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 9565

2024

Why buy it

✅+1.6% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.9 vs 18.1 PassMark/$ ($10,486 MSRP vs $7,349 MSRP).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $3,137 less on MSRP ($7,349 MSRP vs $10,486 MSRP).
✅Delivers 40.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 18.1 vs 12.9 PassMark/$ ($7,349 MSRP vs $10,486 MSRP).
✅Draws 350W instead of 400W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (133,149 vs 135,221).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 384 MB).

EPYC 9565

2024

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

2023

Why buy it

✅+1.6% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $3,137 less on MSRP ($7,349 MSRP vs $10,486 MSRP).
✅Delivers 40.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 18.1 vs 12.9 PassMark/$ ($7,349 MSRP vs $10,486 MSRP).
✅Draws 350W instead of 400W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.9 vs 18.1 PassMark/$ ($10,486 MSRP vs $7,349 MSRP).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (133,149 vs 135,221).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 384 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX better than EPYC 9565?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX is ahead with a 22.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9565 pulls ahead with 1.6% better PassMark. EPYC 9565 also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9565 is the better fit. You are getting 1.6% better PassMark, backed by 72 cores and 144 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).

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

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX is the smarter buy today. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX is $3,137 cheaper on MSRP at $7,349 MSRP versus $10,486 MSRP, and it gives you a 22.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 9565 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.6% better PassMark. It is also 40.5% better value on MSRP (18.1 vs 12.9 PassMark/$), 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 9565 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023), 50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 72 cores / 144 threads instead of 64/128. 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 9565 Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9565	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX
1080p
low	171 FPS	302 FPS
medium	142 FPS	279 FPS
high	121 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	268 FPS
medium	120 FPS	223 FPS
high	98 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	152 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	185 FPS
medium	69 FPS	154 FPS
high	55 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	104 FPS

Open EPYC 9565 Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9565	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX
1080p
low	583 FPS	787 FPS
medium	511 FPS	672 FPS
high	415 FPS	529 FPS
ultra	361 FPS	462 FPS
1440p
low	492 FPS	649 FPS
medium	439 FPS	577 FPS
high	367 FPS	469 FPS
ultra	302 FPS	380 FPS
4K
low	306 FPS	363 FPS
medium	276 FPS	327 FPS
high	249 FPS	302 FPS
ultra	222 FPS	265 FPS

Open EPYC 9565 Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9565	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX
1080p
low	747 FPS	889 FPS
medium	634 FPS	728 FPS
high	575 FPS	654 FPS
ultra	506 FPS	556 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	693 FPS
medium	474 FPS	567 FPS
high	423 FPS	498 FPS
ultra	366 FPS	419 FPS
4K
low	405 FPS	490 FPS
medium	324 FPS	407 FPS
high	286 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	303 FPS

Open EPYC 9565 Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9565	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX
1080p
low	969 FPS	1131 FPS
medium	875 FPS	1014 FPS
high	752 FPS	889 FPS
ultra	676 FPS	802 FPS
1440p
low	780 FPS	890 FPS
medium	683 FPS	783 FPS
high	583 FPS	688 FPS
ultra	513 FPS	599 FPS
4K
low	551 FPS	649 FPS
medium	496 FPS	579 FPS
high	434 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	380 FPS	437 FPS

Open EPYC 9565 Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9565 and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

EPYC 9565

The EPYC 9565 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 72 cores and 144 threads. Base frequency is 3.15 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 384 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 400 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 135,221 points. Launch price was $10,486.

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 October 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Storm Peak (2023) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: sTR5. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 133,149 points. Launch price was $7,349.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9565 packs 72 cores / 144 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX offers 64 cores / 128 threads — the EPYC 9565 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the EPYC 9565 versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX — a 17% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX (base: 3.15 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The EPYC 9565 uses the Turin (2024) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX uses Storm Peak (2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9565 scores 135,221 against the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX's 133,149 — a 1.5% lead for the EPYC 9565. L3 cache: 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9565 vs 256 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX.

Feature	EPYC 9565	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX
Cores / Threads	72 / 144+13%	64 / 128
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	5.1 GHz+19%
Base Clock	3.15 GHz	3.2 GHz+2%
L3 Cache	384 MB (total)+50%	256 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	4 nm-20%	5 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Storm Peak (2023)
PassMark	135,221+2%	133,149
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	100,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,599
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	24,780

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9565 uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX uses sTR5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-6000 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 6 TB — 198.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9565) vs 8 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX). Both provide 128 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9565) and WRX90,TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX).

Feature	EPYC 9565	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX
Socket	SP5	sTR5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6000	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	6 TB+200%	2048 GB
RAM Channels	12+50%	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	128

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9565) vs true (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX). Primary use case: EPYC 9565 targets Data Center / Cloud Computing, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX targets High-end Workstation. Direct competitor: EPYC 9565 rivals Xeon 6972P; Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX rivals Xeon w9-3475X.

Feature	EPYC 9565	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX
Integrated GPU	No	No
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	true
Target Use	Data Center / Cloud Computing	High-end Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9565 launched at $10486 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX debuted at $7349. On MSRP ($10486 vs $7349), the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX is $3137 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9565 delivers 12.9 pts/$ vs 18.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX — making the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX the 33.7% better value option.