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: +40.1% 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 73.1 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌269.2% higher power demand at 240W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,222 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Delivers 458.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 240W, a 175W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 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 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +40.1% 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 $3,222 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Delivers 458.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 240W, a 175W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.1 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌269.2% higher power demand at 240W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 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 5600X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 73F3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 5600X 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 40.1% 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 111% 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 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 73F3 is 1077.6% more expensive on MSRP at $3,521 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 40.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 458.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 13.1 PassMark/$), 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 2020), 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 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	200 FPS	203 FPS
medium	159 FPS	174 FPS
high	128 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	166 FPS	169 FPS
medium	128 FPS	141 FPS
high	99 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	85 FPS
medium	61 FPS	76 FPS
high	48 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	47 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	510 FPS	464 FPS
medium	446 FPS	387 FPS
high	357 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	418 FPS	397 FPS
medium	375 FPS	334 FPS
high	309 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	244 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	257 FPS	263 FPS
medium	235 FPS	226 FPS
high	206 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	171 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	979 FPS	546 FPS
medium	819 FPS	473 FPS
high	760 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	678 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	675 FPS	508 FPS
medium	564 FPS	413 FPS
high	515 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	453 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	482 FPS	348 FPS
medium	382 FPS	292 FPS
high	338 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	199 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	1146 FPS	546 FPS
medium	1015 FPS	546 FPS
high	873 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	758 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	842 FPS	546 FPS
medium	733 FPS	546 FPS
high	620 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	539 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	608 FPS	529 FPS
medium	542 FPS	484 FPS
high	471 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	379 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 73F3 and Ryzen 5 5600X

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 5600X

The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 73F3 packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the EPYC 73F3 has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the EPYC 73F3 versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 14% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The EPYC 73F3 uses the Milan (2021−2023) architecture (7 nm+), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 73F3 scores 46,103 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 71.4% lead for the EPYC 73F3. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 73F3 vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	16 / 32+167%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.6 GHz+15%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)+700%	32 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm+	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Milan (2021−2023)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	46,103+111%	21,845

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 73F3 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X 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 5600X — 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 5600X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 73F3) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) — the EPYC 73F3 offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3,C621A (EPYC 73F3) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X).

Feature	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 5600X
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	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+433%	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600X 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 AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 73F3 rivals Xeon Platinum 8362.

Feature	EPYC 73F3	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 73F3 launched at $3521 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($3521 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $3222 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 73F3 delivers 13.1 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 139.2% better value option.