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 3990X

2019

Why buy it

✅+4.9% higher PassMark.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 96 MB).
✅Costs $1,275 less on MSRP ($3,990 MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).
✅Delivers 38.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 20.0 vs 14.5 PassMark/$ ($3,990 MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).
✅10% more PCIe lanes (88 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon 6740E across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Xeon 6740E moves to LGA4710 and DDR5.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon 6740E

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 250W instead of 280W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA4710 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (76,167 vs 79,889).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (96 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.5 vs 20.0 PassMark/$ ($5,265 MSRP vs $3,990 MSRP).

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

2019

Xeon 6740E

2024

Why buy it

✅+4.9% higher PassMark.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 96 MB).
✅Costs $1,275 less on MSRP ($3,990 MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).
✅Delivers 38.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 20.0 vs 14.5 PassMark/$ ($3,990 MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).
✅10% more PCIe lanes (88 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 250W instead of 280W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA4710 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon 6740E across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Xeon 6740E moves to LGA4710 and DDR5.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (76,167 vs 79,889).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (96 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.5 vs 20.0 PassMark/$ ($5,265 MSRP vs $3,990 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon 6740E better than Ryzen Threadripper 3990X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Xeon 6740E is ahead with a 9.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper 3990X pulls ahead with 4.9% better PassMark. Ryzen Threadripper 3990X also has the bigger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 96 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is the better fit. You are getting 4.9% better PassMark, backed by 64 cores and 128 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 96 MB).

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

Xeon 6740E is the better pure gaming CPU, but Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is probably the smarter buy for most balanced builds. Xeon 6740E is 32.0% more expensive on MSRP at $5,265 MSRP versus $3,990 MSRP, and it gives you a 9.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. In practice, most of the premium is paying for the extra gaming cache advantage, while Ryzen Threadripper 3990X keeps the platform cost lower and stays stronger for more general mixed workloads.

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

Xeon 6740E is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2019), a healthier platform with LGA4710 and DDR5 instead of TR4, 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 3990X Benchmark Check

Xeon 6740E Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon 6740E
1080p
low	181 FPS	189 FPS
medium	152 FPS	152 FPS
high	131 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	157 FPS	153 FPS
medium	125 FPS	119 FPS
high	102 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	71 FPS
medium	72 FPS	59 FPS
high	57 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	38 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 3990X Open Xeon 6740E

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon 6740E
1080p
low	584 FPS	437 FPS
medium	503 FPS	378 FPS
high	386 FPS	306 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	241 FPS
1440p
low	491 FPS	359 FPS
medium	433 FPS	319 FPS
high	343 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	203 FPS
4K
low	308 FPS	222 FPS
medium	275 FPS	201 FPS
high	235 FPS	168 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	135 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 3990X Open Xeon 6740E

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon 6740E
1080p
low	681 FPS	934 FPS
medium	563 FPS	831 FPS
high	497 FPS	779 FPS
ultra	428 FPS	693 FPS
1440p
low	582 FPS	746 FPS
medium	488 FPS	655 FPS
high	427 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	546 FPS
4K
low	424 FPS	479 FPS
medium	338 FPS	378 FPS
high	293 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	272 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 3990X Open Xeon 6740E

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon 6740E
1080p
low	942 FPS	918 FPS
medium	842 FPS	830 FPS
high	724 FPS	715 FPS
ultra	639 FPS	610 FPS
1440p
low	777 FPS	710 FPS
medium	677 FPS	620 FPS
high	580 FPS	530 FPS
ultra	502 FPS	450 FPS
4K
low	540 FPS	509 FPS
medium	489 FPS	455 FPS
high	429 FPS	400 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	344 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 3990X Open Xeon 6740E

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen Threadripper 3990X and Xeon 6740E

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

The Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 February 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 79,889 points. Launch price was $3,999.

Xeon 6740E

The Xeon 6740E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 June 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Sierra Forest (2024) architecture. It features 96 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 4 MB (per module). Built on Intel 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4710. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 76,167 points. Launch price was $5,265.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen Threadripper 3990X packs 64 cores / 128 threads, while the Xeon 6740E offers 96 cores / 96 threads — the Xeon 6740E has 32 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon 6740E — a 29.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Ryzen Threadripper 3990X uses the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon 6740E uses Sierra Forest (2024) (Intel 3 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X scores 79,889 against the Xeon 6740E's 76,167 — a 4.8% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X. L3 cache: 256 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X vs 96 MB (total) on the Xeon 6740E.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon 6740E
Cores / Threads	64 / 128	96 / 96+50%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+34%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+21%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	256 MB+167%	96 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	4 MB (per module)+700%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	Intel 3 nm-57%
Architecture	Matisse (2019−2020)	Sierra Forest (2024)
PassMark	79,889+5%	76,167
Cinebench R23 Multi	64,366	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,961	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	22,045	—

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen Threadripper 3990X uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon 6740E uses LGA4710 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X versus 6400 on the Xeon 6740E — the Xeon 6740E supports 199.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon 6740E supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 256 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 3990X) vs 8 (Xeon 6740E). PCIe lanes: 88 (Ryzen Threadripper 3990X) vs 80 (Xeon 6740E) — the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: TRX40 (Ryzen Threadripper 3990X) and C741 (Xeon 6740E).

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon 6740E
Socket	TR4	LGA4710
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	6400+159900%
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB+6553500%	4096
RAM Channels	4	8+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	88+10%	80

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon 6740E supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: true (Ryzen Threadripper 3990X) vs VT-x, VT-d, TDX (Xeon 6740E). Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper 3990X rivals Core i9-10980XE; Xeon 6740E rivals EPYC 9005.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon 6740E
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d, TDX

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen Threadripper 3990X launched at $3990 MSRP, while the Xeon 6740E debuted at $5265. On MSRP ($3990 vs $5265), the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is $1275 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X delivers 20.0 pts/$ vs 14.5 pts/$ for the Xeon 6740E — making the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X the 32.2% better value option.