EPYC 9655 vs EPYC 9655P

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 9655

2024

Why buy it

✅+20.8% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.2 vs 14.8 PassMark/$ ($11,852 MSRP vs $10,811 MSRP).

EPYC 9655P

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,041 less on MSRP ($10,811 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).
✅Delivers 12.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 14.8 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($10,811 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (24,287 vs 29,329).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

EPYC 9655

2024

EPYC 9655P

2024

Why buy it

✅+20.8% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,041 less on MSRP ($10,811 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).
✅Delivers 12.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 14.8 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($10,811 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.2 vs 14.8 PassMark/$ ($11,852 MSRP vs $10,811 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (24,287 vs 29,329).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9655 better than EPYC 9655P?

Yes. EPYC 9655 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting 20.8% better Geekbench multi-core and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

For gaming, the two CPUs are effectively a wash in the available data.

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 20.8% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 96 cores and 192 threads.

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

EPYC 9655 is still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 9655P makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9655 is 9.6% more expensive on MSRP at $11,852 MSRP versus $10,811 MSRP, and it gives you 2.8% higher PassMark. EPYC 9655P is also 12.7% better value on MSRP (14.8 vs 13.2 PassMark/$), 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 more multi-core headroom with 96 cores / 192 threads instead of 96/192 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 9655 Benchmark Check

EPYC 9655P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9655	EPYC 9655P
1080p
low	170 FPS	170 FPS
medium	143 FPS	143 FPS
high	122 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	149 FPS	149 FPS
medium	121 FPS	121 FPS
high	99 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	83 FPS
medium	73 FPS	73 FPS
high	57 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	47 FPS

Open EPYC 9655 Open EPYC 9655P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9655	EPYC 9655P
1080p
low	696 FPS	696 FPS
medium	602 FPS	602 FPS
high	475 FPS	475 FPS
ultra	411 FPS	411 FPS
1440p
low	566 FPS	566 FPS
medium	501 FPS	501 FPS
high	414 FPS	414 FPS
ultra	336 FPS	336 FPS
4K
low	331 FPS	331 FPS
medium	295 FPS	295 FPS
high	267 FPS	267 FPS
ultra	235 FPS	235 FPS

Open EPYC 9655 Open EPYC 9655P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9655	EPYC 9655P
1080p
low	746 FPS	746 FPS
medium	633 FPS	633 FPS
high	589 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	411 FPS	411 FPS
medium	331 FPS	331 FPS
high	299 FPS	299 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	238 FPS

Open EPYC 9655 Open EPYC 9655P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9655	EPYC 9655P
1080p
low	1047 FPS	1047 FPS
medium	939 FPS	939 FPS
high	821 FPS	821 FPS
ultra	744 FPS	744 FPS
1440p
low	839 FPS	839 FPS
medium	733 FPS	733 FPS
high	641 FPS	641 FPS
ultra	562 FPS	562 FPS
4K
low	605 FPS	605 FPS
medium	539 FPS	539 FPS
high	477 FPS	477 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	416 FPS

Open EPYC 9655 Open EPYC 9655P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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.

EPYC 9655P

The EPYC 9655P 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: 160,490 points. Launch price was $10,811.

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Processing Power

Both the EPYC 9655 and EPYC 9655P share an identical 96-core/192-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the EPYC 9655 versus 4.5 GHz on the EPYC 9655P — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). Both are built on the Turin (2024) architecture using a 4 nm process. In PassMark, the EPYC 9655 scores 156,110 against the EPYC 9655P's 160,490 — a 2.8% lead for the EPYC 9655P. Multi-core Geekbench: 29,329 vs 24,287 (18.8% advantage for the EPYC 9655). Both processors carry 384 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	EPYC 9655	EPYC 9655P
Cores / Threads	96 / 192	96 / 192
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	4.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	384 MB (total)	384 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	4 nm	4 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Turin (2024)
PassMark	156,110	160,490+3%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,830	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	29,329+21%	24,287

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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 9655) and SP5 (EPYC 9655P).

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

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

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Value Analysis

The EPYC 9655 launched at $11852 MSRP, while the EPYC 9655P debuted at $10811. On MSRP ($11852 vs $10811), the EPYC 9655P is $1041 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9655 delivers 13.2 pts/$ vs 14.8 pts/$ for the EPYC 9655P — making the EPYC 9655P the 11.9% better value option.