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: +41.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.1 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌269.2% higher power demand at 240W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,322 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Delivers 578.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 240W, a 175W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike EPYC 73F3.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,685 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

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +41.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,322 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Delivers 578.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 240W, a 175W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike EPYC 73F3.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.1 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌269.2% higher power demand at 240W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,685 vs 46,103).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 73F3, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 73F3 better than Ryzen 5 3600?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 73F3 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 73F3 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 41.9% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 32 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 160.7% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 700% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 32 MB).

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

EPYC 73F3 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 3600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 73F3 is 1669.3% more expensive on MSRP at $3,521 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 41.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 3600 is also 578.7% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 13.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

EPYC 73F3 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2019), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 256 MB L3 cache instead of 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 extra cache should hold up really well in CPU-limited games and high-refresh builds.

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

Ryzen 5 3600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	200 FPS	200 FPS
medium	159 FPS	161 FPS
high	128 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	166 FPS	154 FPS
medium	128 FPS	119 FPS
high	99 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	70 FPS
medium	61 FPS	58 FPS
high	48 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	36 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open Ryzen 5 3600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	510 FPS	442 FPS
medium	446 FPS	404 FPS
high	357 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	295 FPS
1440p
low	418 FPS	420 FPS
medium	375 FPS	359 FPS
high	309 FPS	303 FPS
ultra	244 FPS	263 FPS
4K
low	257 FPS	297 FPS
medium	235 FPS	259 FPS
high	206 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	201 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open Ryzen 5 3600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	979 FPS	442 FPS
medium	819 FPS	442 FPS
high	760 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	678 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	675 FPS	442 FPS
medium	564 FPS	442 FPS
high	515 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	453 FPS	432 FPS
4K
low	482 FPS	442 FPS
medium	382 FPS	361 FPS
high	338 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	242 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open Ryzen 5 3600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	1146 FPS	442 FPS
medium	1015 FPS	442 FPS
high	873 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	758 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	842 FPS	442 FPS
medium	733 FPS	442 FPS
high	620 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	539 FPS	442 FPS
4K
low	608 FPS	442 FPS
medium	542 FPS	442 FPS
high	471 FPS	413 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	357 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open Ryzen 5 3600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 73F3 and Ryzen 5 3600

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.

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.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 73F3 packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the EPYC 73F3 has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the EPYC 73F3 versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 4.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The EPYC 73F3 uses the Milan (2021−2023) architecture (7 nm+), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 73F3 scores 46,103 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 89.1% lead for the EPYC 73F3. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 73F3 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 3600
Cores / Threads	16 / 32+167%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.2 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)+700%	32 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm+	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Milan (2021−2023)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	46,103+161%	17,685
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,295
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,898

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 73F3 uses the SP3 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 3200 on the EPYC 73F3 versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 3600 — the EPYC 73F3 supports 199.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 73F3 supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (EPYC 73F3) vs 2 (Ryzen 5 3600). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 73F3) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 3600) — the EPYC 73F3 offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3,C621A (EPYC 73F3) and AMD B550,AMD X570,AMD B450,AMD X470 (Ryzen 5 3600).

Feature	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 3600
Socket	SP3	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	3200+79900%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	4096	128 GB+3276700%
RAM Channels	8+300%	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	128+433%	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 3600 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the EPYC 73F3 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (EPYC 73F3) vs Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: EPYC 73F3 rivals Xeon Platinum 8362; Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.

Feature	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 3600
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	Yes
Target Use	—	Gaming/Budget Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 73F3 launched at $3521 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 3600 debuted at $199. On MSRP ($3521 vs $199), the Ryzen 5 3600 is $3322 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 73F3 delivers 13.1 pts/$ vs 88.9 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 3600 — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 148.6% better value option.