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 3975WX

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅60% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 46.6 vs 56.5 PassMark/$ ($1,337 MSRP vs $1,083 MSRP).
❌36.6% higher power demand at 280W vs 205W.
❌Older platform position on sWRX8 with DDR4, while Xeon Gold 5520+ moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Xeon Gold 5520+

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $254 less on MSRP ($1,083 MSRP vs $1,337 MSRP).
✅Delivers 21.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 56.5 vs 46.6 PassMark/$ ($1,083 MSRP vs $1,337 MSRP).
✅Draws 205W instead of 280W, a 75W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of sWRX8 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (25,000 vs 25,211).

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

2020

Xeon Gold 5520+

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅60% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $254 less on MSRP ($1,083 MSRP vs $1,337 MSRP).
✅Delivers 21.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 56.5 vs 46.6 PassMark/$ ($1,083 MSRP vs $1,337 MSRP).
✅Draws 205W instead of 280W, a 75W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of sWRX8 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 46.6 vs 56.5 PassMark/$ ($1,337 MSRP vs $1,083 MSRP).
❌36.6% higher power demand at 280W vs 205W.
❌Older platform position on sWRX8 with DDR4, while Xeon Gold 5520+ moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (25,000 vs 25,211).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX better than Xeon Gold 5520+?

Yes. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 24.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.8% better Geekbench multi-core, and 1.7% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 24.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 53 MB.

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 0.8% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 143.8% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 53 MB).

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

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Gold 5520+ makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX is 23.5% more expensive on MSRP at $1,337 MSRP versus $1,083 MSRP, and it gives you a 24.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon Gold 5520+ is also 21.4% better value on MSRP (56.5 vs 46.6 PassMark/$), 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 Gold 5520+ is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020), a healthier platform with LGA4677 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 3975WX Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 5520+ Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
1080p
low	183 FPS	185 FPS
medium	149 FPS	162 FPS
high	126 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	160 FPS	153 FPS
medium	127 FPS	129 FPS
high	101 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	73 FPS	70 FPS
medium	61 FPS	62 FPS
high	48 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	40 FPS	39 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX Open Xeon Gold 5520+

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
1080p
low	579 FPS	266 FPS
medium	499 FPS	238 FPS
high	383 FPS	197 FPS
ultra	327 FPS	164 FPS
1440p
low	485 FPS	227 FPS
medium	425 FPS	205 FPS
high	338 FPS	175 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	140 FPS
4K
low	304 FPS	141 FPS
medium	270 FPS	130 FPS
high	231 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	202 FPS	98 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX Open Xeon Gold 5520+

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
1080p
low	681 FPS	875 FPS
medium	564 FPS	792 FPS
high	497 FPS	748 FPS
ultra	425 FPS	658 FPS
1440p
low	570 FPS	749 FPS
medium	479 FPS	674 FPS
high	424 FPS	633 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	564 FPS
4K
low	417 FPS	506 FPS
medium	333 FPS	425 FPS
high	293 FPS	379 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	316 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX Open Xeon Gold 5520+

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
1080p
low	1020 FPS	935 FPS
medium	917 FPS	842 FPS
high	765 FPS	728 FPS
ultra	664 FPS	632 FPS
1440p
low	802 FPS	768 FPS
medium	701 FPS	674 FPS
high	584 FPS	579 FPS
ultra	496 FPS	498 FPS
4K
low	559 FPS	561 FPS
medium	504 FPS	504 FPS
high	437 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	383 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX Open Xeon Gold 5520+

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX and Xeon Gold 5520+

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.

Xeon Gold 5520+

The Xeon Gold 5520+ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Emerald Rapids (2023) architecture. It features 28 cores and 56 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 52.5 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 205 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 61,227 points. Launch price was $1,640.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX packs 32 cores / 64 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5520+ offers 28 cores / 56 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5520+ — a 4.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX uses the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5520+ uses Emerald Rapids (2023) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX scores 62,261 against the Xeon Gold 5520+'s 61,227 — a 1.7% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,260 vs 1,600, a 23.8% lead for the Xeon Gold 5520+ that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 25,211 vs 25,000 (0.8% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX). L3 cache: 128 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX vs 52.5 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 5520+.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
Cores / Threads	32 / 64+14%	28 / 56
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+5%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+59%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	128 MB+144%	52.5 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+300%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-30%	10 nm
Architecture	Matisse (2019−2020)	Emerald Rapids (2023)
PassMark	62,261+2%	61,227
Cinebench R23 Multi	42,986	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,260	1,600+27%
Geekbench 6 Multi	25,211	25,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX uses the sWRX8 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 5520+ uses LGA4677 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX versus DDR5-4800 on the Xeon Gold 5520+ — the Xeon Gold 5520+ supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 5520+ supports up to 4096 GB 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 3975WX) vs 80 (Xeon Gold 5520+) — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX offers 48 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD WRX80 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX) and C741 (Xeon Gold 5520+).

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
Socket	sWRX8	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	2048 GB	4096 GB+100%
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+60%	80

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon Gold 5520+ supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: true (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 5520+). Primary use case: Xeon Gold 5520+ targets Enterprise Server. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX rivals Xeon W-3375; Xeon Gold 5520+ rivals EPYC 9354.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Enterprise Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX launched at $1337 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 5520+ debuted at $1083. On MSRP ($1337 vs $1083), the Xeon Gold 5520+ is $254 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX delivers 46.6 pts/$ vs 56.5 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 5520+ — making the Xeon Gold 5520+ the 19.3% better value option.