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.

Core i9-10940X

2019

Why buy it

✅+39.4% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $215 less on MSRP ($784 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 28.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 35.3 vs 27.5 PassMark/$ ($784 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 165W instead of 180W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 1950X, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

2017

Why buy it

✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 48.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,040 vs 1,450).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (9,000 vs 11,000).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.5 vs 35.3 PassMark/$ ($999 MSRP vs $784 MSRP).

Core i9-10940X

2019

Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

2017

Why buy it

✅+39.4% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $215 less on MSRP ($784 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 28.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 35.3 vs 27.5 PassMark/$ ($784 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 165W instead of 180W, a 15W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 48.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 1950X, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,040 vs 1,450).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (9,000 vs 11,000).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.5 vs 35.3 PassMark/$ ($999 MSRP vs $784 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-10940X better than Ryzen Threadripper 1950X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 1950X makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i9-10940X 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, Core i9-10940X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.5% 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, Core i9-10940X is the better fit. You are getting 22.2% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads.

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

Core i9-10940X is the smarter buy today. Core i9-10940X is $215 cheaper on MSRP at $784 MSRP versus $999 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 28.3% better value on MSRP (35.3 vs 27.5 PassMark/$), 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?

Core i9-10940X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017), more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 28 threads instead of 16/32, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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.

Core i9-10940X Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 1950X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
1080p
low	279 FPS	198 FPS
medium	249 FPS	172 FPS
high	206 FPS	141 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	233 FPS	155 FPS
medium	189 FPS	129 FPS
high	154 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	164 FPS	69 FPS
medium	134 FPS	61 FPS
high	105 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i9-10940X Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
1080p
low	550 FPS	407 FPS
medium	457 FPS	365 FPS
high	379 FPS	311 FPS
ultra	342 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	456 FPS	348 FPS
medium	394 FPS	318 FPS
high	332 FPS	272 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	224 FPS
4K
low	283 FPS	224 FPS
medium	246 FPS	204 FPS
high	226 FPS	185 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	150 FPS

Open Core i9-10940X Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
1080p
low	692 FPS	687 FPS
medium	692 FPS	687 FPS
high	692 FPS	687 FPS
ultra	692 FPS	687 FPS
1440p
low	692 FPS	687 FPS
medium	692 FPS	687 FPS
high	692 FPS	656 FPS
ultra	656 FPS	584 FPS
4K
low	595 FPS	519 FPS
medium	500 FPS	428 FPS
high	444 FPS	383 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	321 FPS

Open Core i9-10940X Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
1080p
low	692 FPS	687 FPS
medium	692 FPS	687 FPS
high	692 FPS	687 FPS
ultra	692 FPS	640 FPS
1440p
low	692 FPS	687 FPS
medium	692 FPS	687 FPS
high	639 FPS	611 FPS
ultra	560 FPS	510 FPS
4K
low	580 FPS	578 FPS
medium	516 FPS	517 FPS
high	464 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	382 FPS

Open Core i9-10940X Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-10940X and Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

Core i9-10940X

The Core i9-10940X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake-X (2019) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 27,684 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

The Ryzen Threadripper 1950X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3r2. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 27,487 points. Launch price was $999.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-10940X packs 14 cores / 28 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-10940X versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Core i9-10940X (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i9-10940X uses the Cascade Lake-X (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-10940X scores 27,684 against the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X's 27,487 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i9-10940X. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,450 vs 1,040, a 32.9% lead for the Core i9-10940X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,000 vs 9,000 (20% advantage for the Core i9-10940X). L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-10940X vs 32 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X.

Feature	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
Cores / Threads	14 / 28	16 / 32+14%
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+20%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz	3.4 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	19.25 MB (total)	32 MB+66%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Cascade Lake-X (2019)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	27,684	27,487
Cinebench R23 Multi	19,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,450+39%	1,040
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,000+22%	9,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10940X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X uses SP3r2 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2933 memory speed. Both support up to 256 GB of RAM. Both feature 4-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 48 (Core i9-10940X) vs 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 1950X) — the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X299 (Core i9-10940X) and X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 1950X).

Feature	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
Socket	LGA2066	SP3r2
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB	256 GB
RAM Channels	4	4
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	48	64+33%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i9-10940X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-10940X) vs AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper 1950X). Primary use case: Core i9-10940X targets High-End Desktop, Ryzen Threadripper 1950X targets Workstation.

Feature	Core i9-10940X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	High-End Desktop	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-10940X launched at $784 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X debuted at $999. On MSRP ($784 vs $999), the Core i9-10940X is $215 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-10940X delivers 35.3 pts/$ vs 27.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X — making the Core i9-10940X the 24.8% better value option.