Cascade Lake-X (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-10940X scores 27,684 against the Ryzen 5 7600X's 28,325 — a 2.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 7600X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 19,000 vs 15,300 (21.6% advantage for the Core i9-10940X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,450 vs 2,900, a 66.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 7600X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,000 vs 13,800 (22.6% advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600X). L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-10940X vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7600X.

Feature	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores / Threads	14 / 28+133%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	5.3 GHz+10%
Base Clock	3.3 GHz	4.7 GHz+42%
L3 Cache	19.25 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+66%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	6 MB+500%
Process	14 nm	5 nm, 6 nm-64%
Architecture	Cascade Lake-X (2019)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	27,684	28,325+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi	19,000+24%	15,300
Geekbench 6 Single	1,450	2,900+100%
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,000	13,800+25%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10940X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2933 on the Core i9-10940X versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 5 7600X — the Ryzen 5 7600X supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i9-10940X supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Core i9-10940X) vs 2 (Ryzen 5 7600X). PCIe lanes: 48 (Core i9-10940X) vs 28 (Ryzen 5 7600X) — the Core i9-10940X offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X299 (Core i9-10940X) and X670E,X670,B650E,B650,A620 (Ryzen 5 7600X).

Feature	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 5 7600X
Socket	LGA2066	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	DDR5-5200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB+100%	128 GB
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	48+71%	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-10940X) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 7600X). The Ryzen 5 7600X includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)), while the Core i9-10940X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-10940X targets High-End Desktop, Ryzen 5 7600X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 7600X rivals Intel Core i5-13600K.

Feature	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 5 7600X
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	None	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	High-End Desktop	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-10940X launched at $784 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 7600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($784 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 7600X is $485 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-10940X delivers 35.3 pts/$ vs 94.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 7600X — making the Ryzen 5 7600X the 91.4% better value option.