Core i7-9700K vs EPYC 8124P

CPU

GPU

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

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EPYC 8124P

16 Cores32 Thrd125 WWMax: 3 GHz2023

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-9700K

8 / 8

14,397

0.0%

36,079

+150.6%

Ryzen Embedded V3C48

Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350

Ryzen 7 5800XT

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

About PassMark

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.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $254 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $639 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 125W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while EPYC 8124P needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 36,079).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 8124P, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 96 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 56.5 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $639 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while EPYC 8124P moves to SP6 and DDR5.

EPYC 8124P

2023

Why buy it

✅+150.6% higher PassMark.
✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 96 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Delivers 51.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 56.5 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($639 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on SP6 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌
66% HIGHER MSRP
$639 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌31.6% higher power demand at 125W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

EPYC 8124P

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $254 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $639 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 125W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while EPYC 8124P needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+150.6% higher PassMark.
✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 96 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Delivers 51.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 56.5 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($639 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on SP6 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 36,079).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 8124P, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 96 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 56.5 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $639 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while EPYC 8124P moves to SP6 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌
66% HIGHER MSRP
$639 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌31.6% higher power demand at 125W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 8124P better than Core i7-9700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 8124P makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-9700K 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 8124P is the better fit. You are getting 150.6% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).

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

EPYC 8124P is the smarter buy today. EPYC 8124P is 66.0% more expensive on MSRP at $639 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you 150.6% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i7-9700K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.2% average FPS lead across 37 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 51.0% better value on MSRP (56.5 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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 8124P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2018), a healthier platform with SP6 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB), more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 8/8, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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.

Core i7-9700K Benchmark Check

EPYC 8124P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 8124P
1080p
low	308 FPS	153 FPS
medium	278 FPS	125 FPS
high	231 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	83 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	139 FPS
medium	221 FPS	111 FPS
high	178 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	70 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	67 FPS
medium	140 FPS	57 FPS
high	108 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 8124P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 8124P
1080p
low	360 FPS	387 FPS
medium	321 FPS	344 FPS
high	291 FPS	281 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	224 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	327 FPS
medium	282 FPS	296 FPS
high	258 FPS	250 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	191 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	202 FPS
medium	221 FPS	186 FPS
high	208 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	127 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 8124P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 8124P
1080p
low	360 FPS	856 FPS
medium	360 FPS	767 FPS
high	360 FPS	743 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	667 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	660 FPS
medium	360 FPS	573 FPS
high	360 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	487 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	432 FPS
medium	360 FPS	341 FPS
high	360 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	250 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 8124P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 8124P
1080p
low	360 FPS	902 FPS
medium	360 FPS	902 FPS
high	360 FPS	769 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	647 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	823 FPS
medium	360 FPS	707 FPS
high	360 FPS	596 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	488 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	596 FPS
medium	360 FPS	521 FPS
high	360 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	372 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 8124P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and EPYC 8124P

Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

EPYC 8124P

The EPYC 8124P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 18 September 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Siena (2023−2024) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.45 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 36,079 points. Launch price was $639.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the EPYC 8124P offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the EPYC 8124P has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 3 GHz on the EPYC 8124P — a 48.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.45 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 8124P uses Siena (2023−2024) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the EPYC 8124P's 36,079 — a 85.9% lead for the EPYC 8124P. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 8124P.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 8124P
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	16 / 32+100%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+63%	3 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+47%	2.45 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+433%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	5 nm-64%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Siena (2023−2024)
PassMark	14,397	36,079+151%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 8124P uses SP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus 4800 on the EPYC 8124P — the EPYC 8124P supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 8124P supports up to 2048 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-9700K) vs 6 (EPYC 8124P). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 96 (EPYC 8124P) — the EPYC 8124P offers 80 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and SP6 (EPYC 8124P).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 8124P
Socket	LGA1151	SP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	4800+119900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+6553500%	2048
RAM Channels	2	6+200%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	96+500%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-9700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the EPYC 8124P supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs AMD-V, IOMMU (EPYC 8124P). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the EPYC 8124P requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 8124P rivals Xeon Gold 6426Y.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 8124P
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V, IOMMU
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the EPYC 8124P debuted at $639. On MSRP ($385 vs $639), the Core i7-9700K is $254 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 56.5 pts/$ for the EPYC 8124P — making the EPYC 8124P the 40.6% better value option.