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 9960X

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $8,096 less on MSRP ($1,499 MSRP vs $9,595 MSRP).
✅Delivers 533.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 61.9 vs 9.8 PassMark/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $9,595 MSRP).
✅10% more PCIe lanes (88 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (41,000 vs 65,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (128 MB vs 300 MB).

Xeon Platinum 8570

2023

Why buy it

✅+58.5% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+134.4% larger total L3 cache (300 MB vs 128 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9960X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.8 vs 61.9 PassMark/$ ($9,595 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

2025

Xeon Platinum 8570

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $8,096 less on MSRP ($1,499 MSRP vs $9,595 MSRP).
✅Delivers 533.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 61.9 vs 9.8 PassMark/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $9,595 MSRP).
✅10% more PCIe lanes (88 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+58.5% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+134.4% larger total L3 cache (300 MB vs 128 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (41,000 vs 65,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (128 MB vs 300 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9960X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.8 vs 61.9 PassMark/$ ($9,595 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 9960X better than Xeon Platinum 8570?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is ahead with a 24.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Platinum 8570 pulls ahead with 58.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Xeon Platinum 8570 also has the bigger cache pool with 134.4% larger total L3 cache (300 MB vs 128 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Platinum 8570 is the better fit. You are getting 58.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 56 cores and 112 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 134.4% larger total L3 cache (300 MB vs 128 MB).

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

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is $8,096 cheaper on MSRP at $1,499 MSRP versus $9,595 MSRP, and it gives you a 24.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon Platinum 8570 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 58.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. It is also 533.9% better value on MSRP (61.9 vs 9.8 PassMark/$), 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 Threadripper 9960X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023). 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 9960X Benchmark Check

Xeon Platinum 8570 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 9960X	Xeon Platinum 8570
1080p
low	314 FPS	188 FPS
medium	290 FPS	165 FPS
high	241 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	203 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	278 FPS	155 FPS
medium	231 FPS	131 FPS
high	179 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	158 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	191 FPS	70 FPS
medium	158 FPS	63 FPS
high	121 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	40 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 9960X Open Xeon Platinum 8570

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 9960X	Xeon Platinum 8570
1080p
low	826 FPS	282 FPS
medium	704 FPS	250 FPS
high	548 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	474 FPS	169 FPS
1440p
low	677 FPS	230 FPS
medium	601 FPS	208 FPS
high	482 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	390 FPS	141 FPS
4K
low	378 FPS	143 FPS
medium	341 FPS	131 FPS
high	311 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	272 FPS	99 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 9960X Open Xeon Platinum 8570

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 9960X	Xeon Platinum 8570
1080p
low	893 FPS	910 FPS
medium	724 FPS	838 FPS
high	650 FPS	791 FPS
ultra	553 FPS	698 FPS
1440p
low	716 FPS	782 FPS
medium	581 FPS	716 FPS
high	509 FPS	673 FPS
ultra	428 FPS	601 FPS
4K
low	509 FPS	528 FPS
medium	420 FPS	444 FPS
high	376 FPS	396 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	330 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 9960X Open Xeon Platinum 8570

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 9960X	Xeon Platinum 8570
1080p
low	1116 FPS	969 FPS
medium	1002 FPS	875 FPS
high	879 FPS	754 FPS
ultra	792 FPS	654 FPS
1440p
low	873 FPS	792 FPS
medium	769 FPS	691 FPS
high	675 FPS	593 FPS
ultra	588 FPS	510 FPS
4K
low	637 FPS	571 FPS
medium	568 FPS	514 FPS
high	505 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	391 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 9960X Open Xeon Platinum 8570

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen Threadripper 9960X and Xeon Platinum 8570

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

The Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 30 July 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Shimada Peak (2025) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 4.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: sTR5. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 92,808 points. Launch price was $1,499.

Xeon Platinum 8570

The Xeon Platinum 8570 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 56 cores and 112 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 300 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5 @ 5600 MT/s (1 DPC). Passmark benchmark score: 93,722 points. Launch price was $9,595.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen Threadripper 9960X packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the Xeon Platinum 8570 offers 56 cores / 112 threads — the Xeon Platinum 8570 has 32 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Platinum 8570 — a 28% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X (base: 4.2 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Ryzen Threadripper 9960X uses the Shimada Peak (2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Xeon Platinum 8570 uses Emerald Rapids (2023) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X scores 92,808 against the Xeon Platinum 8570's 93,722 — a 1% lead for the Xeon Platinum 8570. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 41,000 vs 65,000 (45.3% advantage for the Xeon Platinum 8570). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 3,200 vs 1,960, a 48.1% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 26,000 vs 18,960 (31.3% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X). L3 cache: 128 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X vs 300 MB (total) on the Xeon Platinum 8570.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 9960X	Xeon Platinum 8570
Cores / Threads	24 / 48	56 / 112+133%
Boost Clock	5.3 GHz+32%	4 GHz
Base Clock	4.2 GHz+100%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	128 MB (total)	300 MB (total)+134%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+100%
Process	4 nm-43%	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Shimada Peak (2025)	Emerald Rapids (2023)
PassMark	92,808	93,722
Cinebench R23 Multi	41,000	65,000+59%
Geekbench 6 Single	3,200+63%	1,960
Geekbench 6 Multi	26,000+37%	18,960

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen Threadripper 9960X uses the sTR5 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Platinum 8570 uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-6400 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper 9960X supports up to 1024 GB of RAM compared to 4 TB — 198.4% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 9960X) vs 8 (Xeon Platinum 8570). PCIe lanes: 88 (Ryzen Threadripper 9960X) vs 80 (Xeon Platinum 8570) — the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper 9960X) and Intel C741 (Xeon Platinum 8570).

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 9960X	Xeon Platinum 8570
Socket	sTR5	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	1024 GB	4 TB+300%
RAM Channels	4	8+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	88+10%	80

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: true (Ryzen Threadripper 9960X) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Platinum 8570). Primary use case: Ryzen Threadripper 9960X targets Content Creation / Rendering, Xeon Platinum 8570 targets Server. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper 9960X rivals Xeon w7-3555; Xeon Platinum 8570 rivals AMD EPYC 9554.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 9960X	Xeon Platinum 8570
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Content Creation / Rendering	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen Threadripper 9960X launched at $1499 MSRP, while the Xeon Platinum 8570 debuted at $9595. On MSRP ($1499 vs $9595), the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is $8096 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X delivers 61.9 pts/$ vs 9.8 pts/$ for the Xeon Platinum 8570 — making the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X the 145.5% better value option.