EPYC 9655P vs EPYC 9845

AMD

EPYC 9655P

96 Cores192 Thrd400 WWMax: 4.5 GHz2024

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

EPYC 9845

160 Cores320 Thrd390 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2024

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

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 9655P

2024

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +17.9% higher average FPS across 11 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +20% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 320 MB).
  • Costs $2,753 less on MSRP ($10,811 MSRP vs $13,564 MSRP).
  • Delivers 31.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 14.8 vs 11.3 PassMark/$ ($10,811 MSRP vs $13,564 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

EPYC 9845

2024

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9655P across 11 shared CPU benchmark tests.
    • Lower PassMark (152,985 vs 160,490).
    • Smaller total L3 cache (320 MB vs 384 MB).
    • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.3 vs 14.8 PassMark/$ ($13,564 MSRP vs $10,811 MSRP).

    Quick Answers

    So, is EPYC 9655P better than EPYC 9845?
    Yes. EPYC 9655P is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 17.9% average FPS lead across 11 shared CPU game tests in our data and 4.9% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.
    Which one is better for gaming?
    If gaming is the priority, EPYC 9655P is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 17.9% more average FPS across 11 shared CPU game tests.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9655P is the better fit. You are getting 4.9% better PassMark, backed by 96 cores and 192 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 320 MB).
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    EPYC 9655P is the smarter buy today. EPYC 9655P is $2,753 cheaper on MSRP at $10,811 MSRP versus $13,564 MSRP, and it gives you a 17.9% average FPS lead across 11 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 31.6% better value on MSRP (14.8 vs 11.3 PassMark/$), 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 9845 is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

    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.

    Path of Exile 2

    Path of Exile 2

    PresetEPYC 9655PEPYC 9845
    1080p
    low170 FPS192 FPS
    medium143 FPS156 FPS
    high122 FPS126 FPS
    ultra99 FPS98 FPS
    1440p
    low149 FPS158 FPS
    medium121 FPS124 FPS
    high99 FPS96 FPS
    ultra83 FPS77 FPS
    4K
    low83 FPS72 FPS
    medium73 FPS60 FPS
    high57 FPS47 FPS
    ultra47 FPS39 FPS
    Counter-Strike 2

    Counter-Strike 2

    PresetEPYC 9655PEPYC 9845
    1080p
    low696 FPS274 FPS
    medium602 FPS241 FPS
    high475 FPS198 FPS
    ultra411 FPS163 FPS
    1440p
    low566 FPS225 FPS
    medium501 FPS202 FPS
    high414 FPS171 FPS
    ultra336 FPS137 FPS
    4K
    low331 FPS139 FPS
    medium295 FPS128 FPS
    high267 FPS115 FPS
    ultra235 FPS96 FPS
    League of Legends

    League of Legends

    PresetEPYC 9655PEPYC 9845
    1080p
    low746 FPS743 FPS
    medium633 FPS610 FPS
    high589 FPS556 FPS
    ultra519 FPS481 FPS
    1440p
    low561 FPS594 FPS
    medium474 FPS494 FPS
    high434 FPS450 FPS
    ultra376 FPS390 FPS
    4K
    low411 FPS430 FPS
    medium331 FPS335 FPS
    high299 FPS298 FPS
    ultra238 FPS240 FPS
    Valorant

    Valorant

    PresetEPYC 9655PEPYC 9845
    1080p
    low1047 FPS958 FPS
    medium939 FPS869 FPS
    high821 FPS746 FPS
    ultra744 FPS646 FPS
    1440p
    low839 FPS739 FPS
    medium733 FPS646 FPS
    high641 FPS552 FPS
    ultra562 FPS473 FPS
    4K
    low605 FPS530 FPS
    medium539 FPS474 FPS
    high477 FPS415 FPS
    ultra416 FPS358 FPS

    Technical Specifications

    Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9655P and EPYC 9845

    AMD

    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.

    AMD

    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.

    Processing Power

    The EPYC 9655P packs 96 cores / 192 threads, while the EPYC 9845 offers 160 cores / 320 threads — the EPYC 9845 has 64 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the EPYC 9655P versus 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9845 — a 19.5% clock advantage for the EPYC 9655P (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). Both are built on the Turin (2024) architecture using a 4 nm process. In PassMark, the EPYC 9655P scores 160,490 against the EPYC 9845's 152,985 — a 4.8% lead for the EPYC 9655P. L3 cache: 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9655P vs 320 MB (total) on the EPYC 9845.

    FeatureEPYC 9655PEPYC 9845
    Cores / Threads
    96 / 192
    160 / 320+67%
    Boost Clock
    4.5 GHz+22%
    3.7 GHz
    Base Clock
    2.6 GHz+24%
    2.1 GHz
    L3 Cache
    384 MB (total)+20%
    320 MB (total)
    L2 Cache
    1 MB (per core)
    1 MB (per core)
    Process
    4 nm
    3 nm-25%
    Architecture
    Turin (2024)
    Turin (2024)
    PassMark
    160,490+5%
    152,985
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    24,287
    🧠

    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 9655P) and SP5 (EPYC 9845).

    FeatureEPYC 9655PEPYC 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
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    Both support AMD-V, SEV-SNP virtualization. Primary use case: EPYC 9655P targets Data Center / Single Socket, EPYC 9845 targets Data Center / AI Training. Direct competitor: EPYC 9655P rivals Xeon 6979P; EPYC 9845 rivals Xeon 6972P.

    FeatureEPYC 9655PEPYC 9845
    Integrated GPU
    No
    No
    Virtualization
    AMD-V, SEV-SNP
    AMD-V, SEV-SNP
    Target Use
    Data Center / Single Socket
    Data Center / AI Training
    💰

    Value Analysis

    The EPYC 9655P launched at $10811 MSRP, while the EPYC 9845 debuted at $13564. On MSRP ($10811 vs $13564), the EPYC 9655P is $2753 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9655P delivers 14.8 pts/$ vs 11.3 pts/$ for the EPYC 9845 — making the EPYC 9655P the 27.3% better value option.

    FeatureEPYC 9655PEPYC 9845
    MSRP
    $10811-20%
    $13564
    Performance per Dollar
    14.8+31%
    11.3
    Release Date
    2024
    2024