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 9950X3D

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +151.5% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 262.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 100.4 vs 27.7 PassMark/$ ($699 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (2 Cores), while Ryzen Embedded V3C18I needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
39.8% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$500 MSRP
❌1033.3% higher power demand at 170W vs 15W.

Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $199 less on MSRP ($500 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 170W, a 155W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 9950X3D across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,856 vs 70,177).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.7 vs 100.4 PassMark/$ ($500 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 9950X3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 9950X3D

2025

Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +151.5% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 262.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 100.4 vs 27.7 PassMark/$ ($699 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (2 Cores), while Ryzen Embedded V3C18I needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Costs $199 less on MSRP ($500 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 170W, a 155W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌
39.8% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$500 MSRP
❌1033.3% higher power demand at 170W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 9950X3D across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,856 vs 70,177).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.7 vs 100.4 PassMark/$ ($500 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 9950X3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 9950X3D better than Ryzen Embedded V3C18I?

Yes. Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 151.5% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 406.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 151.5% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 16 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the better fit. You are getting 406.5% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 700% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 9950X3D is 39.8% more expensive on MSRP at $699 MSRP versus $500 MSRP, and it gives you a 151.5% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 262.3% better value on MSRP (100.4 vs 27.7 PassMark/$), 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 9950X3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 16 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 8/16. 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 9950X3D Benchmark Check

Ryzen Embedded V3C18I Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 9950X3D	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	300 FPS	172 FPS
medium	274 FPS	138 FPS
high	227 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	191 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	276 FPS	142 FPS
medium	228 FPS	112 FPS
high	177 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	156 FPS	71 FPS
4K
low	190 FPS	66 FPS
medium	156 FPS	55 FPS
high	120 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	35 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 9950X3D Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 9950X3D	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	722 FPS	173 FPS
medium	615 FPS	151 FPS
high	457 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	385 FPS	109 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	149 FPS
medium	524 FPS	134 FPS
high	405 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	98 FPS
4K
low	332 FPS	108 FPS
medium	299 FPS	100 FPS
high	262 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	224 FPS	74 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 9950X3D Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 9950X3D	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	893 FPS	346 FPS
medium	725 FPS	346 FPS
high	652 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	560 FPS	346 FPS
1440p
low	720 FPS	346 FPS
medium	585 FPS	346 FPS
high	514 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	346 FPS
4K
low	516 FPS	346 FPS
medium	431 FPS	317 FPS
high	387 FPS	280 FPS
ultra	322 FPS	225 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 9950X3D Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 9950X3D	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	1116 FPS	346 FPS
medium	1001 FPS	346 FPS
high	878 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	792 FPS	346 FPS
1440p
low	872 FPS	346 FPS
medium	766 FPS	346 FPS
high	673 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	584 FPS	346 FPS
4K
low	637 FPS	346 FPS
medium	566 FPS	346 FPS
high	503 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	435 FPS	326 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 9950X3D Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Ryzen 9 9950X3D

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 4.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.7 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 170 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 70,177 points. Launch price was $699.

Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

The Ryzen Embedded V3C18I is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Rembrandt (2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 13,856 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 9950X3D has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.7 GHz on the Ryzen 9 9950X3D versus 3.8 GHz on the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I — a 40% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D (base: 4.3 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Ryzen 9 9950X3D uses the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I uses Rembrandt (2022) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 70,177 against the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I's 13,856 — a 134% lead for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. L3 cache: 128 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 9950X3D vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I.

Feature	Ryzen 9 9950X3D	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
Cores / Threads	16 / 32+100%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.7 GHz+50%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	4.3 GHz+126%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	128 MB (total)+700%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512 kB (per core)
Process	4 nm-33%	6 nm
Architecture	Granite Ridge (2024−2025)	Rembrandt (2022)
PassMark	70,177+406%	13,856
Cinebench R23 Multi	44,500	—
Geekbench 6 Single	3,398	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	22,206	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 9 9950X3D	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
Socket	AM5	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	—
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	24	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Ryzen 9 9950X3D) / not specified (Ryzen Embedded V3C18I). The Ryzen 9 9950X3D includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics (2 Cores)), while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 9950X3D rivals Core Ultra 9 285K.

Feature	Ryzen 9 9950X3D	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	Radeon Graphics (2 Cores)	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	Yes	—
Virtualization	true	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D launched at $699 MSRP, while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I debuted at $500. On MSRP ($699 vs $500), the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I is $199 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 9 9950X3D delivers 100.4 pts/$ vs 27.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I — making the Ryzen 9 9950X3D the 113.5% better value option.