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 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $700 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 165.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 27.5 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 180W, a 115W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 1950X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 27,487).
❌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

✅Better for gaming: +15.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.5 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($999 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $700 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 165.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 27.5 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 180W, a 115W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 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 Threadripper 1950X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 27,487).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 1950X, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.5 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($999 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 1950X better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 1950X makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 5600X 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 Threadripper 1950X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 15.9% 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 Threadripper 1950X is the better fit. You are getting 25.8% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads.

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

Ryzen Threadripper 1950X is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Threadripper 1950X is 234.1% more expensive on MSRP at $999 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 15.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 165.5% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 27.5 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 5600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 1950X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
1080p
low	203 FPS	198 FPS
medium	174 FPS	172 FPS
high	140 FPS	141 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	155 FPS
medium	141 FPS	129 FPS
high	113 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	69 FPS
medium	76 FPS	61 FPS
high	60 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	37 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
1080p
low	464 FPS	407 FPS
medium	387 FPS	365 FPS
high	324 FPS	311 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	348 FPS
medium	334 FPS	318 FPS
high	290 FPS	272 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	224 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	224 FPS
medium	226 FPS	204 FPS
high	205 FPS	185 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	150 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
1080p
low	546 FPS	687 FPS
medium	473 FPS	687 FPS
high	432 FPS	687 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	687 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	687 FPS
medium	413 FPS	687 FPS
high	375 FPS	656 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	584 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	519 FPS
medium	292 FPS	428 FPS
high	255 FPS	383 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	321 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
1080p
low	546 FPS	687 FPS
medium	546 FPS	687 FPS
high	546 FPS	687 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	640 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	687 FPS
medium	546 FPS	687 FPS
high	546 FPS	611 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	510 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	578 FPS
medium	484 FPS	517 FPS
high	435 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	382 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

Ryzen 5 5600X

The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 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.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X — a 14% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X's 27,487 — a 22.9% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X. Both processors carry 32 MB of L3 cache.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 32+167%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+15%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+9%	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB	32 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	21,845	27,487+26%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,040
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	9,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X uses SP3r2 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper 1950X supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 1950X). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 1950X) — the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X offers 40 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X) and X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 1950X).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
Socket	AM4	SP3r2
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	64+167%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop, Ryzen Threadripper 1950X targets Workstation.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600X launched at $299 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X debuted at $999. On MSRP ($299 vs $999), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $700 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600X delivers 73.1 pts/$ vs 27.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 90.6% better value option.