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 7662

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 225W instead of 280W, a 55W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9354 across 25 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (72,298 vs 73,892).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.8 vs 21.6 PassMark/$ ($6,150 MSRP vs $3,420 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while EPYC 9354 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9354

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.9% higher average FPS across 25 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $2,730 less on MSRP ($3,420 MSRP vs $6,150 MSRP).
✅Delivers 83.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 21.6 vs 11.8 PassMark/$ ($3,420 MSRP vs $6,150 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌24.4% higher power demand at 280W vs 225W.

EPYC 7662

2020

EPYC 9354

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 225W instead of 280W, a 55W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.9% higher average FPS across 25 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $2,730 less on MSRP ($3,420 MSRP vs $6,150 MSRP).
✅Delivers 83.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 21.6 vs 11.8 PassMark/$ ($3,420 MSRP vs $6,150 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9354 across 25 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (72,298 vs 73,892).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.8 vs 21.6 PassMark/$ ($6,150 MSRP vs $3,420 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while EPYC 9354 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌24.4% higher power demand at 280W vs 225W.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9354 better than EPYC 7662?

Yes. EPYC 9354 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 10.9% average FPS lead across 25 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, 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 10.9% more average FPS across 25 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 2.2% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads.

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

EPYC 9354 is the smarter buy today. EPYC 9354 is $2,730 cheaper on MSRP at $3,420 MSRP versus $6,150 MSRP, and it gives you a 10.9% average FPS lead across 25 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 83.8% better value on MSRP (21.6 vs 11.8 PassMark/$), 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 9354 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with SP5 and DDR5 instead of SP3, more multi-core headroom with 32 cores / 64 threads instead of 64/128, 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 7662 Benchmark Check

EPYC 9354 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 7662	EPYC 9354
1080p
low	192 FPS	176 FPS
medium	156 FPS	145 FPS
high	125 FPS	125 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	153 FPS
medium	122 FPS	123 FPS
high	94 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	73 FPS	71 FPS
medium	60 FPS	60 FPS
high	47 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	39 FPS

Open EPYC 7662 Open EPYC 9354

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 7662	EPYC 9354
1080p
low	249 FPS	534 FPS
medium	220 FPS	466 FPS
high	182 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	304 FPS
1440p
low	204 FPS	439 FPS
medium	185 FPS	392 FPS
high	158 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	122 FPS	255 FPS
4K
low	127 FPS	270 FPS
medium	117 FPS	246 FPS
high	102 FPS	216 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	179 FPS

Open EPYC 7662 Open EPYC 9354

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 7662	EPYC 9354
1080p
low	722 FPS	673 FPS
medium	590 FPS	562 FPS
high	513 FPS	523 FPS
ultra	446 FPS	455 FPS
1440p
low	587 FPS	511 FPS
medium	486 FPS	426 FPS
high	423 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	337 FPS
4K
low	426 FPS	377 FPS
medium	330 FPS	295 FPS
high	281 FPS	263 FPS
ultra	227 FPS	211 FPS

Open EPYC 7662 Open EPYC 9354

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 7662	EPYC 9354
1080p
low	935 FPS	937 FPS
medium	846 FPS	856 FPS
high	724 FPS	735 FPS
ultra	624 FPS	648 FPS
1440p
low	721 FPS	751 FPS
medium	628 FPS	658 FPS
high	535 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	460 FPS	480 FPS
4K
low	514 FPS	539 FPS
medium	458 FPS	484 FPS
high	400 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	348 FPS	366 FPS

Open EPYC 7662 Open EPYC 9354

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7662 and EPYC 9354

EPYC 7662

The EPYC 7662 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2020-02-19. It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB. L2 cache: 32 MB. Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 225 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 72,298 points. Launch price was $6,700.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 7662 packs 64 cores / 128 threads, while the EPYC 9354 offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the EPYC 7662 has 32 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the EPYC 7662 versus 3.8 GHz on the EPYC 9354 — a 14.1% clock advantage for the EPYC 9354 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.25 GHz). The EPYC 7662 uses the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture (7 nm, 14 nm), while the EPYC 9354 uses Genoa (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7662 scores 72,298 against the EPYC 9354's 73,892 — a 2.2% lead for the EPYC 9354. L3 cache: 256 MB on the EPYC 7662 vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9354.

Feature	EPYC 7662	EPYC 9354
Cores / Threads	64 / 128+100%	32 / 64
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz	3.8 GHz+15%
Base Clock	2 GHz	3.25 GHz+63%
L3 Cache	256 MB	256 MB (total)
L2 Cache	32 MB+3100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 14 nm	5 nm, 6 nm-29%
Architecture	Zen 2 (2017−2020)	Genoa (2022−2023)
PassMark	72,298	73,892+2%

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7662 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the EPYC 9354 uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 3200 on the EPYC 7662 versus 4800 on the EPYC 9354 — the EPYC 9354 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9354 supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 4096 — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (EPYC 7662) vs 12 (EPYC 9354). Both provide 128 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: SP3 (EPYC 7662) and SP5 (EPYC 9354).

Feature	EPYC 7662	EPYC 9354
Socket	SP3	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	3200	4800+50%
Max RAM Capacity	4096	6144+50%
RAM Channels	8	12+50%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	128

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the EPYC 9354 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (EPYC 7662) vs VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9354). Direct competitor: EPYC 7662 rivals Xeon Platinum 8280; EPYC 9354 rivals Xeon Platinum 8468.

Feature	EPYC 7662	EPYC 9354
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 7662 launched at $6150 MSRP, while the EPYC 9354 debuted at $3420. On MSRP ($6150 vs $3420), the EPYC 9354 is $2730 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7662 delivers 11.8 pts/$ vs 21.6 pts/$ for the EPYC 9354 — making the EPYC 9354 the 59.1% better value option.