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 8324PN

2023

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅+1500% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Draws 130W instead of 140W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on SP6 with DDR5 support instead of G34 and older memory support.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Opteron 6386 SE across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Opteron 6386 SE

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.3% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (8,291 vs 8,375).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 128 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,392 MSRP, while EPYC 8324PN mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on G34, while EPYC 8324PN moves to SP6 and DDR5.

EPYC 8324PN

2023

Opteron 6386 SE

2012

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅+1500% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Draws 130W instead of 140W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on SP6 with DDR5 support instead of G34 and older memory support.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.3% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Opteron 6386 SE across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (8,291 vs 8,375).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 128 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,392 MSRP, while EPYC 8324PN mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on G34, while EPYC 8324PN moves to SP6 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 8324PN better than Opteron 6386 SE?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Opteron 6386 SE is ahead with a 5.3% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 8324PN pulls ahead with 1% better PassMark. EPYC 8324PN also has the bigger cache pool with 1500% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 8 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 8324PN is the better fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 1500% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 8 MB).

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

EPYC 8324PN is still the faster CPU overall, but Opteron 6386 SE makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 8324PN is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,392 MSRP, and it gives you 1% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Opteron 6386 SE is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 5.3% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Opteron 6386 SE is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (6.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 8324PN is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2012), a healthier platform with SP6 and DDR5 instead of G34, 1500% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 32 cores / 64 threads instead of 16/16. 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.

EPYC 8324PN Benchmark Check

Opteron 6386 SE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 8324PN	Opteron 6386 SE
1080p
low	159 FPS	162 FPS
medium	131 FPS	140 FPS
high	110 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	92 FPS
1440p
low	142 FPS	135 FPS
medium	114 FPS	114 FPS
high	90 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	63 FPS
medium	58 FPS	56 FPS
high	45 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	35 FPS

Open EPYC 8324PN Open Opteron 6386 SE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 8324PN	Opteron 6386 SE
1080p
low	209 FPS	207 FPS
medium	209 FPS	193 FPS
high	174 FPS	180 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	145 FPS
1440p
low	194 FPS	188 FPS
medium	176 FPS	170 FPS
high	150 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	116 FPS	129 FPS
4K
low	120 FPS	152 FPS
medium	111 FPS	142 FPS
high	97 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	95 FPS

Open EPYC 8324PN Open Opteron 6386 SE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 8324PN	Opteron 6386 SE
1080p
low	209 FPS	207 FPS
medium	209 FPS	207 FPS
high	209 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	207 FPS
1440p
low	209 FPS	207 FPS
medium	209 FPS	207 FPS
high	209 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	207 FPS
4K
low	209 FPS	207 FPS
medium	209 FPS	207 FPS
high	209 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	207 FPS

Open EPYC 8324PN Open Opteron 6386 SE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 8324PN	Opteron 6386 SE
1080p
low	209 FPS	207 FPS
medium	209 FPS	207 FPS
high	209 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	207 FPS
1440p
low	209 FPS	207 FPS
medium	209 FPS	207 FPS
high	209 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	207 FPS
4K
low	209 FPS	207 FPS
medium	209 FPS	207 FPS
high	209 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	207 FPS

Open EPYC 8324PN Open Opteron 6386 SE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 8324PN and Opteron 6386 SE

EPYC 8324PN

The EPYC 8324PN 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 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2.05 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 8,375 points. Launch price was $2,125.

Opteron 6386 SE

The Opteron 6386 SE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Abu Dhabi (2012) architecture. It features 16 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: G34. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 8,291 points. Launch price was $2,408.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 8324PN packs 32 cores / 64 threads, while the Opteron 6386 SE offers 16 cores / 16 threads — the EPYC 8324PN has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the EPYC 8324PN versus 3.5 GHz on the Opteron 6386 SE — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Opteron 6386 SE (base: 2.05 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The EPYC 8324PN uses the Siena (2023−2024) architecture (5 nm), while the Opteron 6386 SE uses Abu Dhabi (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 8324PN scores 8,375 against the Opteron 6386 SE's 8,291 — a 1% lead for the EPYC 8324PN. L3 cache: 128 MB (total) on the EPYC 8324PN vs 8 MB (total) on the Opteron 6386 SE.

Feature	EPYC 8324PN	Opteron 6386 SE
Cores / Threads	32 / 64+100%	16 / 16
Boost Clock	3 GHz	3.5 GHz+17%
Base Clock	2.05 GHz	2.8 GHz+37%
L3 Cache	128 MB (total)+1500%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	16 MB+1500%
Process	5 nm-84%	32 nm
Architecture	Siena (2023−2024)	Abu Dhabi (2012)
PassMark	8,375+1%	8,291

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 8324PN uses the SP6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Opteron 6386 SE uses G34 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.