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 9700X

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $2,349 less on MSRP ($359 MSRP vs $2,708 MSRP).
✅Delivers 642.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 103.5 vs 13.9 PassMark/$ ($359 MSRP vs $2,708 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 205W, a 140W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,145 vs 37,739).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6346, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Xeon Gold 6346

2021

Why buy it

✅+1.6% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9700X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.9 vs 103.5 PassMark/$ ($2,708 MSRP vs $359 MSRP).
❌215.4% higher power demand at 205W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 9700X moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 9700X can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 7 9700X

2024

Xeon Gold 6346

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $2,349 less on MSRP ($359 MSRP vs $2,708 MSRP).
✅Delivers 642.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 103.5 vs 13.9 PassMark/$ ($359 MSRP vs $2,708 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 205W, a 140W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+1.6% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,145 vs 37,739).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6346, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9700X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.9 vs 103.5 PassMark/$ ($2,708 MSRP vs $359 MSRP).
❌215.4% higher power demand at 205W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 9700X moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 9700X can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 9700X better than Xeon Gold 6346?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Gold 6346 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 7 9700X 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, Xeon Gold 6346 is the better fit. You are getting 1.6% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 9700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 9700X is $2,349 cheaper on MSRP at $359 MSRP versus $2,708 MSRP, and it gives you a 9.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon Gold 6346 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.6% better PassMark. It is also 642.4% better value on MSRP (103.5 vs 13.9 PassMark/$), 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 9700X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2021) and a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA4189. 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.

Ryzen 7 9700X Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6346 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon Gold 6346
1080p
low	265 FPS	188 FPS
medium	245 FPS	150 FPS
high	209 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	226 FPS	157 FPS
medium	188 FPS	122 FPS
high	154 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	157 FPS	72 FPS
medium	131 FPS	60 FPS
high	101 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	38 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 9700X Open Xeon Gold 6346

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon Gold 6346
1080p
low	639 FPS	415 FPS
medium	526 FPS	364 FPS
high	436 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	392 FPS	237 FPS
1440p
low	545 FPS	355 FPS
medium	470 FPS	317 FPS
high	395 FPS	265 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	204 FPS
4K
low	319 FPS	220 FPS
medium	281 FPS	200 FPS
high	265 FPS	169 FPS
ultra	232 FPS	136 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 9700X Open Xeon Gold 6346

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon Gold 6346
1080p
low	929 FPS	943 FPS
medium	744 FPS	856 FPS
high	650 FPS	810 FPS
ultra	558 FPS	719 FPS
1440p
low	736 FPS	784 FPS
medium	589 FPS	673 FPS
high	506 FPS	637 FPS
ultra	431 FPS	567 FPS
4K
low	508 FPS	503 FPS
medium	420 FPS	395 FPS
high	378 FPS	352 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	288 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 9700X Open Xeon Gold 6346

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon Gold 6346
1080p
low	929 FPS	943 FPS
medium	929 FPS	918 FPS
high	850 FPS	790 FPS
ultra	756 FPS	670 FPS
1440p
low	889 FPS	819 FPS
medium	773 FPS	703 FPS
high	678 FPS	601 FPS
ultra	584 FPS	506 FPS
4K
low	582 FPS	594 FPS
medium	517 FPS	516 FPS
high	466 FPS	451 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	383 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 9700X Open Xeon Gold 6346

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 9700X and Xeon Gold 6346

Ryzen 7 9700X

The Ryzen 7 9700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 August 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.5 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 37,145 points. Launch price was $359.

Xeon Gold 6346

The Xeon Gold 6346 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 205 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 37,739 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 9700X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6346 offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Xeon Gold 6346 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 9700X versus 3.6 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6346 — a 41.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 9700X (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Ryzen 7 9700X uses the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6346 uses Ice Lake-SP (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 9700X scores 37,145 against the Xeon Gold 6346's 37,739 — a 1.6% lead for the Xeon Gold 6346. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 9700X vs 36 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 6346.

Feature	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon Gold 6346
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	16 / 32+100%
Boost Clock	5.5 GHz+53%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+23%	3.1 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)	36 MB (total)+13%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	4 nm-60%	10 nm
Architecture	Granite Ridge (2024−2025)	Ice Lake-SP (2021)
PassMark	37,145	37,739+2%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 9700X uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Gold 6346 uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 5600 on the Ryzen 7 9700X versus 3200 on the Xeon Gold 6346 — the Ryzen 7 9700X supports 54.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6346 supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 256 — 184% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 7 9700X) vs 8 (Xeon Gold 6346). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 7 9700X) vs 64 (Xeon Gold 6346) — the Xeon Gold 6346 offers 40 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X870E,X670E,B650 (Ryzen 7 9700X) and C621A (Xeon Gold 6346).

Feature	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon Gold 6346
Socket	AM5	LGA4189
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	5600+75%	3200
Max RAM Capacity	256	6144+2300%
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	64+167%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 9700X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen 7 9700X) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6346). The Ryzen 7 9700X includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)), while the Xeon Gold 6346 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 9700X rivals Core i7-14700K; Xeon Gold 6346 rivals EPYC 73F3.

Feature	Ryzen 7 9700X	Xeon Gold 6346
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 9700X launched at $359 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6346 debuted at $2708. On MSRP ($359 vs $2708), the Ryzen 7 9700X is $2349 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 9700X delivers 103.5 pts/$ vs 13.9 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6346 — making the Ryzen 7 9700X the 152.5% better value option.