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 9255

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +27.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $925 less on MSRP ($2,495 MSRP vs $3,420 MSRP).
✅Delivers 40.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 30.4 vs 21.6 PassMark/$ ($2,495 MSRP vs $3,420 MSRP).
✅Draws 200W instead of 280W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (128 MB vs 256 MB).

EPYC 9354

2022

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 128 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9255 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (73,892 vs 75,809).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.6 vs 30.4 PassMark/$ ($3,420 MSRP vs $2,495 MSRP).
❌40% higher power demand at 280W vs 200W.

EPYC 9255

2024

EPYC 9354

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +27.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $925 less on MSRP ($2,495 MSRP vs $3,420 MSRP).
✅Delivers 40.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 30.4 vs 21.6 PassMark/$ ($2,495 MSRP vs $3,420 MSRP).
✅Draws 200W instead of 280W, a 80W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 128 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (128 MB vs 256 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9255 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (73,892 vs 75,809).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.6 vs 30.4 PassMark/$ ($3,420 MSRP vs $2,495 MSRP).
❌40% higher power demand at 280W vs 200W.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9255 better than EPYC 9354?

Yes. EPYC 9255 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 27.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2.6% 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 9255 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 27.9% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9255 is the better fit. You are getting 2.6% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads.

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

EPYC 9255 is the smarter buy today. EPYC 9255 is $925 cheaper on MSRP at $2,495 MSRP versus $3,420 MSRP, and it gives you a 27.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 40.6% better value on MSRP (30.4 vs 21.6 PassMark/$), 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 9255 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 32/64. 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 9255 Benchmark Check

EPYC 9354 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9354
1080p
low	303 FPS	176 FPS
medium	280 FPS	145 FPS
high	231 FPS	125 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	268 FPS	153 FPS
medium	223 FPS	123 FPS
high	172 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	152 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	186 FPS	71 FPS
medium	154 FPS	60 FPS
high	117 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	39 FPS

Open EPYC 9255 Open EPYC 9354

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9354
1080p
low	717 FPS	534 FPS
medium	614 FPS	466 FPS
high	485 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	421 FPS	304 FPS
1440p
low	573 FPS	439 FPS
medium	507 FPS	392 FPS
high	419 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	341 FPS	255 FPS
4K
low	335 FPS	270 FPS
medium	298 FPS	246 FPS
high	270 FPS	216 FPS
ultra	239 FPS	179 FPS

Open EPYC 9255 Open EPYC 9354

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9354
1080p
low	850 FPS	673 FPS
medium	691 FPS	562 FPS
high	625 FPS	523 FPS
ultra	530 FPS	455 FPS
1440p
low	677 FPS	511 FPS
medium	548 FPS	426 FPS
high	484 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	337 FPS
4K
low	483 FPS	377 FPS
medium	399 FPS	295 FPS
high	355 FPS	263 FPS
ultra	293 FPS	211 FPS

Open EPYC 9255 Open EPYC 9354

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9354
1080p
low	1083 FPS	937 FPS
medium	982 FPS	856 FPS
high	862 FPS	735 FPS
ultra	777 FPS	648 FPS
1440p
low	859 FPS	751 FPS
medium	761 FPS	658 FPS
high	668 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	582 FPS	480 FPS
4K
low	627 FPS	539 FPS
medium	562 FPS	484 FPS
high	500 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	366 FPS

Open EPYC 9255 Open EPYC 9354

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9255 and EPYC 9354

EPYC 9255

The EPYC 9255 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 3.25 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 128 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: 75,809 points. Launch price was $2,495.

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 9255 packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the EPYC 9354 offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the EPYC 9354 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the EPYC 9255 versus 3.8 GHz on the EPYC 9354 — a 23.3% clock advantage for the EPYC 9255 (base: 3.25 GHz vs 3.25 GHz). The EPYC 9255 uses the Turin (2024) architecture (4 nm), while the EPYC 9354 uses Genoa (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9255 scores 75,809 against the EPYC 9354's 73,892 — a 2.6% lead for the EPYC 9255. L3 cache: 128 MB (total) on the EPYC 9255 vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9354.

Feature	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9354
Cores / Threads	24 / 48	32 / 64+33%
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+26%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.25 GHz	3.25 GHz
L3 Cache	128 MB (total)	256 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	4 nm-20%	5 nm, 6 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Genoa (2022−2023)
PassMark	75,809+3%	73,892

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the SP5 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to 4800 memory speed. Both support up to 6144 of RAM. Both feature 12-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 128 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9255) and SP5 (EPYC 9354).

Feature	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9354
Socket	SP5	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800	4800
Max RAM Capacity	6144	6144
RAM Channels	12	12
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	128

🔧

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, SEV-SNP virtualization. Direct competitor: EPYC 9255 rivals Xeon Platinum 8480+; EPYC 9354 rivals Xeon Platinum 8468.

Feature	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9354
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP	VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9255 launched at $2495 MSRP, while the EPYC 9354 debuted at $3420. On MSRP ($2495 vs $3420), the EPYC 9255 is $925 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9255 delivers 30.4 pts/$ vs 21.6 pts/$ for the EPYC 9354 — making the EPYC 9255 the 33.8% better value option.