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 PRO 5965WX

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +37.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.8 vs 51.8 PassMark/$ ($2,399 MSRP vs $1,250 MSRP).
❌24.4% higher power demand at 280W vs 225W.
❌Older platform position on sWRX8 with DDR4, while Xeon 6521P moves to LGA4710 and DDR5.

Xeon 6521P

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,149 less on MSRP ($1,250 MSRP vs $2,399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 86.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 51.8 vs 27.8 PassMark/$ ($1,250 MSRP vs $2,399 MSRP).
✅Draws 225W instead of 280W, a 55W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA4710 with DDR5 support instead of sWRX8 and DDR4.
✅6.3% more PCIe lanes (136 vs 128) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (64,761 vs 66,614).

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

2022

Xeon 6521P

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +37.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,149 less on MSRP ($1,250 MSRP vs $2,399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 86.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 51.8 vs 27.8 PassMark/$ ($1,250 MSRP vs $2,399 MSRP).
✅Draws 225W instead of 280W, a 55W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA4710 with DDR5 support instead of sWRX8 and DDR4.
✅6.3% more PCIe lanes (136 vs 128) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.8 vs 51.8 PassMark/$ ($2,399 MSRP vs $1,250 MSRP).
❌24.4% higher power demand at 280W vs 225W.
❌Older platform position on sWRX8 with DDR4, while Xeon 6521P moves to LGA4710 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (64,761 vs 66,614).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX better than Xeon 6521P?

Yes. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 37.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 2.9% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 37.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is the better fit. You are getting 2.9% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads.

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

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon 6521P makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is 91.9% more expensive on MSRP at $2,399 MSRP versus $1,250 MSRP, and it gives you a 37.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon 6521P is also 86.6% better value on MSRP (51.8 vs 27.8 PassMark/$), 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 6521P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022), a healthier platform with LGA4710 and DDR5 instead of sWRX8, 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 PRO 5965WX Benchmark Check

Xeon 6521P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX	Xeon 6521P
1080p
low	224 FPS	188 FPS
medium	184 FPS	165 FPS
high	156 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	194 FPS	155 FPS
medium	156 FPS	131 FPS
high	126 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	94 FPS	70 FPS
medium	81 FPS	63 FPS
high	63 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	40 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX Open Xeon 6521P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX	Xeon 6521P
1080p
low	806 FPS	585 FPS
medium	684 FPS	517 FPS
high	535 FPS	428 FPS
ultra	464 FPS	376 FPS
1440p
low	655 FPS	489 FPS
medium	569 FPS	437 FPS
high	465 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	309 FPS
4K
low	383 FPS	304 FPS
medium	335 FPS	274 FPS
high	300 FPS	250 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	222 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX Open Xeon 6521P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX	Xeon 6521P
1080p
low	812 FPS	900 FPS
medium	680 FPS	829 FPS
high	620 FPS	768 FPS
ultra	540 FPS	677 FPS
1440p
low	622 FPS	770 FPS
medium	521 FPS	706 FPS
high	470 FPS	650 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	581 FPS
4K
low	451 FPS	510 FPS
medium	360 FPS	429 FPS
high	326 FPS	383 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	318 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX Open Xeon 6521P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX	Xeon 6521P
1080p
low	1215 FPS	983 FPS
medium	1015 FPS	884 FPS
high	926 FPS	764 FPS
ultra	820 FPS	663 FPS
1440p
low	951 FPS	803 FPS
medium	828 FPS	699 FPS
high	715 FPS	601 FPS
ultra	611 FPS	517 FPS
4K
low	674 FPS	579 FPS
medium	605 FPS	520 FPS
high	529 FPS	461 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	396 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX Open Xeon 6521P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX and Xeon 6521P

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2022-03-08. It is based on the Chagall PRO (2022) 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 process technology. Socket: sWRX8. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 66,614 points. Launch price was $2,399.

Xeon 6521P

The Xeon 6521P is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Granite Rapids (2024−2025) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 144 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4710. Thermal design power (TDP): 225 Watt. Memory support: DDR5(6400MT/s). Passmark benchmark score: 64,761 points. Launch price was $1,250.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX and Xeon 6521P share an identical 24-core/48-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX versus 4.1 GHz on the Xeon 6521P — a 9.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX (base: 3.8 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX uses the Chagall PRO (2022) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon 6521P uses Granite Rapids (2024−2025) (Intel 3 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX scores 66,614 against the Xeon 6521P's 64,761 — a 2.8% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX. L3 cache: 128 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX vs 144 MB (total) on the Xeon 6521P.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX	Xeon 6521P
Cores / Threads	24 / 48	24 / 48
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz+10%	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+46%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	128 MB	144 MB (total)+13%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+300%
Process	7 nm	Intel 3 nm-57%
Architecture	Chagall PRO (2022)	Granite Rapids (2024−2025)
PassMark	66,614+3%	64,761
Cinebench R23 Multi	45,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,550	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	15,500	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX uses the sWRX8 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon 6521P uses LGA4710 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX versus 6400 on the Xeon 6521P — the Xeon 6521P supports 199.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon 6521P supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 2048 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 128 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX) vs 136 (Xeon 6521P) — the Xeon 6521P offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: WRX80 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX) and C741 (Xeon 6521P).

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX	Xeon 6521P
Socket	sWRX8	LGA4710
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	6400+159900%
Max RAM Capacity	2048 GB+52428700%	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	136+6%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon 6521P supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon 6521P). Primary use case: Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX targets Professional Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX rivals Xeon Gold 6430; Xeon 6521P rivals EPYC 9354.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX	Xeon 6521P
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Professional Workstation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX launched at $2399 MSRP, while the Xeon 6521P debuted at $1250. On MSRP ($2399 vs $1250), the Xeon 6521P is $1149 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX delivers 27.8 pts/$ vs 51.8 pts/$ for the Xeon 6521P — making the Xeon 6521P the 60.4% better value option.