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 9900X

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $4,884 less on MSRP ($499 MSRP vs $5,383 MSRP).
✅Delivers 987.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 109.3 vs 10.0 PassMark/$ ($499 MSRP vs $5,383 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 250W, a 130W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Platinum 8360Y, which brings 36 cores / 72 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Xeon Platinum 8360Y

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 36 cores / 72 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 9 9900X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (54,078 vs 54,530).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.0 vs 109.3 PassMark/$ ($5,383 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
❌108.3% higher power demand at 250W vs 120W.
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 9900X moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 9 9900X

2024

Xeon Platinum 8360Y

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $4,884 less on MSRP ($499 MSRP vs $5,383 MSRP).
✅Delivers 987.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 109.3 vs 10.0 PassMark/$ ($499 MSRP vs $5,383 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 250W, a 130W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 36 cores / 72 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Platinum 8360Y, which brings 36 cores / 72 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 9900X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (54,078 vs 54,530).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.0 vs 109.3 PassMark/$ ($5,383 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
❌108.3% higher power demand at 250W vs 120W.
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 9900X moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 9900X better than Xeon Platinum 8360Y?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Platinum 8360Y makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 9900X 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 9900X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 11.9% 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 9900X is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 9900X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 9900X is $4,884 cheaper on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $5,383 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 987.8% better value on MSRP (109.3 vs 10.0 PassMark/$), 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 9900X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2021), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA4189, and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 36/72. 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 9900X Benchmark Check

Xeon Platinum 8360Y Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 9900X	Xeon Platinum 8360Y
1080p
low	287 FPS	185 FPS
medium	259 FPS	149 FPS
high	218 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	154 FPS
medium	218 FPS	120 FPS
high	170 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	152 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	186 FPS	72 FPS
medium	151 FPS	60 FPS
high	112 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	38 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 9900X Open Xeon Platinum 8360Y

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 9900X	Xeon Platinum 8360Y
1080p
low	772 FPS	412 FPS
medium	625 FPS	361 FPS
high	467 FPS	294 FPS
ultra	393 FPS	235 FPS
1440p
low	635 FPS	353 FPS
medium	534 FPS	314 FPS
high	412 FPS	264 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	203 FPS
4K
low	356 FPS	219 FPS
medium	303 FPS	198 FPS
high	266 FPS	167 FPS
ultra	224 FPS	135 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 9900X Open Xeon Platinum 8360Y

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 9900X	Xeon Platinum 8360Y
1080p
low	899 FPS	971 FPS
medium	711 FPS	849 FPS
high	618 FPS	803 FPS
ultra	526 FPS	712 FPS
1440p
low	726 FPS	774 FPS
medium	577 FPS	668 FPS
high	492 FPS	631 FPS
ultra	418 FPS	560 FPS
4K
low	517 FPS	497 FPS
medium	432 FPS	393 FPS
high	388 FPS	349 FPS
ultra	322 FPS	285 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 9900X Open Xeon Platinum 8360Y

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 9900X	Xeon Platinum 8360Y
1080p
low	1126 FPS	954 FPS
medium	989 FPS	863 FPS
high	862 FPS	745 FPS
ultra	766 FPS	634 FPS
1440p
low	891 FPS	745 FPS
medium	774 FPS	652 FPS
high	677 FPS	559 FPS
ultra	580 FPS	475 FPS
4K
low	644 FPS	537 FPS
medium	569 FPS	479 FPS
high	502 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	433 FPS	362 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 9900X Open Xeon Platinum 8360Y

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 9900X and Xeon Platinum 8360Y

Ryzen 9 9900X

The Ryzen 9 9900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 15 August 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.6 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 54,530 points. Launch price was $499.

Xeon Platinum 8360Y

The Xeon Platinum 8360Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. It features 36 cores and 72 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 54 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 54,078 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 9900X packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon Platinum 8360Y offers 36 cores / 72 threads — the Xeon Platinum 8360Y has 24 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 9900X versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon Platinum 8360Y — a 46.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 9900X (base: 4.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Ryzen 9 9900X uses the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Xeon Platinum 8360Y uses Ice Lake-SP (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 9900X scores 54,530 against the Xeon Platinum 8360Y's 54,078 — a 0.8% lead for the Ryzen 9 9900X. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 9900X vs 54 MB (total) on the Xeon Platinum 8360Y.

Feature	Ryzen 9 9900X	Xeon Platinum 8360Y
Cores / Threads	12 / 24	36 / 72+200%
Boost Clock	5.6 GHz+60%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	4.4 GHz+83%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)+19%	54 MB (total)
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	54,530	54,078
Cinebench R23 Multi	33,003	—
Geekbench 6 Single	3,401	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	19,756	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 9900X uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Platinum 8360Y uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 9 9900X versus 3200 on the Xeon Platinum 8360Y — the Xeon Platinum 8360Y supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Platinum 8360Y supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 256 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 9 9900X) vs 8 (Xeon Platinum 8360Y). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 9 9900X) vs 64 (Xeon Platinum 8360Y) — the Xeon Platinum 8360Y offers 40 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A620,B650,X670,X870 (Ryzen 9 9900X) and C621A (Xeon Platinum 8360Y).

Feature	Ryzen 9 9900X	Xeon Platinum 8360Y
Socket	AM5	LGA4189
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	3200+63900%
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB+6553500%	4096
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	64+167%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 9900X 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: AMD-V (Ryzen 9 9900X) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Platinum 8360Y). The Ryzen 9 9900X includes integrated graphics (Radeon 610M), while the Xeon Platinum 8360Y requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Xeon Platinum 8360Y rivals EPYC 7543.

Feature	Ryzen 9 9900X	Xeon Platinum 8360Y
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Radeon 610M	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 9 9900X launched at $499 MSRP, while the Xeon Platinum 8360Y debuted at $5383. On MSRP ($499 vs $5383), the Ryzen 9 9900X is $4884 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 9 9900X delivers 109.3 pts/$ vs 10.0 pts/$ for the Xeon Platinum 8360Y — making the Ryzen 9 9900X the 166.3% better value option.