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

✅+12.8% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).
✅45.5% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 88) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 7980X across 15 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.2 vs 27.2 PassMark/$ ($11,852 MSRP vs $4,999 MSRP).

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.8% higher average FPS across 15 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $6,853 less on MSRP ($4,999 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).
✅Delivers 106.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 27.2 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($4,999 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (26,000 vs 29,329).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 384 MB).

EPYC 9655

2024

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

2023

Why buy it

✅+12.8% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).
✅45.5% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 88) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.8% higher average FPS across 15 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $6,853 less on MSRP ($4,999 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).
✅Delivers 106.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 27.2 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($4,999 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 7980X across 15 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.2 vs 27.2 PassMark/$ ($11,852 MSRP vs $4,999 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (26,000 vs 29,329).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 384 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9655 better than Ryzen Threadripper 7980X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is ahead with a 12.8% average FPS lead across 15 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9655 pulls ahead with 12.8% better Geekbench multi-core. EPYC 9655 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 9655 is the better fit. You are getting 12.8% better Geekbench multi-core, 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 Ryzen Threadripper 7980X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9655 is 137.1% more expensive on MSRP at $11,852 MSRP versus $4,999 MSRP, and it gives you 12.8% better Geekbench multi-core. The trade-off is that Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 12.8% average FPS lead across 15 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is also 106.5% better value on MSRP (27.2 vs 13.2 PassMark/$), 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 a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023), 50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 96 cores / 192 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 9655 Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
1080p
low	170 FPS	302 FPS
medium	143 FPS	279 FPS
high	122 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	149 FPS	268 FPS
medium	121 FPS	223 FPS
high	99 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	152 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	185 FPS
medium	73 FPS	154 FPS
high	57 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	104 FPS

Open EPYC 9655 Open Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
1080p
low	696 FPS	787 FPS
medium	602 FPS	672 FPS
high	475 FPS	529 FPS
ultra	411 FPS	462 FPS
1440p
low	566 FPS	649 FPS
medium	501 FPS	577 FPS
high	414 FPS	469 FPS
ultra	336 FPS	380 FPS
4K
low	331 FPS	363 FPS
medium	295 FPS	327 FPS
high	267 FPS	302 FPS
ultra	235 FPS	265 FPS

Open EPYC 9655 Open Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
1080p
low	746 FPS	889 FPS
medium	633 FPS	728 FPS
high	589 FPS	654 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	556 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	693 FPS
medium	474 FPS	567 FPS
high	434 FPS	498 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	419 FPS
4K
low	411 FPS	490 FPS
medium	331 FPS	407 FPS
high	299 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	303 FPS

Open EPYC 9655 Open Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
1080p
low	1047 FPS	1131 FPS
medium	939 FPS	1014 FPS
high	821 FPS	889 FPS
ultra	744 FPS	802 FPS
1440p
low	839 FPS	890 FPS
medium	733 FPS	783 FPS
high	641 FPS	688 FPS
ultra	562 FPS	599 FPS
4K
low	605 FPS	649 FPS
medium	539 FPS	579 FPS
high	477 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	437 FPS

Open EPYC 9655 Open Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9655 and Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

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.

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

The Ryzen Threadripper 7980X 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: 135,949 points. Launch price was $4,999.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 9655 packs 96 cores / 192 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X offers 64 cores / 128 threads — the EPYC 9655 has 32 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the EPYC 9655 versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X — a 12.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The EPYC 9655 uses the Turin (2024) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X uses Storm Peak (2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9655 scores 156,110 against the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X's 135,949 — a 13.8% lead for the EPYC 9655. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,830 vs 3,050, a 7.5% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 29,329 vs 26,000 (12% advantage for the EPYC 9655). L3 cache: 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9655 vs 256 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X.

Feature	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
Cores / Threads	96 / 192+50%	64 / 128
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	5.1 GHz+13%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.2 GHz+23%
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	156,110+15%	135,949
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	98,427
Geekbench 6 Single	2,830	3,050+8%
Geekbench 6 Multi	29,329+13%	26,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9655 uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X uses sTR5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-6000 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper 7980X supports up to 1024 GB of RAM compared to 9 TB — 196.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9655) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 7980X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9655) vs 88 (Ryzen Threadripper 7980X) — the EPYC 9655 offers 40 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9655) and TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper 7980X).

Feature	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
Socket	SP5	sTR5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6000	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	9 TB+800%	1024 GB
RAM Channels	12+200%	4
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+45%	88

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9655) vs true (Ryzen Threadripper 7980X). Primary use case: EPYC 9655 targets Data Center, Ryzen Threadripper 7980X targets High-end Desktop / Content Creation. Direct competitor: EPYC 9655 rivals Xeon 6979P; Ryzen Threadripper 7980X rivals Xeon w7-3465X.

Feature	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	true
Target Use	Data Center	High-end Desktop / Content Creation

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9655 launched at $11852 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X debuted at $4999. On MSRP ($11852 vs $4999), the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is $6853 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9655 delivers 13.2 pts/$ vs 27.2 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X — making the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X the 69.5% better value option.