Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX vs Xeon Platinum 8153

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 2990WX

2018

Why buy it

✅+190.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 22 MB).
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Platinum 8153 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (31,945 vs 32,180).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,799 MSRP, while Xeon Platinum 8153 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌100% higher power demand at 250W vs 125W.

Xeon Platinum 8153

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.0% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 125W instead of 250W, a 125W reduction.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (22 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

2018

Xeon Platinum 8153

2017

Why buy it

✅+190.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 22 MB).
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.0% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 125W instead of 250W, a 125W reduction.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Platinum 8153 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (31,945 vs 32,180).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,799 MSRP, while Xeon Platinum 8153 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌100% higher power demand at 250W vs 125W.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (22 MB vs 64 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Platinum 8153 better than Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX?

Yes. Xeon Platinum 8153 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 17.0% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.7% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon Platinum 8153 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 17.0% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Platinum 8153 is the better fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads.

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

Xeon Platinum 8153 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon Platinum 8153 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,799 MSRP, and it gives you a 17.0% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (17.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Threadripper 2990WX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2017) and 190.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 22 MB). 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 Threadripper 2990WX Benchmark Check

Xeon Platinum 8153 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX	Xeon Platinum 8153
1080p
low	198 FPS	174 FPS
medium	177 FPS	139 FPS
high	143 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	87 FPS
1440p
low	160 FPS	139 FPS
medium	134 FPS	109 FPS
high	104 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	68 FPS
4K
low	73 FPS	66 FPS
medium	64 FPS	55 FPS
high	50 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	34 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX Open Xeon Platinum 8153

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX	Xeon Platinum 8153
1080p
low	536 FPS	188 FPS
medium	483 FPS	167 FPS
high	404 FPS	145 FPS
ultra	354 FPS	118 FPS
1440p
low	473 FPS	162 FPS
medium	424 FPS	148 FPS
high	360 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	299 FPS	104 FPS
4K
low	295 FPS	105 FPS
medium	265 FPS	97 FPS
high	242 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	213 FPS	68 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX Open Xeon Platinum 8153

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX	Xeon Platinum 8153
1080p
low	768 FPS	804 FPS
medium	640 FPS	763 FPS
high	577 FPS	717 FPS
ultra	504 FPS	637 FPS
1440p
low	640 FPS	704 FPS
medium	533 FPS	604 FPS
high	465 FPS	567 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	501 FPS
4K
low	469 FPS	454 FPS
medium	377 FPS	356 FPS
high	336 FPS	315 FPS
ultra	280 FPS	256 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX Open Xeon Platinum 8153

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX	Xeon Platinum 8153
1080p
low	799 FPS	794 FPS
medium	799 FPS	715 FPS
high	704 FPS	616 FPS
ultra	616 FPS	527 FPS
1440p
low	728 FPS	645 FPS
medium	644 FPS	561 FPS
high	549 FPS	482 FPS
ultra	474 FPS	407 FPS
4K
low	522 FPS	443 FPS
medium	473 FPS	397 FPS
high	419 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	362 FPS	304 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX Open Xeon Platinum 8153

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX and Xeon Platinum 8153

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 August 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 31,945 points. Launch price was $1,799.

Xeon Platinum 8153

The Xeon Platinum 8153 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 25 April 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 22 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 32,180 points. Launch price was $3,115.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX packs 32 cores / 64 threads, while the Xeon Platinum 8153 offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX versus 2.8 GHz on the Xeon Platinum 8153 — a 40% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX (base: 3 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX uses the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture (12 nm), while the Xeon Platinum 8153 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX scores 31,945 against the Xeon Platinum 8153's 32,180 — a 0.7% lead for the Xeon Platinum 8153. L3 cache: 64 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX vs 22 MB on the Xeon Platinum 8153.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX	Xeon Platinum 8153
Cores / Threads	32 / 64+100%	16 / 32
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+50%	2.8 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+50%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB+191%	22 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	16 MB+3100%
Process	12 nm-14%	14 nm
Architecture	Zen+ (2018−2019)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	31,945	32,180
Cinebench R23 Multi	33,213	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,206	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	7,612	—

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Platinum 8153 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2933 on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX versus 2666 on the Xeon Platinum 8153 — the Xeon Platinum 8153 supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 768 — 90.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX) vs 6 (Xeon Platinum 8153). PCIe lanes: 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX) vs 48 (Xeon Platinum 8153) — the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX) and C621 (Xeon Platinum 8153).

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX	Xeon Platinum 8153
Socket	TR4	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	2666+66550%
Max RAM Capacity	2048 GB+279620167%	768
RAM Channels	4	6+50%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	64+33%	48

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon Platinum 8153 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Platinum 8153). Primary use case: Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX targets Extreme Content Creation. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX rivals Core i9-9980XE.