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

✅Costs $2,026 less on MSRP ($9,826 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (133,253 vs 156,110).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 384 MB).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

EPYC 9655

2024

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌
20.6% HIGHER MSRP
$11,852 MSRPvs$9,826 MSRP

EPYC 9555

2024

EPYC 9655

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,026 less on MSRP ($9,826 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (133,253 vs 156,110).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 384 MB).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Trade-offs

❌
20.6% HIGHER MSRP
$11,852 MSRPvs$9,826 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9655 better than EPYC 9555?

Yes. EPYC 9655 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.0% average FPS lead across 15 shared CPU game tests in our data, 17.2% 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 9655 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.0% more average FPS across 15 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9655 is the better fit. You are getting 17.2% better PassMark, backed by 96 cores and 192 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?

EPYC 9655 is still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 9555 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9655 is 20.6% more expensive on MSRP at $11,852 MSRP versus $9,826 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.0% average FPS lead across 15 shared CPU game tests in our data. EPYC 9555 is also 3.0% better value on MSRP (13.6 vs 13.2 PassMark/$), 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 9655 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB), more multi-core headroom with 96 cores / 192 threads instead of 64/128, 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 9555 Benchmark Check

EPYC 9655 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9655
1080p
low	171 FPS	170 FPS
medium	142 FPS	143 FPS
high	122 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	149 FPS
medium	121 FPS	121 FPS
high	99 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	83 FPS
medium	73 FPS	73 FPS
high	57 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	47 FPS

Open EPYC 9555 Open EPYC 9655

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9655
1080p
low	655 FPS	696 FPS
medium	566 FPS	602 FPS
high	459 FPS	475 FPS
ultra	397 FPS	411 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	566 FPS
medium	483 FPS	501 FPS
high	404 FPS	414 FPS
ultra	328 FPS	336 FPS
4K
low	331 FPS	331 FPS
medium	295 FPS	295 FPS
high	268 FPS	267 FPS
ultra	236 FPS	235 FPS

Open EPYC 9555 Open EPYC 9655

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9655
1080p
low	747 FPS	746 FPS
medium	634 FPS	633 FPS
high	590 FPS	589 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	519 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	561 FPS
medium	474 FPS	474 FPS
high	434 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	376 FPS
4K
low	405 FPS	411 FPS
medium	326 FPS	331 FPS
high	288 FPS	299 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	238 FPS

Open EPYC 9555 Open EPYC 9655

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9655
1080p
low	1005 FPS	1047 FPS
medium	902 FPS	939 FPS
high	778 FPS	821 FPS
ultra	702 FPS	744 FPS
1440p
low	809 FPS	839 FPS
medium	704 FPS	733 FPS
high	603 FPS	641 FPS
ultra	533 FPS	562 FPS
4K
low	574 FPS	605 FPS
medium	510 FPS	539 FPS
high	447 FPS	477 FPS
ultra	392 FPS	416 FPS

Open EPYC 9555 Open EPYC 9655

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9555 and EPYC 9655

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 9655

The EPYC 9655 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 96 cores and 192 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 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: 156,110 points. Launch price was $11,852.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9555 packs 64 cores / 128 threads, while the EPYC 9655 offers 96 cores / 192 threads — the EPYC 9655 has 32 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the EPYC 9555 versus 4.5 GHz on the EPYC 9655 — a 2.2% clock advantage for the EPYC 9655 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.6 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 9655's 156,110 — a 15.8% lead for the EPYC 9655. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9555 vs 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9655.

Feature	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9655
Cores / Threads	64 / 128	96 / 192+50%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+23%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)	384 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	4 nm	4 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Turin (2024)
PassMark	133,253	156,110+17%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,830
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	29,329

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the SP5 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to DDR5-6000 memory speed. The EPYC 9655 supports up to 9 TB of RAM compared to 6 TB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 12-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 128 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9555) and SP5 (EPYC 9655).

Feature	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9655
Socket	SP5	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6000	DDR5-6000
Max RAM Capacity	6 TB	9 TB+50%
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 9555 targets Data Center, EPYC 9655 targets Data Center. Direct competitor: EPYC 9555 rivals Xeon 6972P; EPYC 9655 rivals Xeon 6979P.

Feature	EPYC 9555	EPYC 9655
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use	Data Center	Data Center

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9555 launched at $9826 MSRP, while the EPYC 9655 debuted at $11852. On MSRP ($9826 vs $11852), the EPYC 9555 is $2026 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9555 delivers 13.6 pts/$ vs 13.2 pts/$ for the EPYC 9655 — making the EPYC 9555 the 2.9% better value option.