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.

Core i9-13900KS

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $638 less on MSRP ($699 MSRP vs $1,337 MSRP).
✅Delivers 86.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 86.6 vs 46.6 PassMark/$ ($699 MSRP vs $1,337 MSRP).
✅Draws 150W instead of 280W, a 130W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of sWRX8 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (40,998 vs 42,986).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 128 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

2020

Why buy it

✅+4.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13900KS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 46.6 vs 86.6 PassMark/$ ($1,337 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
❌86.7% higher power demand at 280W vs 150W.
❌Older platform position on sWRX8 with DDR4, while Core i9-13900KS moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-13900KS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-13900KS

2023

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $638 less on MSRP ($699 MSRP vs $1,337 MSRP).
✅Delivers 86.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 86.6 vs 46.6 PassMark/$ ($699 MSRP vs $1,337 MSRP).
✅Draws 150W instead of 280W, a 130W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of sWRX8 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+4.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (40,998 vs 42,986).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 128 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13900KS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 46.6 vs 86.6 PassMark/$ ($1,337 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
❌86.7% higher power demand at 280W vs 150W.
❌Older platform position on sWRX8 with DDR4, while Core i9-13900KS moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-13900KS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-13900KS better than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i9-13900KS is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX is the better fit. You are getting 4.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 255.6% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 36 MB).

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

Core i9-13900KS is the smarter buy today. Core i9-13900KS is $638 cheaper on MSRP at $699 MSRP versus $1,337 MSRP, and it gives you a 28.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 4.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. It is also 86.0% better value on MSRP (86.6 vs 46.6 PassMark/$), 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?

Core i9-13900KS is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of sWRX8. 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.

Core i9-13900KS Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX
1080p
low	325 FPS	183 FPS
medium	314 FPS	149 FPS
high	246 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	281 FPS	160 FPS
medium	241 FPS	127 FPS
high	177 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	156 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	194 FPS	73 FPS
medium	165 FPS	61 FPS
high	122 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	40 FPS

Open Core i9-13900KS Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX
1080p
low	790 FPS	579 FPS
medium	688 FPS	499 FPS
high	550 FPS	383 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	327 FPS
1440p
low	662 FPS	485 FPS
medium	597 FPS	425 FPS
high	490 FPS	338 FPS
ultra	400 FPS	274 FPS
4K
low	368 FPS	304 FPS
medium	336 FPS	270 FPS
high	312 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	202 FPS

Open Core i9-13900KS Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX
1080p
low	794 FPS	681 FPS
medium	660 FPS	564 FPS
high	572 FPS	497 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	425 FPS
1440p
low	711 FPS	570 FPS
medium	599 FPS	479 FPS
high	512 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	450 FPS	364 FPS
4K
low	522 FPS	417 FPS
medium	463 FPS	333 FPS
high	412 FPS	293 FPS
ultra	352 FPS	234 FPS

Open Core i9-13900KS Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX
1080p
low	1089 FPS	1020 FPS
medium	975 FPS	917 FPS
high	853 FPS	765 FPS
ultra	760 FPS	664 FPS
1440p
low	899 FPS	802 FPS
medium	791 FPS	701 FPS
high	690 FPS	584 FPS
ultra	607 FPS	496 FPS
4K
low	661 FPS	559 FPS
medium	592 FPS	504 FPS
high	523 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	373 FPS

Open Core i9-13900KS Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-13900KS and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

Core i9-13900KS

The Core i9-13900KS is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 12 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. It features 24 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.8 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 60,543 points. Launch price was $699.

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2020-07-14. It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: sWRX8. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 62,261 points. Launch price was $4,499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-13900KS packs 24 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.8 GHz on the Core i9-13900KS versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX — a 32% clock advantage for the Core i9-13900KS (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i9-13900KS uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-13900KS scores 60,543 against the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX's 62,261 — a 2.8% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 40,998 vs 42,986 (4.7% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 3,123 vs 1,260, a 85% lead for the Core i9-13900KS that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 21,421 vs 25,211 (16.3% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX). L3 cache: 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-13900KS vs 128 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX.

Feature	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX
Cores / Threads	24 / 32	32 / 64+33%
Boost Clock	5.8 GHz+38%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz	3.5 GHz+9%
L3 Cache	36 MB (total)	128 MB+256%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+300%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	60,543	62,261+3%
Cinebench R23 Multi	40,998	42,986+5%
Geekbench 6 Single	3,123+148%	1,260
Geekbench 6 Multi	21,421	25,211+18%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-13900KS uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX uses sWRX8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Core i9-13900KS versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX — the Core i9-13900KS supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 165.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i9-13900KS) vs 8 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i9-13900KS) vs 128 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z790,B760 (Core i9-13900KS) and AMD WRX80 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX).

Feature	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX
Socket	LGA1700	sWRX8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	2048 GB+967%
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	128+540%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support true virtualization. The Core i9-13900KS includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i9-13900KS rivals Ryzen 9 7950X; Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX rivals Xeon W-3375.

Feature	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	None
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	true	true

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-13900KS launched at $699 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX debuted at $1337. On MSRP ($699 vs $1337), the Core i9-13900KS is $638 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-13900KS delivers 86.6 pts/$ vs 46.6 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX — making the Core i9-13900KS the 60.1% better value option.