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 7551P

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (38,111 vs 38,955).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.1 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($2,100 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌71.4% higher power demand at 180W vs 105W.

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +61.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,551 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $2,100 MSRP).
✅Delivers 291.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 18.1 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $2,100 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 180W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7551P, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

EPYC 7551P

2017

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +61.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,551 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $2,100 MSRP).
✅Delivers 291.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 18.1 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $2,100 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 180W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (38,111 vs 38,955).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.1 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($2,100 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌71.4% higher power demand at 180W vs 105W.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7551P, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than EPYC 7551P?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7551P makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 5900X 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, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 61.2% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better fit. You are getting 2.2% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 5900X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 5900X is $1,551 cheaper on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $2,100 MSRP, and it gives you a 61.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 291.0% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 18.1 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 9 5900X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 32/64. 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 7551P Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 5900X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 7551P	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	187 FPS	323 FPS
medium	165 FPS	291 FPS
high	132 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	307 FPS
medium	127 FPS	248 FPS
high	97 FPS	192 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	157 FPS
4K
low	71 FPS	193 FPS
medium	63 FPS	156 FPS
high	48 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	103 FPS

Open EPYC 7551P Open Ryzen 9 5900X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 7551P	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	207 FPS	772 FPS
medium	188 FPS	647 FPS
high	160 FPS	508 FPS
ultra	131 FPS	450 FPS
1440p
low	178 FPS	619 FPS
medium	163 FPS	536 FPS
high	141 FPS	443 FPS
ultra	111 FPS	364 FPS
4K
low	112 FPS	365 FPS
medium	103 FPS	318 FPS
high	92 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	255 FPS

Open EPYC 7551P Open Ryzen 9 5900X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 7551P	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	620 FPS	832 FPS
medium	518 FPS	645 FPS
high	466 FPS	558 FPS
ultra	399 FPS	459 FPS
1440p
low	517 FPS	721 FPS
medium	432 FPS	565 FPS
high	378 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	325 FPS	407 FPS
4K
low	383 FPS	511 FPS
medium	308 FPS	421 FPS
high	270 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	220 FPS	308 FPS

Open EPYC 7551P Open Ryzen 9 5900X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 7551P	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	834 FPS	974 FPS
medium	758 FPS	974 FPS
high	651 FPS	934 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	826 FPS
1440p
low	667 FPS	959 FPS
medium	584 FPS	843 FPS
high	500 FPS	726 FPS
ultra	420 FPS	617 FPS
4K
low	475 FPS	694 FPS
medium	427 FPS	621 FPS
high	375 FPS	541 FPS
ultra	320 FPS	437 FPS

Open EPYC 7551P Open Ryzen 9 5900X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7551P and Ryzen 9 5900X

EPYC 7551P

The EPYC 7551P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Naples (2017−2018) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 38,111 points. Launch price was $2,100.

Ryzen 9 5900X

The Ryzen 9 5900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 38,955 points. Launch price was $549.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 7551P packs 32 cores / 64 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5900X offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the EPYC 7551P has 20 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the EPYC 7551P versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X — a 46.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X (base: 2 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The EPYC 7551P uses the Naples (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7551P scores 38,111 against the Ryzen 9 5900X's 38,955 — a 2.2% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 7551P vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X.

Feature	EPYC 7551P	Ryzen 9 5900X
Cores / Threads	32 / 64+167%	12 / 24
Boost Clock	3 GHz	4.8 GHz+60%
Base Clock	2 GHz	3.7 GHz+85%
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)	64 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-50%
Architecture	Naples (2017−2018)	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	38,111	38,955+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	21,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,174
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	11,888

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7551P uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 2666 on the EPYC 7551P versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 9 5900X — the EPYC 7551P supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7551P supports up to 2048 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (EPYC 7551P) vs 2 (Ryzen 9 5900X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 7551P) vs 24 (Ryzen 9 5900X) — the EPYC 7551P offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3 (EPYC 7551P) and A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 9 5900X).

Feature	EPYC 7551P	Ryzen 9 5900X
Socket	TR4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	2666+66550%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	2048	128 GB+6553500%
RAM Channels	8+300%	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+433%	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 5900X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the EPYC 7551P supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V, IOMMU (EPYC 7551P) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5900X). Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: EPYC 7551P rivals Xeon Platinum 8160; Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K.

Feature	EPYC 7551P	Ryzen 9 5900X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	AMD-V, IOMMU	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 7551P launched at $2100 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 5900X debuted at $549. On MSRP ($2100 vs $549), the Ryzen 9 5900X is $1551 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7551P delivers 18.1 pts/$ vs 71.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 5900X — making the Ryzen 9 5900X the 118.5% better value option.