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 9275F

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +52.7% higher average FPS across 22 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 24.6 vs 121.5 PassMark/$ ($3,439 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).
❌392.3% higher power demand at 320W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5500

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,280 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $3,439 MSRP).
✅Delivers 393.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 121.5 vs 24.6 PassMark/$ ($159 MSRP vs $3,439 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 320W, a 255W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9275F across 22 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,311 vs 84,620).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9275F, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while EPYC 9275F moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9275F

2024

Ryzen 5 5500

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +52.7% higher average FPS across 22 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,280 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $3,439 MSRP).
✅Delivers 393.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 121.5 vs 24.6 PassMark/$ ($159 MSRP vs $3,439 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 320W, a 255W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 24.6 vs 121.5 PassMark/$ ($3,439 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).
❌392.3% higher power demand at 320W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9275F across 22 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,311 vs 84,620).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9275F, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while EPYC 9275F moves to SP5 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9275F better than Ryzen 5 5500?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9275F makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 5500 is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 9275F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 52.7% more average FPS across 22 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 16 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9275F is the better fit. You are getting 338.2% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 1500% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 16 MB).

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

EPYC 9275F is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5500 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9275F is 2062.9% more expensive on MSRP at $3,439 MSRP versus $159 MSRP, and it gives you a 52.7% average FPS lead across 22 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5500 is also 393.6% better value on MSRP (121.5 vs 24.6 PassMark/$), 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 9275F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022), a healthier platform with SP5 and DDR5 instead of AM4, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 256 MB L3 cache instead of 16 MB, more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 6/12, 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.

EPYC 9275F Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5500 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9275F	Ryzen 5 5500
1080p
low	315 FPS	181 FPS
medium	290 FPS	150 FPS
high	241 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	278 FPS	153 FPS
medium	230 FPS	124 FPS
high	178 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	159 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	191 FPS	70 FPS
medium	157 FPS	61 FPS
high	120 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	38 FPS

Open EPYC 9275F Open Ryzen 5 5500

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9275F	Ryzen 5 5500
1080p
low	725 FPS	329 FPS
medium	618 FPS	285 FPS
high	485 FPS	254 FPS
ultra	421 FPS	221 FPS
1440p
low	579 FPS	291 FPS
medium	510 FPS	258 FPS
high	419 FPS	233 FPS
ultra	341 FPS	201 FPS
4K
low	338 FPS	229 FPS
medium	300 FPS	206 FPS
high	270 FPS	189 FPS
ultra	239 FPS	162 FPS

Open EPYC 9275F Open Ryzen 5 5500

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9275F	Ryzen 5 5500
1080p
low	923 FPS	483 FPS
medium	748 FPS	483 FPS
high	675 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	572 FPS	406 FPS
1440p
low	724 FPS	483 FPS
medium	584 FPS	411 FPS
high	515 FPS	361 FPS
ultra	433 FPS	300 FPS
4K
low	511 FPS	340 FPS
medium	421 FPS	285 FPS
high	374 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	192 FPS

Open EPYC 9275F Open Ryzen 5 5500

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9275F	Ryzen 5 5500
1080p
low	1141 FPS	483 FPS
medium	1015 FPS	483 FPS
high	902 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	813 FPS	483 FPS
1440p
low	891 FPS	483 FPS
medium	785 FPS	483 FPS
high	689 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	600 FPS	425 FPS
4K
low	650 FPS	448 FPS
medium	580 FPS	404 FPS
high	515 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	308 FPS

Open EPYC 9275F Open Ryzen 5 5500

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9275F and Ryzen 5 5500

EPYC 9275F

The EPYC 9275F is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 4.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 320 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 84,620 points. Launch price was $3,439.

Ryzen 5 5500

The Ryzen 5 5500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,311 points. Launch price was $159.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 9275F packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5500 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the EPYC 9275F has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the EPYC 9275F versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500 — a 13.3% clock advantage for the EPYC 9275F (base: 4.1 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The EPYC 9275F uses the Turin (2024) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5500 uses Cezanne (2021−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9275F scores 84,620 against the Ryzen 5 5500's 19,311 — a 125.7% lead for the EPYC 9275F. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9275F vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 5 5500.

Feature	EPYC 9275F	Ryzen 5 5500
Cores / Threads	24 / 48+300%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+14%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	4.1 GHz+14%	3.6 GHz
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)+1500%	16 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	4 nm-43%	7 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Cezanne (2021−2025)
PassMark	84,620+338%	19,311

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9275F uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 5500 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 6000 on the EPYC 9275F versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5500 — the EPYC 9275F supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9275F supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 191.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9275F) vs 2 (Ryzen 5 5500). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9275F) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5500) — the EPYC 9275F offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9275F) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series (Ryzen 5 5500).

Feature	EPYC 9275F	Ryzen 5 5500
Socket	SP5	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	6000+149900%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	6144	128 GB+2184433%
RAM Channels	12+500%	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	128+433%	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5500 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the EPYC 9275F supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9275F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5500). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5500 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 9275F rivals Xeon 6980P.

Feature	EPYC 9275F	Ryzen 5 5500
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9275F launched at $3439 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5500 debuted at $159. On MSRP ($3439 vs $159), the Ryzen 5 5500 is $3280 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9275F delivers 24.6 pts/$ vs 121.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5500 — making the Ryzen 5 5500 the 132.6% better value option.