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 9555

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $3,738 less on MSRP ($9,826 MSRP vs $13,564 MSRP).
✅Delivers 20.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.6 vs 11.3 PassMark/$ ($9,826 MSRP vs $13,564 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (133,253 vs 152,985).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 320 MB).

EPYC 9845

2024

Why buy it

✅+14.8% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (320 MB vs 256 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9555 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.3 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($13,564 MSRP vs $9,826 MSRP).

EPYC 9555

2024

EPYC 9845

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $3,738 less on MSRP ($9,826 MSRP vs $13,564 MSRP).
✅Delivers 20.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.6 vs 11.3 PassMark/$ ($9,826 MSRP vs $13,564 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+14.8% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (320 MB vs 256 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (133,253 vs 152,985).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 320 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9555 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.3 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($13,564 MSRP vs $9,826 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9845 better than EPYC 9555?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, EPYC 9555 is ahead with a 23.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9845 pulls ahead with 14.8% better PassMark. EPYC 9845 also has the bigger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (320 MB vs 256 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9845 is the better fit. You are getting 14.8% better PassMark, backed by 160 cores and 320 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (320 MB vs 256 MB).

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

EPYC 9845 is still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 9555 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9845 is 38.0% more expensive on MSRP at $13,564 MSRP versus $9,826 MSRP, and it gives you 14.8% better PassMark. The trade-off is that EPYC 9555 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 23.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. EPYC 9555 is also 20.2% better value on MSRP (13.6 vs 11.3 PassMark/$), 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 9845 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 25% larger total L3 cache (320 MB vs 256 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 160 cores / 320 threads instead of 64/128. 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 9555 Benchmark Check

EPYC 9845 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9845
1080p
low	171 FPS	192 FPS
medium	142 FPS	156 FPS
high	122 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	158 FPS
medium	121 FPS	124 FPS
high	99 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	72 FPS
medium	73 FPS	60 FPS
high	57 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	39 FPS

Open EPYC 9555 Open EPYC 9845

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9845
1080p
low	655 FPS	274 FPS
medium	566 FPS	241 FPS
high	459 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	397 FPS	163 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	225 FPS
medium	483 FPS	202 FPS
high	404 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	328 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	331 FPS	139 FPS
medium	295 FPS	128 FPS
high	268 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	236 FPS	96 FPS

Open EPYC 9555 Open EPYC 9845

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9845
1080p
low	747 FPS	743 FPS
medium	634 FPS	610 FPS
high	590 FPS	556 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	481 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	594 FPS
medium	474 FPS	494 FPS
high	434 FPS	450 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	390 FPS
4K
low	405 FPS	430 FPS
medium	326 FPS	335 FPS
high	288 FPS	298 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	240 FPS

Open EPYC 9555 Open EPYC 9845

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9845
1080p
low	1005 FPS	958 FPS
medium	902 FPS	869 FPS
high	778 FPS	746 FPS
ultra	702 FPS	646 FPS
1440p
low	809 FPS	739 FPS
medium	704 FPS	646 FPS
high	603 FPS	552 FPS
ultra	533 FPS	473 FPS
4K
low	574 FPS	530 FPS
medium	510 FPS	474 FPS
high	447 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	392 FPS	358 FPS

Open EPYC 9555 Open EPYC 9845

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9555 and EPYC 9845

EPYC 9555

The EPYC 9555 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 360 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 133,253 points. Launch price was $9,826.

EPYC 9845

The EPYC 9845 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 160 cores and 320 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 320 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 390 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 152,985 points. Launch price was $13,564.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 9555 packs 64 cores / 128 threads, while the EPYC 9845 offers 160 cores / 320 threads — the EPYC 9845 has 96 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the EPYC 9555 versus 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9845 — a 17.3% clock advantage for the EPYC 9555 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). Both are built on the Turin (2024) architecture using a 4 nm process. In PassMark, the EPYC 9555 scores 133,253 against the EPYC 9845's 152,985 — a 13.8% lead for the EPYC 9845. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9555 vs 320 MB (total) on the EPYC 9845.

Feature	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9845
Cores / Threads	64 / 128	160 / 320+150%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+19%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+52%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)	320 MB (total)+25%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	4 nm	3 nm-25%
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Turin (2024)
PassMark	133,253	152,985+15%

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the SP5 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to DDR5-6000 memory speed. Both support up to 6 TB of RAM. Both feature 12-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 128 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9555) and SP5 (EPYC 9845).

Feature	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9845
Socket	SP5	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6000	DDR5-6000
Max RAM Capacity	6 TB	6 TB
RAM Channels	12	12
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	128

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Advanced Features

Both support AMD-V, SEV-SNP virtualization. Primary use case: EPYC 9555 targets Data Center, EPYC 9845 targets Data Center / AI Training. Direct competitor: EPYC 9555 rivals Xeon 6972P; EPYC 9845 rivals Xeon 6972P.

Feature	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9845
Integrated GPU	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use	Data Center	Data Center / AI Training

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Value Analysis

The EPYC 9555 launched at $9826 MSRP, while the EPYC 9845 debuted at $13564. On MSRP ($9826 vs $13564), the EPYC 9555 is $3738 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9555 delivers 13.6 pts/$ vs 11.3 pts/$ for the EPYC 9845 — making the EPYC 9555 the 18.4% better value option.