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.

EPYC 4545P

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +64.0% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $951 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $1,500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 168.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 98.8 vs 36.9 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $1,500 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 155W, a 90W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (54,255 vs 55,280).

EPYC 7401

2017

Why buy it

✅+1.9% higher PassMark.
✅357.1% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 4545P across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 36.9 vs 98.8 PassMark/$ ($1,500 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌138.5% higher power demand at 155W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while EPYC 4545P moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while EPYC 4545P can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

EPYC 4545P

2025

EPYC 7401

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +64.0% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $951 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $1,500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 168.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 98.8 vs 36.9 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $1,500 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 155W, a 90W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+1.9% higher PassMark.
✅357.1% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (54,255 vs 55,280).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 4545P across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 36.9 vs 98.8 PassMark/$ ($1,500 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌138.5% higher power demand at 155W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while EPYC 4545P moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while EPYC 4545P can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 4545P better than EPYC 7401?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, EPYC 4545P is ahead with a 64.0% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7401 pulls ahead with 1.9% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7401 is the better fit. You are getting 1.9% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads.

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

EPYC 4545P is the smarter buy today. EPYC 4545P is $951 cheaper on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $1,500 MSRP, and it gives you a 64.0% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 7401 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.9% better PassMark. It is also 168.2% better value on MSRP (98.8 vs 36.9 PassMark/$), 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 2017), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of TR4, 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.

EPYC 4545P Benchmark Check

EPYC 7401 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 4545P	EPYC 7401
1080p
low	286 FPS	187 FPS
medium	262 FPS	165 FPS
high	215 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	105 FPS
1440p
low	262 FPS	153 FPS
medium	218 FPS	127 FPS
high	167 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	148 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	182 FPS	71 FPS
medium	151 FPS	63 FPS
high	115 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	39 FPS

Open EPYC 4545P Open EPYC 7401

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 4545P	EPYC 7401
1080p
low	674 FPS	207 FPS
medium	580 FPS	188 FPS
high	434 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	131 FPS
1440p
low	567 FPS	178 FPS
medium	506 FPS	163 FPS
high	392 FPS	141 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	111 FPS
4K
low	320 FPS	112 FPS
medium	289 FPS	103 FPS
high	255 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	219 FPS	75 FPS

Open EPYC 4545P Open EPYC 7401

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 4545P	EPYC 7401
1080p
low	850 FPS	620 FPS
medium	679 FPS	518 FPS
high	601 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	515 FPS	399 FPS
1440p
low	679 FPS	517 FPS
medium	543 FPS	432 FPS
high	469 FPS	378 FPS
ultra	398 FPS	325 FPS
4K
low	484 FPS	383 FPS
medium	401 FPS	308 FPS
high	360 FPS	270 FPS
ultra	302 FPS	220 FPS

Open EPYC 4545P Open EPYC 7401

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 4545P	EPYC 7401
1080p
low	1072 FPS	834 FPS
medium	966 FPS	758 FPS
high	843 FPS	651 FPS
ultra	760 FPS	561 FPS
1440p
low	842 FPS	667 FPS
medium	747 FPS	584 FPS
high	652 FPS	500 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	420 FPS
4K
low	619 FPS	475 FPS
medium	553 FPS	427 FPS
high	487 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	421 FPS	320 FPS

Open EPYC 4545P Open EPYC 7401

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 4545P and EPYC 7401

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.

EPYC 7401

The EPYC 7401 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Naples (2017−2018) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 170 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 55,280 points. Launch price was $1,850.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 4545P packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the EPYC 7401 offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the EPYC 7401 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the EPYC 4545P versus 3 GHz on the EPYC 7401 — a 57.1% clock advantage for the EPYC 4545P (base: 3 GHz vs 2 GHz). The EPYC 4545P uses the Grado (2025) architecture (4 nm), while the EPYC 7401 uses Naples (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 4545P scores 54,255 against the EPYC 7401's 55,280 — a 1.9% lead for the EPYC 7401. Both processors carry 64 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	EPYC 4545P	EPYC 7401
Cores / Threads	16 / 32	24 / 48+50%
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+80%	3 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+50%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)	64 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	4 nm-71%	14 nm
Architecture	Grado (2025)	Naples (2017−2018)
PassMark	54,255	55,280+2%

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 4545P uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the EPYC 7401 uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 5600 on the EPYC 4545P versus 2666 on the EPYC 7401 — the EPYC 4545P supports 71% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7401 supports up to 2048 of RAM compared to 192 — 165.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (EPYC 4545P) vs 8 (EPYC 7401). PCIe lanes: 28 (EPYC 4545P) vs 128 (EPYC 7401) — the EPYC 7401 offers 100 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AM5 (EPYC 4545P) and SP3 (EPYC 7401).

Feature	EPYC 4545P	EPYC 7401
Socket	AM5	TR4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	5600+110%	2666
Max RAM Capacity	192	2048+967%
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	28	128+357%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the EPYC 4545P has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the EPYC 4545P supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (EPYC 4545P) vs VT-x, VT-d (EPYC 7401). The EPYC 4545P includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics), while the EPYC 7401 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: EPYC 4545P rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; EPYC 7401 rivals Xeon Silver 4114.

Feature	EPYC 4545P	EPYC 7401
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	AMD Radeon Graphics	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 4545P launched at $549 MSRP, while the EPYC 7401 debuted at $1500. On MSRP ($549 vs $1500), the EPYC 4545P is $951 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 4545P delivers 98.8 pts/$ vs 36.9 pts/$ for the EPYC 7401 — making the EPYC 4545P the 91.4% better value option.