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 PRO 7945

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.1% higher average FPS across 31 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+89.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 34 MB).
✅Costs $660 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $1,069 MSRP).
✅Delivers 156.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 44.6 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $1,069 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 252W, a 187W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (46,828 vs 47,638).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w5-2555X, which brings 14 cores / 28 threads and 112 PCIe lanes.

Xeon w5-2555X

2024

Why buy it

✅+1.7% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 14 cores / 28 threads, plus 112 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅300% more PCIe lanes (112 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 across 31 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (34 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 44.6 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($1,069 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌287.7% higher power demand at 252W vs 65W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 PRO 7945

2023

Xeon w5-2555X

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.1% higher average FPS across 31 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+89.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 34 MB).
✅Costs $660 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $1,069 MSRP).
✅Delivers 156.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 44.6 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $1,069 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 252W, a 187W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+1.7% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 14 cores / 28 threads, plus 112 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅300% more PCIe lanes (112 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (46,828 vs 47,638).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w5-2555X, which brings 14 cores / 28 threads and 112 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 across 31 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (34 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 44.6 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($1,069 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌287.7% higher power demand at 252W vs 65W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 better than Xeon w5-2555X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon w5-2555X makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon w5-2555X is the better fit. You are getting 1.7% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is $660 cheaper on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $1,069 MSRP, and it gives you a 4.1% average FPS lead across 31 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon w5-2555X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.7% better PassMark. It is also 156.9% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 44.6 PassMark/$), 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 w5-2555X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023) and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 28 threads instead of 12/24. 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 PRO 7945 Benchmark Check

Xeon w5-2555X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	269 FPS	323 FPS
medium	244 FPS	294 FPS
high	209 FPS	239 FPS
ultra	183 FPS	202 FPS
1440p
low	260 FPS	285 FPS
medium	212 FPS	232 FPS
high	168 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	151 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	180 FPS	196 FPS
medium	147 FPS	159 FPS
high	110 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	107 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 Open Xeon w5-2555X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	660 FPS	626 FPS
medium	567 FPS	519 FPS
high	426 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	384 FPS
1440p
low	555 FPS	517 FPS
medium	495 FPS	450 FPS
high	384 FPS	378 FPS
ultra	306 FPS	326 FPS
4K
low	313 FPS	321 FPS
medium	283 FPS	281 FPS
high	250 FPS	258 FPS
ultra	214 FPS	228 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 Open Xeon w5-2555X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	1025 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	1118 FPS	1191 FPS
high	1041 FPS	1136 FPS
ultra	875 FPS	875 FPS
1440p
low	940 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	836 FPS	953 FPS
high	754 FPS	859 FPS
ultra	656 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	574 FPS	656 FPS
medium	495 FPS	553 FPS
high	445 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	420 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 Open Xeon w5-2555X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	1171 FPS	1191 FPS
medium	1015 FPS	1015 FPS
high	981 FPS	982 FPS
ultra	854 FPS	847 FPS
1440p
low	1019 FPS	1023 FPS
medium	888 FPS	883 FPS
high	762 FPS	767 FPS
ultra	639 FPS	653 FPS
4K
low	754 FPS	733 FPS
medium	658 FPS	637 FPS
high	569 FPS	562 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	437 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 Open Xeon w5-2555X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 and Xeon w5-2555X

Ryzen 9 PRO 7945

The Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 June 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (2023−2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 46,828 points. Launch price was $499.

Xeon w5-2555X

The Xeon w5-2555X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 33.75 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 252 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 47,638 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon w5-2555X offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Xeon w5-2555X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 versus 4.8 GHz on the Xeon w5-2555X — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is built on the Raphael (2023−2025) architecture. In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 scores 46,828 against the Xeon w5-2555X's 47,638 — a 1.7% lead for the Xeon w5-2555X. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 vs 33.75 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Xeon w5-2555X.

Feature	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945	Xeon w5-2555X
Cores / Threads	12 / 24	14 / 28+17%
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+13%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+12%	3.3 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)+90%	33.75 MB Intel® Smart Cache
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	—
Process	5 nm-29%	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Raphael (2023−2025)	—
PassMark	46,828	47,638+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi	28,905	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,206	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	16,832	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon w5-2555X uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 versus 4800 on the Xeon w5-2555X — the Xeon w5-2555X supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon w5-2555X supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 9 PRO 7945) vs 8 (Xeon w5-2555X). PCIe lanes: 28 (Ryzen 9 PRO 7945) vs 112 (Xeon w5-2555X) — the Xeon w5-2555X offers 84 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD X670E,AMD X670,AMD B650E,AMD B650,AMD A620 (Ryzen 9 PRO 7945) and W790 (Xeon w5-2555X).

Feature	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945	Xeon w5-2555X
Socket	AM5	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200	4800+95900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+3276700%	4096
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	28	112+300%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: true (Ryzen 9 PRO 7945) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon w5-2555X). The Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics), while the Xeon w5-2555X requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 rivals Core i9-13900; Xeon w5-2555X rivals Threadripper PRO 7965WX.

Feature	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945	Xeon w5-2555X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Radeon Graphics	None
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 launched at $409 MSRP, while the Xeon w5-2555X debuted at $1069. On MSRP ($409 vs $1069), the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is $660 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 delivers 114.5 pts/$ vs 44.6 pts/$ for the Xeon w5-2555X — making the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 the 87.9% better value option.