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 3960X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +25.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,090 less on MSRP ($1,399 MSRP vs $2,489 MSRP).
✅Delivers 77.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 39.1 vs 22.1 PassMark/$ ($1,399 MSRP vs $2,489 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (54,763 vs 54,925).
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Xeon w7-3455 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon w7-3455

2023

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 270W instead of 280W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.
✅27.3% more PCIe lanes (112 vs 88) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 3960X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 22.1 vs 39.1 PassMark/$ ($2,489 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

2019

Xeon w7-3455

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +25.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,090 less on MSRP ($1,399 MSRP vs $2,489 MSRP).
✅Delivers 77.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 39.1 vs 22.1 PassMark/$ ($1,399 MSRP vs $2,489 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 270W instead of 280W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.
✅27.3% more PCIe lanes (112 vs 88) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (54,763 vs 54,925).
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Xeon w7-3455 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 3960X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 22.1 vs 39.1 PassMark/$ ($2,489 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon w7-3455 better than Ryzen Threadripper 3960X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is ahead with a 25.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon w7-3455 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark. Ryzen Threadripper 3960X also has the bigger cache pool with 89.6% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 68 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon w7-3455 is the better fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads.

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

Xeon w7-3455 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen Threadripper 3960X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon w7-3455 is 77.9% more expensive on MSRP at $2,489 MSRP versus $1,399 MSRP, and it gives you 0.3% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 25.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is also 77.4% better value on MSRP (39.1 vs 22.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Xeon w7-3455 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2019), a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of TR4, more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 24/48, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 3960X Benchmark Check

Xeon w7-3455 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 3960X	Xeon w7-3455
1080p
low	270 FPS	311 FPS
medium	222 FPS	301 FPS
high	183 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	131 FPS	204 FPS
1440p
low	211 FPS	270 FPS
medium	164 FPS	233 FPS
high	130 FPS	175 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	154 FPS
4K
low	98 FPS	184 FPS
medium	81 FPS	157 FPS
high	63 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	106 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 3960X Open Xeon w7-3455

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 3960X	Xeon w7-3455
1080p
low	835 FPS	682 FPS
medium	706 FPS	593 FPS
high	547 FPS	482 FPS
ultra	474 FPS	427 FPS
1440p
low	677 FPS	551 FPS
medium	587 FPS	489 FPS
high	476 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	387 FPS	341 FPS
4K
low	396 FPS	324 FPS
medium	345 FPS	288 FPS
high	307 FPS	267 FPS
ultra	271 FPS	234 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 3960X Open Xeon w7-3455

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 3960X	Xeon w7-3455
1080p
low	1025 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	927 FPS	1057 FPS
high	862 FPS	974 FPS
ultra	765 FPS	834 FPS
1440p
low	777 FPS	1002 FPS
medium	645 FPS	888 FPS
high	581 FPS	802 FPS
ultra	506 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	540 FPS	600 FPS
medium	428 FPS	517 FPS
high	381 FPS	461 FPS
ultra	306 FPS	397 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 3960X Open Xeon w7-3455

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 3960X	Xeon w7-3455
1080p
low	1325 FPS	1291 FPS
medium	1015 FPS	1015 FPS
high	1074 FPS	982 FPS
ultra	875 FPS	850 FPS
1440p
low	1032 FPS	1045 FPS
medium	900 FPS	906 FPS
high	778 FPS	782 FPS
ultra	656 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	744 FPS	778 FPS
medium	662 FPS	679 FPS
high	579 FPS	583 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	437 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 3960X Open Xeon w7-3455

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen Threadripper 3960X and Xeon w7-3455

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

The Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 November 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 54,763 points. Launch price was $1,399.

Xeon w7-3455

The Xeon w7-3455 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 February 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 67.5 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 270 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 54,925 points. Launch price was $2,489.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X and Xeon w7-3455 share an identical 24-core/48-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X versus 4.8 GHz on the Xeon w7-3455 — a 6.5% clock advantage for the Xeon w7-3455 (base: 3.8 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Ryzen Threadripper 3960X uses the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon w7-3455 uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X scores 54,763 against the Xeon w7-3455's 54,925 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon w7-3455. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,270 vs 1,900, a 39.7% lead for the Xeon w7-3455 that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 128 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X vs 67.5 MB on the Xeon w7-3455.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 3960X	Xeon w7-3455
Cores / Threads	24 / 48	24 / 48
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	4.8 GHz+7%
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+52%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	128 MB+90%	67.5 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+300%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Matisse (2019−2020)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	54,763	54,925
Cinebench R23 Multi	34,260	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,270	1,900+50%
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,898

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen Threadripper 3960X uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon w7-3455 uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X versus DDR5-4800 on the Xeon w7-3455 — the Xeon w7-3455 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon w7-3455 supports up to 4096 GB of RAM compared to 256 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 3960X) vs 8 (Xeon w7-3455). PCIe lanes: 88 (Ryzen Threadripper 3960X) vs 112 (Xeon w7-3455) — the Xeon w7-3455 offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD TRX40 (Ryzen Threadripper 3960X) and Intel W790 (Xeon w7-3455).

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 3960X	Xeon w7-3455
Socket	TR4	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB	4096 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	4	8+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	88	112+27%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Xeon w7-3455 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support true virtualization. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper 3960X rivals Core i9-10900X; Xeon w7-3455 rivals Threadripper PRO 7965WX.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 3960X	Xeon w7-3455
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	true	true

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen Threadripper 3960X launched at $1399 MSRP, while the Xeon w7-3455 debuted at $2489. On MSRP ($1399 vs $2489), the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is $1090 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X delivers 39.1 pts/$ vs 22.1 pts/$ for the Xeon w7-3455 — making the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X the 55.8% better value option.