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 7 5800X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $700 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $1,149 MSRP).
✅Delivers 112.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 61.7 vs 29.1 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $1,149 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 280W, a 175W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (27,712 vs 33,455).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

2020

Why buy it

✅+20.7% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 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 29.1 vs 61.7 PassMark/$ ($1,149 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
❌166.7% higher power demand at 280W vs 105W.

Ryzen 7 5800X

2020

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $700 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $1,149 MSRP).
✅Delivers 112.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 61.7 vs 29.1 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $1,149 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 280W, a 175W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+20.7% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 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 (27,712 vs 33,455).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 29.1 vs 61.7 PassMark/$ ($1,149 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
❌166.7% higher power demand at 280W vs 105W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 5800X better than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 7 5800X 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, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX is the better fit. You are getting 20.7% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 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 $700 cheaper on MSRP at $449 MSRP versus $1,149 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 20.7% better PassMark. It is also 112.0% better value on MSRP (61.7 vs 29.1 PassMark/$), 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 Threadripper PRO 3945WX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 8/16. 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 7 5800X Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
1080p
low	206 FPS	202 FPS
medium	178 FPS	164 FPS
high	146 FPS	138 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	170 FPS	183 FPS
medium	142 FPS	145 FPS
high	115 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	88 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	86 FPS
medium	74 FPS	73 FPS
high	59 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	46 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 5800X Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
1080p
low	662 FPS	557 FPS
medium	558 FPS	485 FPS
high	466 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	417 FPS	351 FPS
1440p
low	563 FPS	478 FPS
medium	493 FPS	424 FPS
high	423 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	361 FPS	296 FPS
4K
low	350 FPS	299 FPS
medium	308 FPS	268 FPS
high	288 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	250 FPS	217 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 5800X Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
1080p
low	693 FPS	772 FPS
medium	651 FPS	637 FPS
high	570 FPS	568 FPS
ultra	464 FPS	494 FPS
1440p
low	693 FPS	599 FPS
medium	573 FPS	494 FPS
high	498 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	413 FPS	376 FPS
4K
low	484 FPS	431 FPS
medium	410 FPS	344 FPS
high	363 FPS	303 FPS
ultra	302 FPS	243 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 5800X Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
1080p
low	693 FPS	836 FPS
medium	693 FPS	836 FPS
high	693 FPS	823 FPS
ultra	693 FPS	725 FPS
1440p
low	693 FPS	836 FPS
medium	693 FPS	745 FPS
high	672 FPS	630 FPS
ultra	593 FPS	540 FPS
4K
low	604 FPS	594 FPS
medium	550 FPS	540 FPS
high	495 FPS	468 FPS
ultra	436 FPS	405 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 5800X Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 5800X and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

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.

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 July 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Castle Peak (2020) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: sWRX8. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 33,455 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 5800X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5800X versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX — a 8.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 5800X (base: 3.8 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Ryzen 7 5800X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX uses Castle Peak (2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 5800X scores 27,712 against the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX's 33,455 — a 18.8% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 5800X vs 64 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX.

Feature	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	12 / 24+50%
Boost Clock	4.7 GHz+9%	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.8 GHz	4 GHz+5%
L3 Cache	32 MB	64 MB+100%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Castle Peak (2020)
PassMark	27,712	33,455+21%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	18,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,652
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	11,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 5800X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX uses sWRX8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 7 5800X) vs 8 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 7 5800X) vs 128 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 5800X) and WRX80 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX).

Feature	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
Socket	AM4	sWRX8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	2048 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	128+433%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 5800X targets Desktop, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX targets Professional Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX rivals Xeon w5-2455X.

Feature	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	Professional Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 5800X launched at $449 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX debuted at $1149. On MSRP ($449 vs $1149), the Ryzen 7 5800X is $700 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 5800X delivers 61.7 pts/$ vs 29.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX — making the Ryzen 7 5800X the 71.8% better value option.