Ryzen 9 5900H vs Xeon E5-2690 v2

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 5900H

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 130W, a 85W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2690 v2, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.

Xeon E5-2690 v2

2013

Why buy it

✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,377 vs 13,510).
❌188.9% higher power demand at 130W vs 45W.

Ryzen 9 5900H

2021

Xeon E5-2690 v2

2013

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 130W, a 85W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2690 v2, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,377 vs 13,510).
❌188.9% higher power demand at 130W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900H better than Xeon E5-2690 v2?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2690 v2 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 5900H 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 5900H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 11.0% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5900H is the better fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 5900H still looks like the safer overall buy. Ryzen 9 5900H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 11.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 9 5900H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 10/20. 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 9 5900H Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-2690 v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900H	Xeon E5-2690 v2
1080p
low	181 FPS	170 FPS
medium	147 FPS	145 FPS
high	122 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	147 FPS	144 FPS
medium	116 FPS	120 FPS
high	95 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	66 FPS
medium	69 FPS	59 FPS
high	55 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	36 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900H Open Xeon E5-2690 v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900H	Xeon E5-2690 v2
1080p
low	338 FPS	310 FPS
medium	338 FPS	277 FPS
high	327 FPS	240 FPS
ultra	288 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	338 FPS	267 FPS
medium	338 FPS	246 FPS
high	300 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	256 FPS	172 FPS
4K
low	278 FPS	173 FPS
medium	246 FPS	160 FPS
high	227 FPS	139 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	111 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900H Open Xeon E5-2690 v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900H	Xeon E5-2690 v2
1080p
low	338 FPS	334 FPS
medium	338 FPS	334 FPS
high	338 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	338 FPS	334 FPS
1440p
low	338 FPS	334 FPS
medium	338 FPS	334 FPS
high	338 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	338 FPS	334 FPS
4K
low	338 FPS	334 FPS
medium	338 FPS	334 FPS
high	326 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	284 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900H Open Xeon E5-2690 v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900H	Xeon E5-2690 v2
1080p
low	338 FPS	334 FPS
medium	338 FPS	334 FPS
high	338 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	338 FPS	334 FPS
1440p
low	338 FPS	334 FPS
medium	338 FPS	334 FPS
high	338 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	338 FPS	334 FPS
4K
low	338 FPS	334 FPS
medium	338 FPS	334 FPS
high	338 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	338 FPS	326 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900H Open Xeon E5-2690 v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 5900H and Xeon E5-2690 v2

Ryzen 9 5900H

The Ryzen 9 5900H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 13,510 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E5-2690 v2

The Xeon E5-2690 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 13,377 points. Launch price was $2,697.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 5900H packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E5-2690 v2 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon E5-2690 v2 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900H versus 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-2690 v2 — a 24.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900H (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900H uses the Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon E5-2690 v2 uses Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900H scores 13,510 against the Xeon E5-2690 v2's 13,377 — a 1% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900H. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900H vs 25 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2690 v2.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900H	Xeon E5-2690 v2
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	10 / 20+25%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+28%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+10%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB	25 MB (total)+56%
L2 Cache	4 MB+1500%	256 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm-68%	22 nm
Architecture	Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022)	Ivy Bridge-EP (2013)
PassMark	13,510	13,377

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 5900H uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E5-2690 v2 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.