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 Threadripper 1950X

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅220% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (27,487 vs 27,776).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.5 vs 48.9 PassMark/$ ($999 MSRP vs $568 MSRP).
❌125% higher power demand at 180W vs 80W.
❌Older platform position on SP3r2 with DDR4, while Xeon E-2478 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Xeon E-2478

2023

Why buy it

✅+1.1% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $431 less on MSRP ($568 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 77.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 48.9 vs 27.5 PassMark/$ ($568 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 80W instead of 180W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3r2 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 1950X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

2017

Xeon E-2478

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅220% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+1.1% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $431 less on MSRP ($568 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 77.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 48.9 vs 27.5 PassMark/$ ($568 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 80W instead of 180W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3r2 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (27,487 vs 27,776).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.5 vs 48.9 PassMark/$ ($999 MSRP vs $568 MSRP).
❌125% higher power demand at 180W vs 80W.
❌Older platform position on SP3r2 with DDR4, while Xeon E-2478 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 1950X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E-2478 better than Ryzen Threadripper 1950X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Threadripper 1950X is ahead with a 13.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E-2478 pulls ahead with 1.1% better PassMark. Ryzen Threadripper 1950X also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E-2478 is the better fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Xeon E-2478 is the smarter buy today. Xeon E-2478 is $431 cheaper on MSRP at $568 MSRP versus $999 MSRP, and it gives you 1.1% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Ryzen Threadripper 1950X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 13.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 77.7% better value on MSRP (48.9 vs 27.5 PassMark/$), 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?

Xeon E-2478 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2017), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of SP3r2, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 16/32. 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 Threadripper 1950X Benchmark Check

Xeon E-2478 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X	Xeon E-2478
1080p
low	198 FPS	257 FPS
medium	172 FPS	246 FPS
high	141 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	155 FPS	222 FPS
medium	129 FPS	190 FPS
high	103 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	133 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	153 FPS
medium	61 FPS	130 FPS
high	48 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	88 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950X Open Xeon E-2478

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X	Xeon E-2478
1080p
low	407 FPS	616 FPS
medium	365 FPS	522 FPS
high	311 FPS	443 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	348 FPS	533 FPS
medium	318 FPS	467 FPS
high	272 FPS	398 FPS
ultra	224 FPS	342 FPS
4K
low	224 FPS	313 FPS
medium	204 FPS	280 FPS
high	185 FPS	267 FPS
ultra	150 FPS	232 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950X Open Xeon E-2478

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X	Xeon E-2478
1080p
low	687 FPS	646 FPS
medium	687 FPS	529 FPS
high	687 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	687 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	687 FPS	588 FPS
medium	687 FPS	489 FPS
high	656 FPS	425 FPS
ultra	584 FPS	369 FPS
4K
low	519 FPS	424 FPS
medium	428 FPS	369 FPS
high	383 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	285 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950X Open Xeon E-2478

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X	Xeon E-2478
1080p
low	687 FPS	694 FPS
medium	687 FPS	694 FPS
high	687 FPS	694 FPS
ultra	640 FPS	652 FPS
1440p
low	687 FPS	694 FPS
medium	687 FPS	694 FPS
high	611 FPS	608 FPS
ultra	510 FPS	535 FPS
4K
low	578 FPS	536 FPS
medium	517 FPS	490 FPS
high	458 FPS	438 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	382 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 1950X Open Xeon E-2478

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen Threadripper 1950X and Xeon E-2478

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.

Xeon E-2478

The Xeon E-2478 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 27,776 points. Launch price was $568.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen Threadripper 1950X packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon E-2478 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X versus 5.2 GHz on the Xeon E-2478 — a 26.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E-2478 (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Ryzen Threadripper 1950X uses the Zen (2017−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E-2478 uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X scores 27,487 against the Xeon E-2478's 27,776 — a 1% lead for the Xeon E-2478. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X vs 24 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2478.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X	Xeon E-2478
Cores / Threads	16 / 32+100%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4 GHz	5.2 GHz+30%
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+21%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+33%	24 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Zen (2017−2020)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	27,487	27,776+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,040	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	9,000	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen Threadripper 1950X uses the SP3r2 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E-2478 uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X versus DDR5-4800 on the Xeon E-2478 — the Xeon E-2478 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen Threadripper 1950X supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 1950X) vs 2 (Xeon E-2478). PCIe lanes: 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 1950X) vs 20 (Xeon E-2478) — the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X offers 44 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X	Xeon E-2478
Socket	SP3r2	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB+100%	128 GB
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	64+220%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper 1950X) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E-2478). Primary use case: Ryzen Threadripper 1950X targets Workstation, Xeon E-2478 targets Server.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 1950X	Xeon E-2478
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Workstation	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen Threadripper 1950X launched at $999 MSRP, while the Xeon E-2478 debuted at $568. On MSRP ($999 vs $568), the Xeon E-2478 is $431 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X delivers 27.5 pts/$ vs 48.9 pts/$ for the Xeon E-2478 — making the Xeon E-2478 the 56% better value option.