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 8534P

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 200W instead of 280W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (71,900 vs 73,892).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (128 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.0 vs 21.6 PassMark/$ ($5,529 MSRP vs $3,420 MSRP).

EPYC 9354

2022

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 128 MB).
✅Costs $2,109 less on MSRP ($3,420 MSRP vs $5,529 MSRP).
✅Delivers 66.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 21.6 vs 13.0 PassMark/$ ($3,420 MSRP vs $5,529 MSRP).
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 96) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌40% higher power demand at 280W vs 200W.

EPYC 8534P

2023

EPYC 9354

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 200W instead of 280W, a 80W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 128 MB).
✅Costs $2,109 less on MSRP ($3,420 MSRP vs $5,529 MSRP).
✅Delivers 66.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 21.6 vs 13.0 PassMark/$ ($3,420 MSRP vs $5,529 MSRP).
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 96) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (71,900 vs 73,892).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (128 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.0 vs 21.6 PassMark/$ ($5,529 MSRP vs $3,420 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌40% higher power demand at 280W vs 200W.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9354 better than EPYC 8534P?

Yes. EPYC 9354 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.8% average FPS lead across 11 shared CPU game tests in our data and 2.8% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 9354 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.8% more average FPS across 11 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9354 is the better fit. You are getting 2.8% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 128 MB).

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

EPYC 9354 is the smarter buy today. EPYC 9354 is $2,109 cheaper on MSRP at $3,420 MSRP versus $5,529 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.8% average FPS lead across 11 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 66.1% better value on MSRP (21.6 vs 13.0 PassMark/$), 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?

EPYC 8534P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022). 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 8534P Benchmark Check

EPYC 9354 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 8534P	EPYC 9354
1080p
low	159 FPS	176 FPS
medium	131 FPS	145 FPS
high	110 FPS	125 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	142 FPS	153 FPS
medium	114 FPS	123 FPS
high	90 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	71 FPS
medium	58 FPS	60 FPS
high	45 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	39 FPS

Open EPYC 8534P Open EPYC 9354

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 8534P	EPYC 9354
1080p
low	415 FPS	534 FPS
medium	365 FPS	466 FPS
high	297 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	233 FPS	304 FPS
1440p
low	341 FPS	439 FPS
medium	308 FPS	392 FPS
high	258 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	255 FPS
4K
low	210 FPS	270 FPS
medium	193 FPS	246 FPS
high	162 FPS	216 FPS
ultra	130 FPS	179 FPS

Open EPYC 8534P Open EPYC 9354

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 8534P	EPYC 9354
1080p
low	860 FPS	673 FPS
medium	786 FPS	562 FPS
high	760 FPS	523 FPS
ultra	682 FPS	455 FPS
1440p
low	663 FPS	511 FPS
medium	587 FPS	426 FPS
high	558 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	498 FPS	337 FPS
4K
low	435 FPS	377 FPS
medium	344 FPS	295 FPS
high	307 FPS	263 FPS
ultra	250 FPS	211 FPS

Open EPYC 8534P Open EPYC 9354

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 8534P	EPYC 9354
1080p
low	1022 FPS	937 FPS
medium	912 FPS	856 FPS
high	771 FPS	735 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	648 FPS
1440p
low	832 FPS	751 FPS
medium	711 FPS	658 FPS
high	597 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	491 FPS	480 FPS
4K
low	599 FPS	539 FPS
medium	523 FPS	484 FPS
high	451 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	366 FPS

Open EPYC 8534P Open EPYC 9354

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 8534P and EPYC 9354

EPYC 8534P

The EPYC 8534P 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 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 200 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 71,900 points. Launch price was $4,950.

EPYC 9354

The EPYC 9354 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 November 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 3.25 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 73,892 points. Launch price was $3,420.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 8534P packs 64 cores / 128 threads, while the EPYC 9354 offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the EPYC 8534P has 32 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the EPYC 8534P versus 3.8 GHz on the EPYC 9354 — a 20.3% clock advantage for the EPYC 9354 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.25 GHz). The EPYC 8534P uses the Siena (2023−2024) architecture (5 nm), while the EPYC 9354 uses Genoa (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 8534P scores 71,900 against the EPYC 9354's 73,892 — a 2.7% lead for the EPYC 9354. L3 cache: 128 MB (total) on the EPYC 8534P vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9354.

Feature	EPYC 8534P	EPYC 9354
Cores / Threads	64 / 128+100%	32 / 64
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz	3.8 GHz+23%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	3.25 GHz+41%
L3 Cache	128 MB (total)	256 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm	5 nm, 6 nm
Architecture	Siena (2023−2024)	Genoa (2022−2023)
PassMark	71,900	73,892+3%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,678	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,882	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 8534P uses the SP6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the EPYC 9354 uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the EPYC 8534P versus 4800 on the EPYC 9354 — the EPYC 9354 supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9354 supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 1152 GB — 136.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 6 (EPYC 8534P) vs 12 (EPYC 9354). PCIe lanes: 96 (EPYC 8534P) vs 128 (EPYC 9354) — the EPYC 9354 offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP6 (EPYC 8534P) and SP5 (EPYC 9354).

Feature	EPYC 8534P	EPYC 9354
Socket	SP6	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	4800+95900%
Max RAM Capacity	1152 GB+19660700%	6144
RAM Channels	6	12+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	96	128+33%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: AMD-V (EPYC 8534P) vs VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9354). Primary use case: EPYC 8534P targets Cloud Server. Direct competitor: EPYC 8534P rivals Xeon Platinum 8452Y; EPYC 9354 rivals Xeon Platinum 8468.

Feature	EPYC 8534P	EPYC 9354
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP
Target Use	Cloud Server	—

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 8534P launched at $5529 MSRP, while the EPYC 9354 debuted at $3420. On MSRP ($5529 vs $3420), the EPYC 9354 is $2109 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 8534P delivers 13.0 pts/$ vs 21.6 pts/$ for the EPYC 9354 — making the EPYC 9354 the 49.7% better value option.