Core i7-9700K vs EPYC 4545P

CPU

GPU

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

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EPYC 4545P

16 Cores32 Thrd65 WWMax: 5.4 GHz2025

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-9700K

8 / 8

14,397

0.0%

54,255

+276.8%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

About PassMark

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.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $164 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 4545P across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 54,255).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 4545P, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 28 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 98.8 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

EPYC 4545P

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +68.5% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 28 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Delivers 164.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 98.8 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌
42.6% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$385 MSRP

Core i7-9700K

2018

EPYC 4545P

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $164 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +68.5% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 28 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Delivers 164.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 98.8 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 4545P across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 54,255).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 4545P, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 28 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 98.8 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌
42.6% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$385 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 4545P better than Core i7-9700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 4545P makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-9700K 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, EPYC 4545P is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 68.5% 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, EPYC 4545P is the better fit. You are getting 276.8% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).

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

EPYC 4545P is the smarter buy today. EPYC 4545P is 42.6% more expensive on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 68.5% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 164.3% better value on MSRP (98.8 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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?

EPYC 4545P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2018), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB), more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 8/8, 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.

Core i7-9700K Benchmark Check

EPYC 4545P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 4545P
1080p
low	308 FPS	286 FPS
medium	278 FPS	262 FPS
high	231 FPS	215 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	181 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	262 FPS
medium	221 FPS	218 FPS
high	178 FPS	167 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	148 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	182 FPS
medium	140 FPS	151 FPS
high	108 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	102 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 4545P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 4545P
1080p
low	360 FPS	674 FPS
medium	321 FPS	580 FPS
high	291 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	567 FPS
medium	282 FPS	506 FPS
high	258 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	320 FPS
medium	221 FPS	289 FPS
high	208 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	219 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 4545P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 4545P
1080p
low	360 FPS	850 FPS
medium	360 FPS	679 FPS
high	360 FPS	601 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	515 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	679 FPS
medium	360 FPS	543 FPS
high	360 FPS	469 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	398 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	484 FPS
medium	360 FPS	401 FPS
high	360 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	302 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 4545P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 4545P
1080p
low	360 FPS	1072 FPS
medium	360 FPS	966 FPS
high	360 FPS	843 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	760 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	842 FPS
medium	360 FPS	747 FPS
high	360 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	566 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	619 FPS
medium	360 FPS	553 FPS
high	360 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	421 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 4545P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and EPYC 4545P

Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

EPYC 4545P

The EPYC 4545P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 May 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Grado (2025) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 54,255 points. Launch price was $549.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the EPYC 4545P offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the EPYC 4545P has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 5.4 GHz on the EPYC 4545P — a 9.7% clock advantage for the EPYC 4545P (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 4545P uses Grado (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the EPYC 4545P's 54,255 — a 116.1% lead for the EPYC 4545P. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 4545P.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 4545P
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	16 / 32+100%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	5.4 GHz+10%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+20%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+433%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Grado (2025)
PassMark	14,397	54,255+277%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 4545P uses AM5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus 5600 on the EPYC 4545P — the EPYC 4545P supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 4545P supports up to 192 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 28 (EPYC 4545P) — the EPYC 4545P offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and AM5 (EPYC 4545P).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 4545P
Socket	LGA1151	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	5600+139900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+69904967%	192
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	28+75%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the EPYC 4545P supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (EPYC 4545P). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9700K) and AMD Radeon Graphics (EPYC 4545P) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 4545P rivals Ryzen 9 7900X.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 4545P
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	AMD Radeon Graphics
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	—

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Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the EPYC 4545P debuted at $549. On MSRP ($385 vs $549), the Core i7-9700K is $164 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 98.8 pts/$ for the EPYC 4545P — making the EPYC 4545P the 90.2% better value option.