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 7742

2019

Why buy it

✅+209.6% higher PassMark.
✅+700% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 64 cores / 128 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.0 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($6,950 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌246.2% higher power demand at 225W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +56.6% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $6,621 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $6,950 MSRP).
✅Delivers 582.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 10.0 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $6,950 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 225W, a 160W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 69,448).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7742, which brings 64 cores / 128 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 7742

2019

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅+209.6% higher PassMark.
✅+700% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 64 cores / 128 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +56.6% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $6,621 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $6,950 MSRP).
✅Delivers 582.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 10.0 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $6,950 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 225W, a 160W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.0 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($6,950 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌246.2% higher power demand at 225W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 69,448).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7742, which brings 64 cores / 128 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than EPYC 7742?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7742 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 7 3700X is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7742 is the better fit. You are getting 209.6% better PassMark, backed by 64 cores and 128 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?

Ryzen 7 3700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 3700X is $6,621 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $6,950 MSRP, and it gives you a 56.6% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 7742 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 209.6% better PassMark. It is also 582.3% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 10.0 PassMark/$), 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 7 3700X is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

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 7742 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 3700X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 7742	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	192 FPS	200 FPS
medium	172 FPS	163 FPS
high	138 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	157 FPS	156 FPS
medium	132 FPS	121 FPS
high	101 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	72 FPS	84 FPS
medium	65 FPS	71 FPS
high	50 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	40 FPS	44 FPS

Open EPYC 7742 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 7742	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	247 FPS	561 FPS
medium	221 FPS	525 FPS
high	183 FPS	428 FPS
ultra	148 FPS	383 FPS
1440p
low	202 FPS	545 FPS
medium	186 FPS	471 FPS
high	158 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	337 FPS
4K
low	126 FPS	350 FPS
medium	118 FPS	304 FPS
high	103 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	242 FPS

Open EPYC 7742 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 7742	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	629 FPS	561 FPS
medium	536 FPS	561 FPS
high	486 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	415 FPS	561 FPS
1440p
low	524 FPS	561 FPS
medium	446 FPS	561 FPS
high	394 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	338 FPS	470 FPS
4K
low	389 FPS	499 FPS
medium	312 FPS	394 FPS
high	274 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	224 FPS	275 FPS

Open EPYC 7742 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 7742	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	906 FPS	561 FPS
medium	828 FPS	561 FPS
high	713 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	618 FPS	561 FPS
1440p
low	711 FPS	561 FPS
medium	623 FPS	561 FPS
high	534 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	454 FPS	555 FPS
4K
low	503 FPS	561 FPS
medium	454 FPS	501 FPS
high	401 FPS	447 FPS
ultra	346 FPS	396 FPS

Open EPYC 7742 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7742 and Ryzen 7 3700X

EPYC 7742

The EPYC 7742 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 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 2.25 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: 69,448 points. Launch price was $6,950.

Ryzen 7 3700X

The Ryzen 7 3700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 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 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,430 points. Launch price was $329.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 7742 packs 64 cores / 128 threads, while the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the EPYC 7742 has 56 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the EPYC 7742 versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X — a 25.6% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 3700X (base: 2.25 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The EPYC 7742 uses the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture (7 nm, 14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7742 scores 69,448 against the Ryzen 7 3700X's 22,430 — a 102.3% lead for the EPYC 7742. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 7742 vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X.

Feature	EPYC 7742	Ryzen 7 3700X
Cores / Threads	64 / 128+700%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz	4.4 GHz+29%
Base Clock	2.25 GHz	3.6 GHz+60%
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)+700%	32 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 14 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Zen 2 (2017−2020)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	69,448+210%	22,430

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7742 uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 3200 on the EPYC 7742 versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 3700X — the EPYC 7742 supports 199.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7742 supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (EPYC 7742) vs 2 (Ryzen 7 3700X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 7742) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 3700X) — the EPYC 7742 offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3 (EPYC 7742) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 3700X).

Feature	EPYC 7742	Ryzen 7 3700X
Socket	TR4	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

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (EPYC 7742) / not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X). Direct competitor: EPYC 7742 rivals Xeon Platinum 8280.

Feature	EPYC 7742	Ryzen 7 3700X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 7742 launched at $6950 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 3700X debuted at $329. On MSRP ($6950 vs $329), the Ryzen 7 3700X is $6621 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7742 delivers 10.0 pts/$ vs 68.2 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 3700X — making the Ryzen 7 3700X the 148.9% better value option.