Ryzen 9 7950X3D vs Xeon E5-2673 v2

AMD

Ryzen 9 7950X3D

16 Cores32 Thrd120 WWMax: 5.7 GHz2023

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon E5-2673 v2

8 Cores16 Thrd110 WWMax: 4 GHz2013

Popular choices:

Ryzen 9 7950X3D

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

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: +132.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics, while Xeon E5-2673 v2 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $699 MSRP, while Xeon E5-2673 v2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E5-2673 v2

2013

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7950X3D across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
    • Lower PassMark (12,331 vs 62,323).
    • Older platform position on LGA2011, while Ryzen 9 7950X3D moves to AM5 and DDR5.
    • No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 7950X3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Ryzen 9 7950X3D better than Xeon E5-2673 v2?
    Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2673 v2 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 132.7% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 25 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 405.4% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 412% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 25 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 at an unclear MSRP at $699 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 132.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (89.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?
    Ryzen 9 7950X3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2013), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA2011, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 25 MB, more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 8/16, 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.

    Path of Exile 2

    Path of Exile 2

    PresetRyzen 9 7950X3DXeon E5-2673 v2
    1080p
    low291 FPS179 FPS
    medium265 FPS143 FPS
    high219 FPS118 FPS
    ultra186 FPS93 FPS
    1440p
    low275 FPS145 FPS
    medium227 FPS114 FPS
    high177 FPS91 FPS
    ultra156 FPS72 FPS
    4K
    low190 FPS67 FPS
    medium156 FPS56 FPS
    high120 FPS44 FPS
    ultra107 FPS35 FPS
    Counter-Strike 2

    Counter-Strike 2

    PresetRyzen 9 7950X3DXeon E5-2673 v2
    1080p
    low734 FPS308 FPS
    medium627 FPS308 FPS
    high465 FPS292 FPS
    ultra393 FPS245 FPS
    1440p
    low602 FPS308 FPS
    medium536 FPS308 FPS
    high413 FPS260 FPS
    ultra326 FPS217 FPS
    4K
    low338 FPS226 FPS
    medium305 FPS201 FPS
    high268 FPS181 FPS
    ultra229 FPS148 FPS
    League of Legends

    League of Legends

    PresetRyzen 9 7950X3DXeon E5-2673 v2
    1080p
    low1025 FPS308 FPS
    medium1122 FPS308 FPS
    high1062 FPS308 FPS
    ultra875 FPS308 FPS
    1440p
    low936 FPS308 FPS
    medium845 FPS308 FPS
    high775 FPS308 FPS
    ultra656 FPS308 FPS
    4K
    low574 FPS308 FPS
    medium498 FPS308 FPS
    high447 FPS302 FPS
    ultra378 FPS243 FPS
    Valorant

    Valorant

    PresetRyzen 9 7950X3DXeon E5-2673 v2
    1080p
    low1082 FPS308 FPS
    medium973 FPS308 FPS
    high854 FPS308 FPS
    ultra766 FPS308 FPS
    1440p
    low853 FPS308 FPS
    medium751 FPS308 FPS
    high659 FPS308 FPS
    ultra569 FPS308 FPS
    4K
    low623 FPS308 FPS
    medium555 FPS308 FPS
    high493 FPS308 FPS
    ultra426 FPS308 FPS

    Technical Specifications

    Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 7950X3D and Xeon E5-2673 v2

    AMD

    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.

    Intel

    Xeon E5-2673 v2

    The Xeon E5-2673 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 110 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600, DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 12,331 points. Launch price was $800.

    Processing Power

    The Ryzen 9 7950X3D packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon E5-2673 v2 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 7950X3D has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.7 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7950X3D versus 4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2673 v2 — a 35.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D (base: 4.2 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Ryzen 9 7950X3D is built on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D scores 62,323 against the Xeon E5-2673 v2's 12,331 — a 133.9% lead for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. L3 cache: 128 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7950X3D vs 25 MB on the Xeon E5-2673 v2.

    FeatureRyzen 9 7950X3DXeon E5-2673 v2
    Cores / Threads
    16 / 32+100%
    8 / 16
    Boost Clock
    5.7 GHz+43%
    4 GHz
    Base Clock
    4.2 GHz+27%
    3.3 GHz
    L3 Cache
    128 MB (total)+412%
    25 MB
    L2 Cache
    1 MB (per core)
    Process
    5 nm, 6 nm-77%
    22 nm
    Architecture
    Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
    PassMark
    62,323+405%
    12,331
    Cinebench R23 Multi
    38,581
    Geekbench 6 Single
    2,926
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    19,643
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Ryzen 9 7950X3D uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E5-2673 v2 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureRyzen 9 7950X3DXeon E5-2673 v2
    Socket
    AM5
    LGA2011
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 5.0+67%
    PCIe 3.0
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR5-5200
    Max RAM Capacity
    128 GB
    RAM Channels
    2
    ECC Support
    Yes
    PCIe Lanes
    28
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    Virtualization: true (Ryzen 9 7950X3D) / not specified (Xeon E5-2673 v2). The Ryzen 9 7950X3D includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics), while the Xeon E5-2673 v2 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 7950X3D rivals Core i9-13900K.

    FeatureRyzen 9 7950X3DXeon E5-2673 v2
    Integrated GPU
    Yes
    IGPU Model
    Radeon Graphics
    Unlocked
    Yes
    AVX-512
    Yes
    Virtualization
    true