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 9454

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,578 less on MSRP ($5,225 MSRP vs $8,803 MSRP).
✅Delivers 66.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 16.8 vs 10.1 PassMark/$ ($5,225 MSRP vs $8,803 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (87,961 vs 89,077).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

EPYC 9534

2022

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 280W instead of 290W, a 10W reduction.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.1 vs 16.8 PassMark/$ ($8,803 MSRP vs $5,225 MSRP).

EPYC 9454

2022

EPYC 9534

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,578 less on MSRP ($5,225 MSRP vs $8,803 MSRP).
✅Delivers 66.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 16.8 vs 10.1 PassMark/$ ($5,225 MSRP vs $8,803 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 280W instead of 290W, a 10W reduction.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (87,961 vs 89,077).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.1 vs 16.8 PassMark/$ ($8,803 MSRP vs $5,225 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9534 better than EPYC 9454?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, EPYC 9454 is ahead with a 0.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9534 pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9534 is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 64 cores and 128 threads.

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

EPYC 9534 is still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 9454 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9534 is 68.5% more expensive on MSRP at $8,803 MSRP versus $5,225 MSRP, and it gives you 1.3% better PassMark. The trade-off is that EPYC 9454 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. EPYC 9454 is also 66.4% better value on MSRP (16.8 vs 10.1 PassMark/$), 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 9534 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 64 cores / 128 threads instead of 48/96 and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 9454 Benchmark Check

EPYC 9534 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9454	EPYC 9534
1080p
low	171 FPS	170 FPS
medium	142 FPS	141 FPS
high	122 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	149 FPS	148 FPS
medium	120 FPS	119 FPS
high	97 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	70 FPS
medium	60 FPS	59 FPS
high	47 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS

Open EPYC 9454 Open EPYC 9534

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9454	EPYC 9534
1080p
low	533 FPS	524 FPS
medium	465 FPS	457 FPS
high	373 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	303 FPS	296 FPS
1440p
low	438 FPS	431 FPS
medium	392 FPS	385 FPS
high	323 FPS	317 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	250 FPS
4K
low	270 FPS	265 FPS
medium	246 FPS	241 FPS
high	216 FPS	211 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	176 FPS

Open EPYC 9454 Open EPYC 9534

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9454	EPYC 9534
1080p
low	672 FPS	671 FPS
medium	561 FPS	560 FPS
high	522 FPS	522 FPS
ultra	455 FPS	454 FPS
1440p
low	511 FPS	511 FPS
medium	426 FPS	425 FPS
high	390 FPS	389 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	337 FPS
4K
low	377 FPS	376 FPS
medium	294 FPS	293 FPS
high	263 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	211 FPS	210 FPS

Open EPYC 9454 Open EPYC 9534

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9454	EPYC 9534
1080p
low	902 FPS	902 FPS
medium	822 FPS	822 FPS
high	708 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	625 FPS	623 FPS
1440p
low	724 FPS	724 FPS
medium	631 FPS	631 FPS
high	540 FPS	540 FPS
ultra	462 FPS	461 FPS
4K
low	519 FPS	519 FPS
medium	464 FPS	464 FPS
high	407 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	350 FPS	350 FPS

Open EPYC 9454 Open EPYC 9534

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9454 and EPYC 9534

EPYC 9454

The EPYC 9454 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 48 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 2.75 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): 290 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 87,961 points. Launch price was $5,225.

EPYC 9534

The EPYC 9534 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 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 2.45 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 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: 89,077 points. Launch price was $8,803.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9454 packs 48 cores / 96 threads, while the EPYC 9534 offers 64 cores / 128 threads — the EPYC 9534 has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the EPYC 9454 versus 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9534 — a 2.7% clock advantage for the EPYC 9454 (base: 2.75 GHz vs 2.45 GHz). Both are built on the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture using a 5 nm, 6 nm process. In PassMark, the EPYC 9454 scores 87,961 against the EPYC 9534's 89,077 — a 1.3% lead for the EPYC 9534. Both processors carry 256 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	EPYC 9454	EPYC 9534
Cores / Threads	48 / 96	64 / 128+33%
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz+3%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.75 GHz+12%	2.45 GHz
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)	256 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm, 6 nm	5 nm, 6 nm
Architecture	Genoa (2022−2023)	Genoa (2022−2023)
PassMark	87,961	89,077+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,650
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	15,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the SP5 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The EPYC 9534 supports up to 6144 GB of RAM compared to 6 TB — 199.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 12-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 128 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9454) and SP5 (EPYC 9534).

Feature	EPYC 9454	EPYC 9534
Socket	SP5	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	6 TB	6144 GB
RAM Channels	12	12
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	128

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support AMD-V, SEV-SNP virtualization. Primary use case: EPYC 9454 targets Data Center, EPYC 9534 targets Server. Direct competitor: EPYC 9454 rivals Xeon Platinum 8468; EPYC 9534 rivals Xeon Platinum 8470.

Feature	EPYC 9454	EPYC 9534
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use	Data Center	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9454 launched at $5225 MSRP, while the EPYC 9534 debuted at $8803. On MSRP ($5225 vs $8803), the EPYC 9454 is $3578 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9454 delivers 16.8 pts/$ vs 10.1 pts/$ for the EPYC 9534 — making the EPYC 9454 the 49.8% better value option.