EPYC 7303P vs Xeon Gold 6242R

CPU

GPU

EPYC 7303P

16 Cores32 Thrd130 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2023

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Xeon Gold 6242R

20 Cores40 Thrd205 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2020

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

EPYC 7303P

16 / 32

36,487

+1.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Xeon Gold 6242R

20 / 40

36,011

0.0%

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.

EPYC 7303P

2023

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅+79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Costs $2,383 less on MSRP ($594 MSRP vs $2,977 MSRP).
✅Delivers 407.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 61.4 vs 12.1 PassMark/$ ($594 MSRP vs $2,977 MSRP).
✅Draws 130W instead of 205W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6242R across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Xeon Gold 6242R

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (36,011 vs 36,487).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.1 vs 61.4 PassMark/$ ($2,977 MSRP vs $594 MSRP).
❌57.7% higher power demand at 205W vs 130W.

EPYC 7303P

2023

Xeon Gold 6242R

2020

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅+79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Costs $2,383 less on MSRP ($594 MSRP vs $2,977 MSRP).
✅Delivers 407.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 61.4 vs 12.1 PassMark/$ ($594 MSRP vs $2,977 MSRP).
✅Draws 130W instead of 205W, a 75W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6242R across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (36,011 vs 36,487).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.1 vs 61.4 PassMark/$ ($2,977 MSRP vs $594 MSRP).
❌57.7% higher power demand at 205W vs 130W.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 7303P better than Xeon Gold 6242R?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Xeon Gold 6242R is ahead with a 16.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7303P pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark. EPYC 7303P also has the bigger cache pool with 79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7303P is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).

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

EPYC 7303P is the smarter buy today. EPYC 7303P is $2,383 cheaper on MSRP at $594 MSRP versus $2,977 MSRP, and it gives you 1.3% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Xeon Gold 6242R is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 16.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 407.8% better value on MSRP (61.4 vs 12.1 PassMark/$), 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 7303P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020), 79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 20/40. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 7303P Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6242R Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 7303P	Xeon Gold 6242R
1080p
low	159 FPS	199 FPS
medium	130 FPS	160 FPS
high	109 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	159 FPS
medium	113 FPS	124 FPS
high	89 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	71 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	73 FPS
medium	57 FPS	60 FPS
high	45 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	38 FPS

Open EPYC 7303P Open Xeon Gold 6242R

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 7303P	Xeon Gold 6242R
1080p
low	390 FPS	501 FPS
medium	346 FPS	440 FPS
high	283 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	324 FPS
1440p
low	329 FPS	442 FPS
medium	297 FPS	389 FPS
high	251 FPS	326 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	274 FPS
4K
low	203 FPS	279 FPS
medium	186 FPS	247 FPS
high	158 FPS	225 FPS
ultra	127 FPS	200 FPS

Open EPYC 7303P Open Xeon Gold 6242R

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 7303P	Xeon Gold 6242R
1080p
low	644 FPS	900 FPS
medium	526 FPS	900 FPS
high	469 FPS	863 FPS
ultra	411 FPS	781 FPS
1440p
low	499 FPS	814 FPS
medium	406 FPS	720 FPS
high	356 FPS	665 FPS
ultra	310 FPS	596 FPS
4K
low	368 FPS	516 FPS
medium	286 FPS	423 FPS
high	244 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	306 FPS

Open EPYC 7303P Open Xeon Gold 6242R

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 7303P	Xeon Gold 6242R
1080p
low	885 FPS	900 FPS
medium	806 FPS	900 FPS
high	696 FPS	783 FPS
ultra	610 FPS	671 FPS
1440p
low	696 FPS	824 FPS
medium	608 FPS	707 FPS
high	521 FPS	605 FPS
ultra	446 FPS	515 FPS
4K
low	498 FPS	602 FPS
medium	445 FPS	523 FPS
high	390 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	387 FPS

Open EPYC 7303P Open Xeon Gold 6242R

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7303P and Xeon Gold 6242R

EPYC 7303P

The EPYC 7303P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 September 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Milan (2021−2023) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 36,487 points. Launch price was $594.

Xeon Gold 6242R

The Xeon Gold 6242R is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 35.75 MB. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 205 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 36,011 points. Launch price was $2,529.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 7303P packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6242R offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon Gold 6242R has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the EPYC 7303P versus 4.1 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6242R — a 18.7% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6242R (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The EPYC 7303P uses the Milan (2021−2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6242R uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7303P scores 36,487 against the Xeon Gold 6242R's 36,011 — a 1.3% lead for the EPYC 7303P. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 7303P vs 35.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 6242R.

Feature	EPYC 7303P	Xeon Gold 6242R
Cores / Threads	16 / 32	20 / 40+25%
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz	4.1 GHz+21%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	3.1 GHz+29%
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)+79%	35.75 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	20 MB+3900%
Process	7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Milan (2021−2023)	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark	36,487+1%	36,011

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7303P uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6242R uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 3200 on the EPYC 7303P versus 2933 on the Xeon Gold 6242R — the EPYC 7303P supports 8.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7303P supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 1024 — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (EPYC 7303P) vs 6 (Xeon Gold 6242R). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 7303P) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 6242R) — the EPYC 7303P offers 80 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3 (EPYC 7303P) and C621 (Xeon Gold 6242R).

Feature	EPYC 7303P	Xeon Gold 6242R
Socket	SP3	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	3200+9%	2933
Max RAM Capacity	4096+300%	1024
RAM Channels	8+33%	6
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+167%	48

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: AMD-V, IOMMU (EPYC 7303P) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6242R). Direct competitor: EPYC 7303P rivals Xeon Gold 6330; Xeon Gold 6242R rivals EPYC 7302.

Feature	EPYC 7303P	Xeon Gold 6242R
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, IOMMU	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 7303P launched at $594 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6242R debuted at $2977. On MSRP ($594 vs $2977), the EPYC 7303P is $2383 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7303P delivers 61.4 pts/$ vs 12.1 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6242R — making the EPYC 7303P the 134.2% better value option.