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 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 156.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 27.6 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 140W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Ryzen Threadripper 1920

2017

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (22,066 vs 38,955).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.6 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($799 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌33.3% higher power demand at 140W vs 105W.

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Ryzen Threadripper 1920

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 156.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 27.6 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 140W, a 35W reduction.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (22,066 vs 38,955).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.6 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($799 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌33.3% higher power demand at 140W vs 105W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Ryzen Threadripper 1920?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 1920 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 5900X 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 5900X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 36.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better fit. You are getting 76.5% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 5900X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 5900X is $250 cheaper on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $799 MSRP, and it gives you a 36.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 156.9% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 27.6 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 9 5900X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017), 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 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 5900X Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 1920 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 1920
1080p
low	323 FPS	175 FPS
medium	291 FPS	156 FPS
high	243 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	105 FPS
1440p
low	307 FPS	143 FPS
medium	248 FPS	121 FPS
high	192 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	157 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	193 FPS	65 FPS
medium	156 FPS	59 FPS
high	115 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	37 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper 1920

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 1920
1080p
low	772 FPS	398 FPS
medium	647 FPS	357 FPS
high	508 FPS	304 FPS
ultra	450 FPS	252 FPS
1440p
low	619 FPS	339 FPS
medium	536 FPS	309 FPS
high	443 FPS	265 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	219 FPS
4K
low	365 FPS	217 FPS
medium	318 FPS	197 FPS
high	289 FPS	179 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	145 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper 1920

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 1920
1080p
low	832 FPS	552 FPS
medium	645 FPS	539 FPS
high	558 FPS	501 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	721 FPS	552 FPS
medium	565 FPS	464 FPS
high	488 FPS	418 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	367 FPS
4K
low	511 FPS	420 FPS
medium	421 FPS	334 FPS
high	374 FPS	303 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	252 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper 1920

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 1920
1080p
low	974 FPS	552 FPS
medium	974 FPS	552 FPS
high	934 FPS	552 FPS
ultra	826 FPS	528 FPS
1440p
low	959 FPS	552 FPS
medium	843 FPS	552 FPS
high	726 FPS	493 FPS
ultra	617 FPS	423 FPS
4K
low	694 FPS	444 FPS
medium	621 FPS	408 FPS
high	541 FPS	367 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	318 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen Threadripper 1920

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 5900X and Ryzen Threadripper 1920

Ryzen 9 5900X

The Ryzen 9 5900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 38,955 points. Launch price was $549.

Ryzen Threadripper 1920

The Ryzen Threadripper 1920 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3r2. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,066 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 9 5900X and Ryzen Threadripper 1920 share an identical 12-core/24-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X versus 3.8 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 1920 — a 23.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 1920 uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900X scores 38,955 against the Ryzen Threadripper 1920's 22,066 — a 55.4% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. L3 cache: 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X vs 32 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 1920.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 1920
Cores / Threads	12 / 24	12 / 24
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+26%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+16%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB+100%	32 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	38,955+77%	22,066
Cinebench R23 Multi	21,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,174	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,888	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 1920 uses SP3r2 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 1920
Socket	AM4	SP3r2
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	24	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5900X) / not specified (Ryzen Threadripper 1920). Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen Threadripper 1920
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	—
Target Use	Workstation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 9 5900X launched at $549 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 1920 debuted at $799. On MSRP ($549 vs $799), the Ryzen 9 5900X is $250 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 9 5900X delivers 71.0 pts/$ vs 27.6 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 1920 — making the Ryzen 9 5900X the 87.9% better value option.