Core i9-13980HX vs EPYC 73F3

CPU

GPU

Core i9-13980HX

24 Cores32 Thrd55 WWMax: 5.5 GHz2023

Popular choices:

•••••••••

EPYC 73F3

16 Cores32 Thrd240 WWMax: 4 GHz2021

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i9-13980HX

24 / 32

45,950

0.0%

46,103

+0.3%

Ryzen 7 5800

Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS

Ryzen 7 7700X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX

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 i9-13980HX

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,853 less on MSRP ($668 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Delivers 425.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.8 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($668 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Draws 55W instead of 240W, a 185W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1964 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics, while EPYC 73F3 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (45,950 vs 46,103).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 73F3, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 73F3

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.2% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.1 vs 68.8 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $668 MSRP).
❌336.4% higher power demand at 240W vs 55W.
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Core i9-13980HX moves to FCBGA1964 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-13980HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-13980HX

2023

EPYC 73F3

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,853 less on MSRP ($668 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Delivers 425.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.8 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($668 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Draws 55W instead of 240W, a 185W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1964 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics, while EPYC 73F3 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.2% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (45,950 vs 46,103).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 73F3, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.1 vs 68.8 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $668 MSRP).
❌336.4% higher power demand at 240W vs 55W.
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Core i9-13980HX moves to FCBGA1964 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-13980HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 73F3 better than Core i9-13980HX?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 73F3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i9-13980HX 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 73F3 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 11.2% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 36 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 73F3 is the better fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 611.1% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 36 MB).

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

EPYC 73F3 is the smarter buy by a wide margin for any fresh desktop build. EPYC 73F3 is 427.1% more expensive on MSRP at $3,521 MSRP versus $668 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.2% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i9-13980HX only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop CPU, not because it is a serious desktop gaming option. It simply cannot keep up with modern games, especially when the gap is already 11.2% in the shared gaming data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i9-13980HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021) and a healthier platform with FCBGA1964 and DDR5 instead of SP3. 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 i9-13980HX Benchmark Check

EPYC 73F3 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-13980HX	EPYC 73F3
1080p
low	321 FPS	200 FPS
medium	311 FPS	159 FPS
high	247 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	278 FPS	166 FPS
medium	240 FPS	128 FPS
high	178 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	158 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	192 FPS	74 FPS
medium	164 FPS	61 FPS
high	123 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	39 FPS

Open Core i9-13980HX Open EPYC 73F3

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-13980HX	EPYC 73F3
1080p
low	497 FPS	510 FPS
medium	434 FPS	446 FPS
high	354 FPS	357 FPS
ultra	313 FPS	290 FPS
1440p
low	422 FPS	418 FPS
medium	380 FPS	375 FPS
high	316 FPS	309 FPS
ultra	257 FPS	244 FPS
4K
low	236 FPS	257 FPS
medium	216 FPS	235 FPS
high	205 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i9-13980HX Open EPYC 73F3

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-13980HX	EPYC 73F3
1080p
low	762 FPS	979 FPS
medium	626 FPS	819 FPS
high	543 FPS	760 FPS
ultra	467 FPS	678 FPS
1440p
low	680 FPS	675 FPS
medium	567 FPS	564 FPS
high	485 FPS	515 FPS
ultra	423 FPS	453 FPS
4K
low	497 FPS	482 FPS
medium	430 FPS	382 FPS
high	383 FPS	338 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	274 FPS

Open Core i9-13980HX Open EPYC 73F3

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-13980HX	EPYC 73F3
1080p
low	1012 FPS	1146 FPS
medium	905 FPS	1015 FPS
high	792 FPS	873 FPS
ultra	704 FPS	758 FPS
1440p
low	840 FPS	842 FPS
medium	739 FPS	733 FPS
high	646 FPS	620 FPS
ultra	568 FPS	539 FPS
4K
low	620 FPS	608 FPS
medium	555 FPS	542 FPS
high	491 FPS	471 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	407 FPS

Open Core i9-13980HX Open EPYC 73F3

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-13980HX and EPYC 73F3

Core i9-13980HX

The Core i9-13980HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-HX (2023) architecture. It features 24 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.5 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 45,950 points. Launch price was $668.

EPYC 73F3

The EPYC 73F3 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 15 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Milan (2021−2023) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm+ process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 240 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 46,103 points. Launch price was $3,521.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-13980HX packs 24 cores / 32 threads, while the EPYC 73F3 offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Core i9-13980HX has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.5 GHz on the Core i9-13980HX versus 4 GHz on the EPYC 73F3 — a 31.6% clock advantage for the Core i9-13980HX (base: 2.2 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i9-13980HX uses the Raptor Lake-HX (2023) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the EPYC 73F3 uses Milan (2021−2023) (7 nm+). In PassMark, the Core i9-13980HX scores 45,950 against the EPYC 73F3's 46,103 — a 0.3% lead for the EPYC 73F3. L3 cache: 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-13980HX vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 73F3.

Feature	Core i9-13980HX	EPYC 73F3
Cores / Threads	24 / 32+50%	16 / 32
Boost Clock	5.5 GHz+38%	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	3.5 GHz+59%
L3 Cache	36 MB (total)	256 MB (total)+611%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+300%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm+
Architecture	Raptor Lake-HX (2023)	Milan (2021−2023)
PassMark	45,950	46,103

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-13980HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 73F3 uses SP3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 5600 on the Core i9-13980HX versus 3200 on the EPYC 73F3 — the Core i9-13980HX supports 54.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 73F3 supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 192 — 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i9-13980HX) vs 8 (EPYC 73F3). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i9-13980HX) vs 128 (EPYC 73F3) — the EPYC 73F3 offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Raptor Lake-HX (Core i9-13980HX) and SP3,C621A (EPYC 73F3).

Feature	Core i9-13980HX	EPYC 73F3
Socket	FCBGA1964	SP3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	5600+75%	3200
Max RAM Capacity	192	4096+2033%
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	128+540%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i9-13980HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i9-13980HX includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics), while the EPYC 73F3 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i9-13980HX rivals Ryzen 9 7945HX; EPYC 73F3 rivals Xeon Platinum 8362.

Feature	Core i9-13980HX	EPYC 73F3
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-13980HX launched at $668 MSRP, while the EPYC 73F3 debuted at $3521. On MSRP ($668 vs $3521), the Core i9-13980HX is $2853 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-13980HX delivers 68.8 pts/$ vs 13.1 pts/$ for the EPYC 73F3 — making the Core i9-13980HX the 136% better value option.