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: +12.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (27,684 vs 27,712).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 35.3 vs 61.7 PassMark/$ ($784 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
❌57.1% higher power demand at 165W vs 105W.

Ryzen 7 5800X

2020

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Costs $335 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $784 MSRP).
✅Delivers 74.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 61.7 vs 35.3 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $784 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 165W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10940X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Core i9-10940X

2019

Ryzen 7 5800X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Costs $335 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $784 MSRP).
✅Delivers 74.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 61.7 vs 35.3 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $784 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 165W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (27,684 vs 27,712).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 35.3 vs 61.7 PassMark/$ ($784 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
❌57.1% higher power demand at 165W vs 105W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10940X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 5800X better than Core i9-10940X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i9-10940X is ahead with a 12.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 5800X pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 5800X also has the bigger cache pool with 66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 5800X is the better fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 5800X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 5800X is $335 cheaper on MSRP at $449 MSRP versus $784 MSRP, and it gives you 0.1% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i9-10940X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 12.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 74.8% better value on MSRP (61.7 vs 35.3 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 7 5800X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2019), 66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 14/28. 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.

Core i9-10940X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 5800X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	279 FPS	206 FPS
medium	249 FPS	178 FPS
high	206 FPS	146 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	233 FPS	170 FPS
medium	189 FPS	142 FPS
high	154 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	88 FPS
4K
low	164 FPS	83 FPS
medium	134 FPS	74 FPS
high	105 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i9-10940X Open Ryzen 7 5800X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	550 FPS	662 FPS
medium	457 FPS	558 FPS
high	379 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	342 FPS	417 FPS
1440p
low	456 FPS	563 FPS
medium	394 FPS	493 FPS
high	332 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	361 FPS
4K
low	283 FPS	350 FPS
medium	246 FPS	308 FPS
high	226 FPS	288 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	250 FPS

Open Core i9-10940X Open Ryzen 7 5800X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	692 FPS	693 FPS
medium	692 FPS	651 FPS
high	692 FPS	570 FPS
ultra	692 FPS	464 FPS
1440p
low	692 FPS	693 FPS
medium	692 FPS	573 FPS
high	692 FPS	498 FPS
ultra	656 FPS	413 FPS
4K
low	595 FPS	484 FPS
medium	500 FPS	410 FPS
high	444 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	302 FPS

Open Core i9-10940X Open Ryzen 7 5800X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	692 FPS	693 FPS
medium	692 FPS	693 FPS
high	692 FPS	693 FPS
ultra	692 FPS	693 FPS
1440p
low	692 FPS	693 FPS
medium	692 FPS	693 FPS
high	639 FPS	672 FPS
ultra	560 FPS	593 FPS
4K
low	580 FPS	604 FPS
medium	516 FPS	550 FPS
high	464 FPS	495 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	436 FPS

Open Core i9-10940X Open Ryzen 7 5800X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-10940X and Ryzen 7 5800X

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 7 5800X

The Ryzen 7 5800X 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 27,712 points. Launch price was $449.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-10940X packs 14 cores / 28 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5800X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-10940X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-10940X versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5800X — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Core i9-10940X (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i9-10940X uses the Cascade Lake-X (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5800X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-10940X scores 27,684 against the Ryzen 7 5800X's 27,712 — a 0.1% lead for the Ryzen 7 5800X. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-10940X vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 7 5800X
Cores / Threads	14 / 28+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+2%	4.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz	3.8 GHz+15%
L3 Cache	19.25 MB (total)	32 MB+66%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-50%
Architecture	Cascade Lake-X (2019)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	27,684	27,712
Cinebench R23 Multi	19,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,450	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,000	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10940X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 5800X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2933 memory speed. 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 7 5800X). PCIe lanes: 48 (Core i9-10940X) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 5800X) — the Core i9-10940X offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X299 (Core i9-10940X) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 5800X).

Feature	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 7 5800X
Socket	LGA2066	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB+100%	128 GB
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	48+100%	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i9-10940X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-10940X) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 5800X). Primary use case: Core i9-10940X targets High-End Desktop, Ryzen 7 5800X targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen 7 5800X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	High-End Desktop	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-10940X launched at $784 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 5800X debuted at $449. On MSRP ($784 vs $449), the Ryzen 7 5800X is $335 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-10940X delivers 35.3 pts/$ vs 61.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 5800X — making the Ryzen 7 5800X the 54.4% better value option.