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: +42.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 28 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Delivers 11.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 98.8 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌
175.9% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $350 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike EPYC 4545P.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 4545P across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,685 vs 54,255).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 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 88.9 vs 98.8 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

EPYC 4545P

2025

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +42.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 28 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Delivers 11.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 98.8 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Costs $350 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike EPYC 4545P.

Trade-offs

❌
175.9% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 4545P across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,685 vs 54,255).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 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 88.9 vs 98.8 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 4545P better than Ryzen 5 3600?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 4545P makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 3600 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 42.5% more average FPS across 4 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 206.8% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).

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

EPYC 4545P is the smarter buy today. EPYC 4545P is 175.9% more expensive on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 42.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 11.2% better value on MSRP (98.8 vs 88.9 PassMark/$), 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 2019), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of AM4, 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB), more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 6/12, 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

Ryzen 5 3600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 4545P	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	286 FPS	200 FPS
medium	262 FPS	161 FPS
high	215 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	262 FPS	154 FPS
medium	218 FPS	119 FPS
high	167 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	148 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	182 FPS	70 FPS
medium	151 FPS	58 FPS
high	115 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	36 FPS

Open EPYC 4545P Open Ryzen 5 3600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 4545P	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	674 FPS	442 FPS
medium	580 FPS	404 FPS
high	434 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	295 FPS
1440p
low	567 FPS	420 FPS
medium	506 FPS	359 FPS
high	392 FPS	303 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	263 FPS
4K
low	320 FPS	297 FPS
medium	289 FPS	259 FPS
high	255 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	219 FPS	201 FPS

Open EPYC 4545P Open Ryzen 5 3600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 4545P	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	850 FPS	442 FPS
medium	679 FPS	442 FPS
high	601 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	515 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	679 FPS	442 FPS
medium	543 FPS	442 FPS
high	469 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	398 FPS	432 FPS
4K
low	484 FPS	442 FPS
medium	401 FPS	361 FPS
high	360 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	302 FPS	242 FPS

Open EPYC 4545P Open Ryzen 5 3600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 4545P	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	1072 FPS	442 FPS
medium	966 FPS	442 FPS
high	843 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	760 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	842 FPS	442 FPS
medium	747 FPS	442 FPS
high	652 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	442 FPS
4K
low	619 FPS	442 FPS
medium	553 FPS	442 FPS
high	487 FPS	413 FPS
ultra	421 FPS	357 FPS

Open EPYC 4545P Open Ryzen 5 3600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 4545P and Ryzen 5 3600

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.

Ryzen 5 3600

The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 4545P packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the EPYC 4545P has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the EPYC 4545P versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 25% clock advantage for the EPYC 4545P (base: 3 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The EPYC 4545P uses the Grado (2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 4545P scores 54,255 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 101.7% lead for the EPYC 4545P. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 4545P vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	EPYC 4545P	Ryzen 5 3600
Cores / Threads	16 / 32+167%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+29%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.6 GHz+20%
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)+100%	32 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	4 nm-43%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Grado (2025)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	54,255+207%	17,685
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,295
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,898

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 4545P uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 5600 on the EPYC 4545P versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 3600 — 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: 28 (EPYC 4545P) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 3600) — the EPYC 4545P offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AM5 (EPYC 4545P) and AMD B550,AMD X570,AMD B450,AMD X470 (Ryzen 5 3600).

Feature	EPYC 4545P	Ryzen 5 3600
Socket	AM5	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	5600+139900%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	192	128 GB+69904967%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	28+17%	24

🔧

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, AMD-V (EPYC 4545P) vs Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). The EPYC 4545P includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics), while the Ryzen 5 3600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: EPYC 4545P rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.

Feature	EPYC 4545P	Ryzen 5 3600
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	AMD Radeon Graphics	—
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V	Yes
Target Use	—	Gaming/Budget Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 4545P launched at $549 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 3600 debuted at $199. On MSRP ($549 vs $199), the Ryzen 5 3600 is $350 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 4545P delivers 98.8 pts/$ vs 88.9 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 3600 — making the EPYC 4545P the 10.6% better value option.