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 73F3

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,407 less on MSRP ($3,521 MSRP vs $4,928 MSRP).
✅Delivers 35.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.1 vs 9.7 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $4,928 MSRP).
✅Draws 240W instead of 320W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (46,103 vs 47,665).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 768 MB).
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while EPYC 9184X moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9184X

2023

Why buy it

✅+3.4% higher PassMark.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 256 MB).
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.7 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($4,928 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
❌33.3% higher power demand at 320W vs 240W.

EPYC 73F3

2021

EPYC 9184X

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,407 less on MSRP ($3,521 MSRP vs $4,928 MSRP).
✅Delivers 35.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.1 vs 9.7 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $4,928 MSRP).
✅Draws 240W instead of 320W, a 80W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+3.4% higher PassMark.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 256 MB).
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (46,103 vs 47,665).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 768 MB).
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while EPYC 9184X moves to SP5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.7 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($4,928 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
❌33.3% higher power demand at 320W vs 240W.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 73F3 better than EPYC 9184X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, EPYC 73F3 is ahead with a 13.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9184X pulls ahead with 3.4% better PassMark. EPYC 9184X also has the bigger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 256 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9184X is the better fit. You are getting 3.4% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 256 MB).

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

EPYC 73F3 is the smarter buy today. EPYC 73F3 is $1,407 cheaper on MSRP at $3,521 MSRP versus $4,928 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 9184X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 3.4% better PassMark. It is also 35.4% better value on MSRP (13.1 vs 9.7 PassMark/$), 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 9184X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021), a healthier platform with SP5 and DDR5 instead of SP3, 200% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 256 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 16/32. 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 73F3 Benchmark Check

EPYC 9184X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 9184X
1080p
low	200 FPS	169 FPS
medium	159 FPS	138 FPS
high	128 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	166 FPS	149 FPS
medium	128 FPS	119 FPS
high	99 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	70 FPS
medium	61 FPS	59 FPS
high	48 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open EPYC 9184X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 9184X
1080p
low	510 FPS	576 FPS
medium	446 FPS	504 FPS
high	357 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	357 FPS
1440p
low	418 FPS	484 FPS
medium	375 FPS	431 FPS
high	309 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	244 FPS	298 FPS
4K
low	257 FPS	300 FPS
medium	235 FPS	271 FPS
high	206 FPS	244 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	219 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open EPYC 9184X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 9184X
1080p
low	979 FPS	746 FPS
medium	819 FPS	632 FPS
high	760 FPS	575 FPS
ultra	678 FPS	506 FPS
1440p
low	675 FPS	557 FPS
medium	564 FPS	470 FPS
high	515 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	453 FPS	364 FPS
4K
low	482 FPS	402 FPS
medium	382 FPS	321 FPS
high	338 FPS	284 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	228 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open EPYC 9184X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 9184X
1080p
low	1146 FPS	958 FPS
medium	1015 FPS	867 FPS
high	873 FPS	738 FPS
ultra	758 FPS	653 FPS
1440p
low	842 FPS	754 FPS
medium	733 FPS	657 FPS
high	620 FPS	556 FPS
ultra	539 FPS	481 FPS
4K
low	608 FPS	534 FPS
medium	542 FPS	477 FPS
high	471 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	359 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open EPYC 9184X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 73F3 and EPYC 9184X

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.

EPYC 9184X

The EPYC 9184X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 June 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Genoa-X (2023) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.55 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 768 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 320 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 47,665 points. Launch price was $4,928.

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Processing Power

Both the EPYC 73F3 and EPYC 9184X share an identical 16-core/32-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the EPYC 73F3 versus 4.2 GHz on the EPYC 9184X — a 4.9% clock advantage for the EPYC 9184X (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.55 GHz). The EPYC 73F3 uses the Milan (2021−2023) architecture (7 nm+), while the EPYC 9184X uses Genoa-X (2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 73F3 scores 46,103 against the EPYC 9184X's 47,665 — a 3.3% lead for the EPYC 9184X. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 73F3 vs 768 MB (total) on the EPYC 9184X.

Feature	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 9184X
Cores / Threads	16 / 32	16 / 32
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.2 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.55 GHz+1%
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)	768 MB (total)+200%
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	7 nm+	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Milan (2021−2023)	Genoa-X (2023)
PassMark	46,103	47,665+3%

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 73F3 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the EPYC 9184X uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 3200 on the EPYC 73F3 versus 4800 on the EPYC 9184X — the EPYC 9184X supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9184X supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 4096 — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (EPYC 73F3) vs 12 (EPYC 9184X). Both provide 128 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: SP3,C621A (EPYC 73F3) and SP5 (EPYC 9184X).

Feature	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 9184X
Socket	SP3	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	3200	4800+50%
Max RAM Capacity	4096	6144+50%
RAM Channels	8	12+50%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	128

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (EPYC 73F3) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (EPYC 9184X). Direct competitor: EPYC 73F3 rivals Xeon Platinum 8362; EPYC 9184X rivals Xeon Platinum 8468X.

Feature	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 9184X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 73F3 launched at $3521 MSRP, while the EPYC 9184X debuted at $4928. On MSRP ($3521 vs $4928), the EPYC 73F3 is $1407 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 73F3 delivers 13.1 pts/$ vs 9.7 pts/$ for the EPYC 9184X — making the EPYC 73F3 the 30.1% better value option.