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 9 3900X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+143.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 26 MB).
✅Draws 105W instead of 175W, a 70W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Prism), unlike Xeon w5-2445.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w5-2445, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.
❌Launch MSRP is still $499 MSRP, while Xeon w5-2445 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Xeon w5-2445 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Xeon w5-2445

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 3900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (10,719 vs 12,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (26 MB vs 64 MB).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 175W vs 105W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 9 3900X.

Ryzen 9 3900X

2019

Xeon w5-2445

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+143.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 26 MB).
✅Draws 105W instead of 175W, a 70W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Prism), unlike Xeon w5-2445.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w5-2445, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.
❌Launch MSRP is still $499 MSRP, while Xeon w5-2445 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Xeon w5-2445 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 3900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (10,719 vs 12,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (26 MB vs 64 MB).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 175W vs 105W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 9 3900X.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 3900X better than Xeon w5-2445?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon w5-2445 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 3900X is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 3900X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 21.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 3900X is the better fit. You are getting 12% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 143.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 26 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 3900X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 3900X is at an unclear MSRP at $499 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 21.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (65.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Xeon w5-2445 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2019), a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 9 3900X Benchmark Check

Xeon w5-2445 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 3900X	Xeon w5-2445
1080p
low	209 FPS	186 FPS
medium	170 FPS	155 FPS
high	140 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	114 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	171 FPS	151 FPS
medium	131 FPS	121 FPS
high	104 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	83 FPS
medium	77 FPS	71 FPS
high	61 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	45 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 3900X Open Xeon w5-2445

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 3900X	Xeon w5-2445
1080p
low	781 FPS	585 FPS
medium	654 FPS	487 FPS
high	510 FPS	402 FPS
ultra	447 FPS	361 FPS
1440p
low	648 FPS	496 FPS
medium	552 FPS	430 FPS
high	452 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	369 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	380 FPS	307 FPS
medium	326 FPS	269 FPS
high	293 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	258 FPS	219 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 3900X Open Xeon w5-2445

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 3900X	Xeon w5-2445
1080p
low	813 FPS	805 FPS
medium	794 FPS	805 FPS
high	730 FPS	805 FPS
ultra	647 FPS	805 FPS
1440p
low	707 FPS	805 FPS
medium	583 FPS	765 FPS
high	522 FPS	725 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	650 FPS
4K
low	503 FPS	560 FPS
medium	403 FPS	458 FPS
high	361 FPS	417 FPS
ultra	292 FPS	338 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 3900X Open Xeon w5-2445

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 3900X	Xeon w5-2445
1080p
low	813 FPS	805 FPS
medium	813 FPS	805 FPS
high	813 FPS	805 FPS
ultra	813 FPS	787 FPS
1440p
low	813 FPS	805 FPS
medium	813 FPS	805 FPS
high	714 FPS	726 FPS
ultra	619 FPS	621 FPS
4K
low	669 FPS	681 FPS
medium	594 FPS	594 FPS
high	525 FPS	524 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	437 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 3900X Open Xeon w5-2445

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 3900X and Xeon w5-2445

Ryzen 9 3900X

The Ryzen 9 3900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 32,517 points. Launch price was $499.

Xeon w5-2445

The Xeon w5-2445 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 February 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 26.25 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 175 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 32,213 points. Launch price was $839.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 3900X packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon w5-2445 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Ryzen 9 3900X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 3900X versus 4.6 GHz on the Xeon w5-2445 — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Ryzen 9 3900X uses the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon w5-2445 uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 3900X scores 32,517 against the Xeon w5-2445's 32,213 — a 0.9% lead for the Ryzen 9 3900X. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,300 vs 1,822, a 33.4% lead for the Xeon w5-2445 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 12,000 vs 10,719 (11.3% advantage for the Ryzen 9 3900X). L3 cache: 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 3900X vs 26.25 MB on the Xeon w5-2445.

Feature	Ryzen 9 3900X	Xeon w5-2445
Cores / Threads	12 / 24+20%	10 / 20
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+23%	3.1 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB+144%	26.25 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+300%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	32,517	32,213
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	15,500
Geekbench 6 Single	1,300	1,822+40%
Geekbench 6 Multi	12,000+12%	10,719

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 3900X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon w5-2445 uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 9 3900X versus DDR5-4800 on the Xeon w5-2445 — the Xeon w5-2445 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon w5-2445 supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 9 3900X) vs 4 (Xeon w5-2445). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 9 3900X) vs 64 (Xeon w5-2445) — the Xeon w5-2445 offers 40 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X570,B550 (Ryzen 9 3900X) and W790 (Xeon w5-2445).

Feature	Ryzen 9 3900X	Xeon w5-2445
Socket	AM4	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	2048 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	64+167%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 3900X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon w5-2445 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 9 3900X) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon w5-2445). Primary use case: Ryzen 9 3900X targets Workstation, Xeon w5-2445 targets Professional Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon w5-2445 rivals Threadripper 7945WX.