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 7473X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 256 MB).
✅Costs $875 less on MSRP ($3,900 MSRP vs $4,775 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 15.2 vs 12.4 PassMark/$ ($3,900 MSRP vs $4,775 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (59,280 vs 59,333).

EPYC 7642

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 225W instead of 240W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7473X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 768 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.4 vs 15.2 PassMark/$ ($4,775 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).

EPYC 7473X

2022

EPYC 7642

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 256 MB).
✅Costs $875 less on MSRP ($3,900 MSRP vs $4,775 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 15.2 vs 12.4 PassMark/$ ($3,900 MSRP vs $4,775 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 225W instead of 240W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (59,280 vs 59,333).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7473X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 768 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.4 vs 15.2 PassMark/$ ($4,775 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 7473X better than EPYC 7642?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, EPYC 7473X is ahead with a 8.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7642 pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark. EPYC 7473X 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 7642 is the better fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 48 cores and 96 threads.

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

EPYC 7473X is the smarter buy today. EPYC 7473X is $875 cheaper on MSRP at $3,900 MSRP versus $4,775 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 7642 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.1% better PassMark. It is also 22.3% better value on MSRP (15.2 vs 12.4 PassMark/$), 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 7473X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019) and 200% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 256 MB). 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 7473X Benchmark Check

EPYC 7642 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 7473X	EPYC 7642
1080p
low	205 FPS	192 FPS
medium	167 FPS	172 FPS
high	136 FPS	138 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	163 FPS	157 FPS
medium	127 FPS	132 FPS
high	100 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	72 FPS
medium	61 FPS	65 FPS
high	48 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	40 FPS	40 FPS

Open EPYC 7473X Open EPYC 7642

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 7473X	EPYC 7642
1080p
low	561 FPS	427 FPS
medium	490 FPS	381 FPS
high	390 FPS	312 FPS
ultra	316 FPS	249 FPS
1440p
low	461 FPS	351 FPS
medium	413 FPS	321 FPS
high	338 FPS	271 FPS
ultra	266 FPS	210 FPS
4K
low	284 FPS	216 FPS
medium	258 FPS	202 FPS
high	225 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	187 FPS	139 FPS

Open EPYC 7473X Open EPYC 7642

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 7473X	EPYC 7642
1080p
low	865 FPS	629 FPS
medium	717 FPS	536 FPS
high	668 FPS	486 FPS
ultra	590 FPS	415 FPS
1440p
low	622 FPS	524 FPS
medium	514 FPS	446 FPS
high	472 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	412 FPS	338 FPS
4K
low	444 FPS	389 FPS
medium	345 FPS	312 FPS
high	308 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	224 FPS

Open EPYC 7473X Open EPYC 7642

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 7473X	EPYC 7642
1080p
low	994 FPS	909 FPS
medium	902 FPS	829 FPS
high	777 FPS	715 FPS
ultra	672 FPS	619 FPS
1440p
low	768 FPS	714 FPS
medium	670 FPS	624 FPS
high	573 FPS	535 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	455 FPS
4K
low	551 FPS	505 FPS
medium	491 FPS	455 FPS
high	431 FPS	401 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	346 FPS

Open EPYC 7473X Open EPYC 7642

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7473X and EPYC 7642

EPYC 7473X

The EPYC 7473X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2022-03-01. It is based on the Milan-X (2022) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 768 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 240 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 59,280 points. Launch price was $3,900.

EPYC 7642

The EPYC 7642 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 48 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 225 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 59,333 points. Launch price was $4,775.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 7473X packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the EPYC 7642 offers 48 cores / 96 threads — the EPYC 7642 has 24 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 7473X versus 3.4 GHz on the EPYC 7642 — a 8.5% clock advantage for the EPYC 7473X (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The EPYC 7473X uses the Milan-X (2022) architecture (7 nm), while the EPYC 7642 uses Zen 2 (2017−2020) (7 nm, 14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7473X scores 59,280 against the EPYC 7642's 59,333 — a 0.1% lead for the EPYC 7642. L3 cache: 768 MB (total) on the EPYC 7473X vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 7642.

Feature	EPYC 7473X	EPYC 7642
Cores / Threads	24 / 48	48 / 96+100%
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+9%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.8 GHz+17%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	768 MB (total)+200%	256 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm	7 nm, 14 nm
Architecture	Milan-X (2022)	Zen 2 (2017−2020)
PassMark	59,280	59,333

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7473X uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the EPYC 7642 uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to 3200 memory speed. Both support up to 4096 of RAM. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 128 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: SP3 (EPYC 7473X) and SP3 (EPYC 7642).

Feature	EPYC 7473X	EPYC 7642
Socket	SP3	TR4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	3200	3200
Max RAM Capacity	4096	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	128

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Direct competitor: EPYC 7473X rivals Xeon Platinum 8380; EPYC 7642 rivals Xeon Platinum 8380.

Feature	EPYC 7473X	EPYC 7642
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

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Value Analysis

The EPYC 7473X launched at $3900 MSRP, while the EPYC 7642 debuted at $4775. On MSRP ($3900 vs $4775), the EPYC 7473X is $875 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7473X delivers 15.2 pts/$ vs 12.4 pts/$ for the EPYC 7642 — making the EPYC 7473X the 20.1% better value option.