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 7955WX

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +35.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+21.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 53 MB).
✅60% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (21,079 vs 25,000).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 31.6 vs 56.5 PassMark/$ ($1,899 MSRP vs $1,083 MSRP).
❌70.7% higher power demand at 350W vs 205W.

Xeon Gold 5520+

2023

Why buy it

✅+18.6% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Costs $816 less on MSRP ($1,083 MSRP vs $1,899 MSRP).
✅Delivers 78.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 56.5 vs 31.6 PassMark/$ ($1,083 MSRP vs $1,899 MSRP).
✅Draws 205W instead of 350W, a 145W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (53 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

2023

Xeon Gold 5520+

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +35.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+21.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 53 MB).
✅60% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+18.6% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Costs $816 less on MSRP ($1,083 MSRP vs $1,899 MSRP).
✅Delivers 78.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 56.5 vs 31.6 PassMark/$ ($1,083 MSRP vs $1,899 MSRP).
✅Draws 205W instead of 350W, a 145W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (21,079 vs 25,000).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 31.6 vs 56.5 PassMark/$ ($1,899 MSRP vs $1,083 MSRP).
❌70.7% higher power demand at 350W vs 205W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (53 MB vs 64 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 5520+ better than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX is ahead with a 35.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5520+ pulls ahead with 18.6% better Geekbench multi-core. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX also has the bigger cache pool with 21.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 53 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5520+ is the better fit. You are getting 18.6% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 28 cores and 56 threads.

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

Xeon Gold 5520+ is the smarter buy today. Xeon Gold 5520+ is $816 cheaper on MSRP at $1,083 MSRP versus $1,899 MSRP, and it gives you 18.6% better Geekbench multi-core. The trade-off is that Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 35.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 78.8% better value on MSRP (56.5 vs 31.6 PassMark/$), 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?

Xeon Gold 5520+ is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 28 cores / 56 threads instead of 16/32. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 7955WX Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 5520+ Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
1080p
low	297 FPS	185 FPS
medium	270 FPS	162 FPS
high	223 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	273 FPS	153 FPS
medium	224 FPS	129 FPS
high	174 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	153 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	187 FPS	70 FPS
medium	154 FPS	62 FPS
high	118 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	39 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX Open Xeon Gold 5520+

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
1080p
low	776 FPS	266 FPS
medium	635 FPS	238 FPS
high	471 FPS	197 FPS
ultra	399 FPS	164 FPS
1440p
low	639 FPS	227 FPS
medium	543 FPS	205 FPS
high	417 FPS	175 FPS
ultra	325 FPS	140 FPS
4K
low	359 FPS	141 FPS
medium	308 FPS	130 FPS
high	269 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	227 FPS	98 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX Open Xeon Gold 5520+

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
1080p
low	888 FPS	875 FPS
medium	705 FPS	792 FPS
high	622 FPS	748 FPS
ultra	534 FPS	658 FPS
1440p
low	713 FPS	749 FPS
medium	567 FPS	674 FPS
high	489 FPS	633 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	564 FPS
4K
low	507 FPS	506 FPS
medium	418 FPS	425 FPS
high	375 FPS	379 FPS
ultra	315 FPS	316 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX Open Xeon Gold 5520+

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
1080p
low	1106 FPS	935 FPS
medium	991 FPS	842 FPS
high	867 FPS	728 FPS
ultra	781 FPS	632 FPS
1440p
low	860 FPS	768 FPS
medium	759 FPS	674 FPS
high	664 FPS	579 FPS
ultra	576 FPS	498 FPS
4K
low	632 FPS	561 FPS
medium	562 FPS	504 FPS
high	496 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	383 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX Open Xeon Gold 5520+

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX and Xeon Gold 5520+

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 October 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Storm Peak (2023) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 4.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: sTR5. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 60,054 points. Launch price was $1,899.

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 7955WX packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5520+ offers 28 cores / 56 threads — the Xeon Gold 5520+ has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5520+ — a 28% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX (base: 4.5 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX uses the Storm Peak (2023) architecture (5 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5520+ uses Emerald Rapids (2023) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX scores 60,054 against the Xeon Gold 5520+'s 61,227 — a 1.9% lead for the Xeon Gold 5520+. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 3,020 vs 1,600, a 61.5% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 21,079 vs 25,000 (17% advantage for the Xeon Gold 5520+). L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX vs 52.5 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 5520+.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
Cores / Threads	16 / 32	28 / 56+75%
Boost Clock	5.3 GHz+32%	4 GHz
Base Clock	4.5 GHz+105%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)+22%	52.5 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+100%
Process	5 nm-50%	10 nm
Architecture	Storm Peak (2023)	Emerald Rapids (2023)
PassMark	60,054	61,227+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi	36,742	—
Geekbench 6 Single	3,020+89%	1,600
Geekbench 6 Multi	21,079	25,000+19%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX uses the sTR5 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 5520+ uses LGA4677 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5200 memory speed. The Xeon Gold 5520+ supports up to 4096 GB of RAM compared to 1024 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 128 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX) vs 80 (Xeon Gold 5520+) — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX offers 48 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: WRX90,TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX) and C741 (Xeon Gold 5520+).

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
Socket	sTR5	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	1024 GB	4096 GB+300%
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+60%	80

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: true (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 5520+). Primary use case: Xeon Gold 5520+ targets Enterprise Server. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX rivals Xeon w7-2495X; Xeon Gold 5520+ rivals EPYC 9354.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX	Xeon Gold 5520+
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Enterprise Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX launched at $1899 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 5520+ debuted at $1083. On MSRP ($1899 vs $1083), the Xeon Gold 5520+ is $816 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX delivers 31.6 pts/$ vs 56.5 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 5520+ — making the Xeon Gold 5520+ the 56.5% better value option.