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 i9-9940X

2018

Why buy it

✅83.3% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (19 MB vs 96 MB).
❌Lower PassMark (28,088 vs 28,298).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 20.3 vs 63.0 PassMark/$ ($1,387 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
❌57.1% higher power demand at 165W vs 105W.

Ryzen 7 5800X3D

2022

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 96 MB vs 19 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.
✅Costs $938 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $1,387 MSRP).
✅Delivers 211.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 63.0 vs 20.3 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $1,387 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 165W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i9-9940X

2018

Ryzen 7 5800X3D

2022

Why buy it

✅83.3% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 96 MB vs 19 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.
✅Costs $938 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $1,387 MSRP).
✅Delivers 211.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 63.0 vs 20.3 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $1,387 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 165W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (19 MB vs 96 MB).
❌Lower PassMark (28,088 vs 28,298).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 20.3 vs 63.0 PassMark/$ ($1,387 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
❌57.1% higher power demand at 165W vs 105W.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 5800X3D better than Core i9-9940X?

Yes. Ryzen 7 5800X3D is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.7% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 5800X3D is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.0% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 96 MB vs 19 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 5800X3D is the better fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 398.7% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 19 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 5800X3D is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 5800X3D is $938 cheaper on MSRP at $449 MSRP versus $1,387 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 211.2% better value on MSRP (63.0 vs 20.3 PassMark/$), 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 5800X3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 96 MB L3 cache instead of 19 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 14/28. That extra cache should hold up really well in CPU-limited games and high-refresh builds.

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 i9-9940X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 5800X3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-9940X	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
1080p
low	169 FPS	191 FPS
medium	149 FPS	165 FPS
high	119 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	161 FPS
medium	121 FPS	135 FPS
high	97 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	85 FPS
medium	70 FPS	77 FPS
high	55 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	49 FPS

Open Core i9-9940X Open Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-9940X	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
1080p
low	499 FPS	704 FPS
medium	430 FPS	615 FPS
high	367 FPS	496 FPS
ultra	333 FPS	432 FPS
1440p
low	431 FPS	570 FPS
medium	378 FPS	510 FPS
high	326 FPS	429 FPS
ultra	284 FPS	351 FPS
4K
low	267 FPS	332 FPS
medium	233 FPS	299 FPS
high	219 FPS	276 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	245 FPS

Open Core i9-9940X Open Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-9940X	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
1080p
low	702 FPS	706 FPS
medium	702 FPS	607 FPS
high	702 FPS	566 FPS
ultra	645 FPS	498 FPS
1440p
low	702 FPS	568 FPS
medium	659 FPS	490 FPS
high	624 FPS	450 FPS
ultra	554 FPS	397 FPS
4K
low	492 FPS	410 FPS
medium	414 FPS	342 FPS
high	371 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	306 FPS	256 FPS

Open Core i9-9940X Open Ryzen 7 5800X3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-9940X	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
1080p
low	702 FPS	707 FPS
medium	702 FPS	707 FPS
high	702 FPS	707 FPS
ultra	690 FPS	707 FPS
1440p
low	702 FPS	707 FPS
medium	702 FPS	707 FPS
high	649 FPS	703 FPS
ultra	567 FPS	625 FPS
4K
low	587 FPS	658 FPS
medium	532 FPS	590 FPS
high	476 FPS	531 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i9-9940X Open Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9940X and Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Core i9-9940X

The Core i9-9940X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 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: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 28,088 points. Launch price was $1,387.

Ryzen 7 5800X3D

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 28,298 points. Launch price was $449.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-9940X packs 14 cores / 28 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5800X3D offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-9940X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i9-9940X versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5800X3D — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i9-9940X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5800X3D uses Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9940X scores 28,088 against the Ryzen 7 5800X3D's 28,298 — a 0.7% lead for the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-9940X vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.

Feature	Core i9-9940X	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
Cores / Threads	14 / 28+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	4.5 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz	3.4 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	19.25 MB (total)	96 MB (total)+399%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-50%
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	28,088	28,298

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9940X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 5800X3D uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 4 (Core i9-9940X) vs 2 (Ryzen 7 5800X3D). PCIe lanes: 44 (Core i9-9940X) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 5800X3D) — the Core i9-9940X offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i9-9940X	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
Socket	LGA2066	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	44+83%	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-9940X) / not specified (Ryzen 7 5800X3D). Primary use case: Core i9-9940X targets Workstation.

Feature	Core i9-9940X	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	Yes	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Workstation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-9940X launched at $1387 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 5800X3D debuted at $449. On MSRP ($1387 vs $449), the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is $938 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-9940X delivers 20.3 pts/$ vs 63.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 5800X3D — making the Ryzen 7 5800X3D the 102.7% better value option.