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 9 7900

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.5% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+42.2% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 45 MB).
✅Costs $3,193 less on MSRP ($429 MSRP vs $3,622 MSRP).
✅Delivers 762.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 13.0 PassMark/$ ($429 MSRP vs $3,622 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 270W, a 205W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6444Y, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 80 PCIe lanes.

Xeon Gold 6444Y

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 80 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅185.7% more PCIe lanes (80 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7900 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (47,176 vs 48,168).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (45 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.0 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($3,622 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).
❌315.4% higher power demand at 270W vs 65W.

Ryzen 9 7900

2023

Xeon Gold 6444Y

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.5% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+42.2% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 45 MB).
✅Costs $3,193 less on MSRP ($429 MSRP vs $3,622 MSRP).
✅Delivers 762.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 13.0 PassMark/$ ($429 MSRP vs $3,622 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 270W, a 205W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 80 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅185.7% more PCIe lanes (80 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6444Y, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 80 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7900 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (47,176 vs 48,168).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (45 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.0 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($3,622 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).
❌315.4% higher power demand at 270W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7900 better than Xeon Gold 6444Y?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Gold 6444Y makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 7900 is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 7900 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 15.5% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 7900 is the better fit. You are getting 2.1% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 42.2% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 45 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 7900 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 7900 is $3,193 cheaper on MSRP at $429 MSRP versus $3,622 MSRP, and it gives you a 15.5% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 762.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 13.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 9 7900 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 42.2% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 45 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 16/32. 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 9 7900 Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6444Y Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 7900	Xeon Gold 6444Y
1080p
low	288 FPS	205 FPS
medium	259 FPS	163 FPS
high	218 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	165 FPS
medium	218 FPS	126 FPS
high	170 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	152 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	187 FPS	75 FPS
medium	151 FPS	61 FPS
high	113 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	39 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 7900 Open Xeon Gold 6444Y

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 7900	Xeon Gold 6444Y
1080p
low	706 FPS	511 FPS
medium	599 FPS	443 FPS
high	450 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	389 FPS	293 FPS
1440p
low	593 FPS	430 FPS
medium	522 FPS	381 FPS
high	406 FPS	313 FPS
ultra	322 FPS	249 FPS
4K
low	335 FPS	267 FPS
medium	298 FPS	240 FPS
high	264 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	176 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 7900 Open Xeon Gold 6444Y

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 7900	Xeon Gold 6444Y
1080p
low	876 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	699 FPS	1005 FPS
high	608 FPS	949 FPS
ultra	518 FPS	862 FPS
1440p
low	702 FPS	880 FPS
medium	562 FPS	777 FPS
high	481 FPS	722 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	651 FPS
4K
low	499 FPS	561 FPS
medium	414 FPS	460 FPS
high	372 FPS	399 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	328 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 7900 Open Xeon Gold 6444Y

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 7900	Xeon Gold 6444Y
1080p
low	1125 FPS	1179 FPS
medium	987 FPS	1015 FPS
high	860 FPS	907 FPS
ultra	765 FPS	767 FPS
1440p
low	892 FPS	934 FPS
medium	774 FPS	806 FPS
high	677 FPS	681 FPS
ultra	580 FPS	574 FPS
4K
low	644 FPS	684 FPS
medium	570 FPS	597 FPS
high	503 FPS	516 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	431 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 7900 Open Xeon Gold 6444Y

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 7900 and Xeon Gold 6444Y

Ryzen 9 7900

The Ryzen 9 7900 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 48,168 points. Launch price was $429.

Xeon Gold 6444Y

The Xeon Gold 6444Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 270 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 47,176 points. Launch price was $1,517.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 7900 packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6444Y offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Xeon Gold 6444Y has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7900 versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6444Y — a 29.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7900 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Ryzen 9 7900 uses the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture (5 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6444Y uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 7900 scores 48,168 against the Xeon Gold 6444Y's 47,176 — a 2.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 7900. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7900 vs 45 MB on the Xeon Gold 6444Y.

Feature	Ryzen 9 7900	Xeon Gold 6444Y
Cores / Threads	12 / 24	16 / 32+33%
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+35%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+3%	3.6 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)+42%	45 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+100%
Process	5 nm-29%	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	48,168+2%	47,176
Cinebench R23 Multi	24,600	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,800	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,000	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 7900 uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Gold 6444Y uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 9 7900 versus 5600 on the Xeon Gold 6444Y — the Xeon Gold 6444Y supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6444Y supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 9 7900) vs 8 (Xeon Gold 6444Y). PCIe lanes: 28 (Ryzen 9 7900) vs 80 (Xeon Gold 6444Y) — the Xeon Gold 6444Y offers 52 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD X670E,AMD X670,AMD B650E,AMD B650,AMD A620 (Ryzen 9 7900) and C741 (Xeon Gold 6444Y).

Feature	Ryzen 9 7900	Xeon Gold 6444Y
Socket	AM5	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200	5600+111900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+3276700%	4096
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	28	80+186%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 7900 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 9 7900) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6444Y). The Ryzen 9 7900 includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics (Raphael)), while the Xeon Gold 6444Y requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 7900 rivals Core i9-13900; Xeon Gold 6444Y rivals EPYC 9384X.

Feature	Ryzen 9 7900	Xeon Gold 6444Y
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Radeon Graphics (Raphael)	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 9 7900 launched at $429 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6444Y debuted at $3622. On MSRP ($429 vs $3622), the Ryzen 9 7900 is $3193 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 9 7900 delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 13.0 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6444Y — making the Ryzen 9 7900 the 158.4% better value option.