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 7950X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.0% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $600 less on MSRP ($699 MSRP vs $1,299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 274.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 89.2 vs 23.8 PassMark/$ ($699 MSRP vs $1,299 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 250W, a 130W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅128.6% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7950X3D across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (29,045 vs 38,581).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 23.8 vs 89.2 PassMark/$ ($1,299 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
❌108.3% higher power demand at 250W vs 120W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 7950X3D moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 9 7950X3D

2023

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.0% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $600 less on MSRP ($699 MSRP vs $1,299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 274.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 89.2 vs 23.8 PassMark/$ ($699 MSRP vs $1,299 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 250W, a 130W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅128.6% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7950X3D across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (29,045 vs 38,581).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 23.8 vs 89.2 PassMark/$ ($1,299 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
❌108.3% higher power demand at 250W vs 120W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 7950X3D moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7950X3D better than Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 7950X3D 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 7950X3D is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 26.0% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 64 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 7950X3D is the better fit. You are getting 32.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 64 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 7950X3D is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 7950X3D is $600 cheaper on MSRP at $699 MSRP versus $1,299 MSRP, and it gives you a 26.0% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 274.2% better value on MSRP (89.2 vs 23.8 PassMark/$), 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 9 7950X3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2018), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of TR4, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 64 MB, more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 24/48, 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 7950X3D Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 7950X3D	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
1080p
low	291 FPS	198 FPS
medium	265 FPS	177 FPS
high	219 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	275 FPS	160 FPS
medium	227 FPS	134 FPS
high	177 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	156 FPS	85 FPS
4K
low	190 FPS	73 FPS
medium	156 FPS	64 FPS
high	120 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	41 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 7950X3D Open Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 7950X3D	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
1080p
low	734 FPS	536 FPS
medium	627 FPS	483 FPS
high	465 FPS	404 FPS
ultra	393 FPS	354 FPS
1440p
low	602 FPS	473 FPS
medium	536 FPS	424 FPS
high	413 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	299 FPS
4K
low	338 FPS	295 FPS
medium	305 FPS	265 FPS
high	268 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	213 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 7950X3D Open Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 7950X3D	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
1080p
low	1025 FPS	768 FPS
medium	1122 FPS	640 FPS
high	1062 FPS	577 FPS
ultra	875 FPS	504 FPS
1440p
low	936 FPS	640 FPS
medium	845 FPS	533 FPS
high	775 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	656 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	574 FPS	469 FPS
medium	498 FPS	377 FPS
high	447 FPS	336 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	280 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 7950X3D Open Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 7950X3D	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
1080p
low	1082 FPS	774 FPS
medium	973 FPS	774 FPS
high	854 FPS	704 FPS
ultra	766 FPS	616 FPS
1440p
low	853 FPS	730 FPS
medium	751 FPS	644 FPS
high	659 FPS	549 FPS
ultra	569 FPS	474 FPS
4K
low	623 FPS	523 FPS
medium	555 FPS	473 FPS
high	493 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	426 FPS	362 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 7950X3D Open Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 7950X3D and Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Ryzen 9 7950X3D

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 4.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.7 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 62,323 points. Launch price was $699.

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

The Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 30,954 points. Launch price was $1,299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.7 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7950X3D versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX — a 30.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D (base: 4.2 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 9 7950X3D uses the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture (5 nm, 6 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D scores 62,323 against the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX's 30,954 — a 67.3% lead for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 38,581 vs 29,045 (28.2% advantage for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,926 vs 1,240, a 80.9% lead for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 19,643 vs 7,241 (92.3% advantage for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D). L3 cache: 128 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7950X3D vs 64 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX.

Feature	Ryzen 9 7950X3D	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
Cores / Threads	16 / 32	24 / 48+50%
Boost Clock	5.7 GHz+36%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	4.2 GHz+40%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	128 MB (total)+100%	64 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	5 nm, 6 nm-58%	12 nm
Architecture	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)	Zen+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	62,323+101%	30,954
Cinebench R23 Multi	38,581+33%	29,045
Geekbench 6 Single	2,926+136%	1,240
Geekbench 6 Multi	19,643+171%	7,241

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 9 7950X3D versus DDR4-2933 on the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX — the Ryzen 9 7950X3D supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 9 7950X3D) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX). PCIe lanes: 28 (Ryzen 9 7950X3D) vs 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX offers 36 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD X670E,AMD X670,AMD B650E,AMD B650 (Ryzen 9 7950X3D) and X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX).

Feature	Ryzen 9 7950X3D	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
Socket	AM5	TR4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200+25%	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	2048 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	28	64+129%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 9 7950X3D supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: true (Ryzen 9 7950X3D) vs AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX). The Ryzen 9 7950X3D includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX targets Extreme Multi-threaded Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 7950X3D rivals Core i9-13900K; Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX rivals Core i9-7940X.

Feature	Ryzen 9 7950X3D	Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Radeon Graphics	—
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	true	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Extreme Multi-threaded Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D launched at $699 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX debuted at $1299. On MSRP ($699 vs $1299), the Ryzen 9 7950X3D is $600 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 9 7950X3D delivers 89.2 pts/$ vs 23.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX — making the Ryzen 9 7950X3D the 115.6% better value option.