EPYC 9135 vs Xeon Gold 6421N

CPU

GPU

EPYC 9135

16 Cores32 Thrd200 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2024

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Xeon Gold 6421N

32 Cores64 Thrd185 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2023

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

EPYC 9135

16 / 32

57,808

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

Xeon Gold 6421N

32 / 64

58,797

+1.7%

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.

EPYC 9135

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,154 less on MSRP ($1,214 MSRP vs $2,368 MSRP).
✅Delivers 91.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 47.6 vs 24.8 PassMark/$ ($1,214 MSRP vs $2,368 MSRP).
✅60% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (57,808 vs 58,797).

Xeon Gold 6421N

2023

Why buy it

✅+1.7% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 185W instead of 200W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 24.8 vs 47.6 PassMark/$ ($2,368 MSRP vs $1,214 MSRP).

EPYC 9135

2024

Xeon Gold 6421N

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,154 less on MSRP ($1,214 MSRP vs $2,368 MSRP).
✅Delivers 91.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 47.6 vs 24.8 PassMark/$ ($1,214 MSRP vs $2,368 MSRP).
✅60% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+1.7% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 185W instead of 200W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (57,808 vs 58,797).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 24.8 vs 47.6 PassMark/$ ($2,368 MSRP vs $1,214 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9135 better than Xeon Gold 6421N?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, EPYC 9135 is ahead with a 1.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6421N pulls ahead with 1.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6421N is the better fit. You are getting 1.7% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads.

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

EPYC 9135 is the smarter buy today. EPYC 9135 is $1,154 cheaper on MSRP at $1,214 MSRP versus $2,368 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon Gold 6421N is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.7% better PassMark. It is also 91.8% better value on MSRP (47.6 vs 24.8 PassMark/$), 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 9135 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023). 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 9135 Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6421N Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9135	Xeon Gold 6421N
1080p
low	172 FPS	200 FPS
medium	139 FPS	165 FPS
high	119 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	152 FPS	159 FPS
medium	120 FPS	124 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	73 FPS
medium	69 FPS	61 FPS
high	55 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	39 FPS

Open EPYC 9135 Open Xeon Gold 6421N

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9135	Xeon Gold 6421N
1080p
low	496 FPS	239 FPS
medium	439 FPS	213 FPS
high	341 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	293 FPS	143 FPS
1440p
low	427 FPS	201 FPS
medium	382 FPS	182 FPS
high	309 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	248 FPS	122 FPS
4K
low	267 FPS	125 FPS
medium	242 FPS	116 FPS
high	211 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	183 FPS	83 FPS

Open EPYC 9135 Open Xeon Gold 6421N

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9135	Xeon Gold 6421N
1080p
low	729 FPS	956 FPS
medium	607 FPS	837 FPS
high	552 FPS	793 FPS
ultra	489 FPS	705 FPS
1440p
low	559 FPS	774 FPS
medium	463 FPS	668 FPS
high	415 FPS	623 FPS
ultra	362 FPS	555 FPS
4K
low	407 FPS	495 FPS
medium	325 FPS	391 FPS
high	287 FPS	342 FPS
ultra	232 FPS	279 FPS

Open EPYC 9135 Open Xeon Gold 6421N

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9135	Xeon Gold 6421N
1080p
low	929 FPS	923 FPS
medium	846 FPS	832 FPS
high	732 FPS	717 FPS
ultra	660 FPS	619 FPS
1440p
low	735 FPS	715 FPS
medium	652 FPS	627 FPS
high	561 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	524 FPS	516 FPS
medium	475 FPS	460 FPS
high	417 FPS	404 FPS
ultra	365 FPS	349 FPS

Open EPYC 9135 Open Xeon Gold 6421N

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9135 and Xeon Gold 6421N

EPYC 9135

The EPYC 9135 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.65 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 200 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 57,808 points. Launch price was $1,214.

Xeon Gold 6421N

The Xeon Gold 6421N is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 60 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 185 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 58,797 points. Launch price was $2,368.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9135 packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6421N offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Xeon Gold 6421N has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the EPYC 9135 versus 3.6 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6421N — a 17.7% clock advantage for the EPYC 9135 (base: 3.65 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The EPYC 9135 uses the Turin (2024) architecture (4 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6421N uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9135 scores 57,808 against the Xeon Gold 6421N's 58,797 — a 1.7% lead for the Xeon Gold 6421N. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 9135 vs 60 MB on the Xeon Gold 6421N.

Feature	EPYC 9135	Xeon Gold 6421N
Cores / Threads	16 / 32	32 / 64+100%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+19%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.65 GHz+103%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)+7%	60 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+100%
Process	4 nm-43%	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	57,808	58,797+2%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9135 uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Gold 6421N uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 6000 on the EPYC 9135 versus 4800 on the Xeon Gold 6421N — the EPYC 9135 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9135 supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 4096 — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9135) vs 8 (Xeon Gold 6421N). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9135) vs 80 (Xeon Gold 6421N) — the EPYC 9135 offers 48 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9135) and C741 (Xeon Gold 6421N).

Feature	EPYC 9135	Xeon Gold 6421N
Socket	SP5	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	6000+25%	4800
Max RAM Capacity	6144+50%	4096
RAM Channels	12+50%	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+60%	80

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Direct competitor: EPYC 9135 rivals Xeon Platinum 8558P; Xeon Gold 6421N rivals EPYC 9354.

Feature	EPYC 9135	Xeon Gold 6421N
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9135 launched at $1214 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6421N debuted at $2368. On MSRP ($1214 vs $2368), the EPYC 9135 is $1154 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9135 delivers 47.6 pts/$ vs 24.8 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6421N — making the EPYC 9135 the 62.9% better value option.