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 9634

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $4,452 less on MSRP ($10,304 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Delivers 26.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 10.5 vs 8.3 PassMark/$ ($10,304 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Draws 290W instead of 400W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (107,944 vs 122,017).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (384 MB vs 1.1 GB).

EPYC 9684X

2023

Why buy it

✅+13% higher PassMark.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 384 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9634 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.3 vs 10.5 PassMark/$ ($14,756 MSRP vs $10,304 MSRP).
❌37.9% higher power demand at 400W vs 290W.

EPYC 9634

2022

EPYC 9684X

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $4,452 less on MSRP ($10,304 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Delivers 26.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 10.5 vs 8.3 PassMark/$ ($10,304 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Draws 290W instead of 400W, a 110W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+13% higher PassMark.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 384 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (107,944 vs 122,017).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (384 MB vs 1.1 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9634 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.3 vs 10.5 PassMark/$ ($14,756 MSRP vs $10,304 MSRP).
❌37.9% higher power demand at 400W vs 290W.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9634 better than EPYC 9684X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, EPYC 9634 is ahead with a 7.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9684X pulls ahead with 13% better PassMark. EPYC 9684X also has the bigger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 384 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9684X is the better fit. You are getting 13% better PassMark, backed by 96 cores and 192 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 384 MB).

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

EPYC 9634 is the smarter buy today. EPYC 9634 is $4,452 cheaper on MSRP at $10,304 MSRP versus $14,756 MSRP, and it gives you a 7.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 9684X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 13% better PassMark. It is also 26.7% better value on MSRP (10.5 vs 8.3 PassMark/$), 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 9684X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), 200% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 384 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 96 cores / 192 threads instead of 84/168. 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 9634 Benchmark Check

EPYC 9684X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9634	EPYC 9684X
1080p
low	170 FPS	169 FPS
medium	141 FPS	140 FPS
high	122 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	148 FPS	147 FPS
medium	119 FPS	119 FPS
high	97 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	69 FPS
medium	59 FPS	59 FPS
high	47 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	38 FPS

Open EPYC 9634 Open EPYC 9684X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9634	EPYC 9684X
1080p
low	280 FPS	506 FPS
medium	246 FPS	442 FPS
high	202 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	287 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	416 FPS
medium	207 FPS	372 FPS
high	175 FPS	306 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	242 FPS
4K
low	142 FPS	256 FPS
medium	130 FPS	233 FPS
high	117 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	170 FPS

Open EPYC 9634 Open EPYC 9684X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9634	EPYC 9684X
1080p
low	671 FPS	668 FPS
medium	560 FPS	558 FPS
high	522 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	454 FPS	452 FPS
1440p
low	511 FPS	509 FPS
medium	425 FPS	423 FPS
high	389 FPS	388 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	335 FPS
4K
low	376 FPS	374 FPS
medium	293 FPS	292 FPS
high	262 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	210 FPS	209 FPS

Open EPYC 9634 Open EPYC 9684X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9634	EPYC 9684X
1080p
low	899 FPS	902 FPS
medium	819 FPS	822 FPS
high	706 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	621 FPS	623 FPS
1440p
low	722 FPS	721 FPS
medium	629 FPS	628 FPS
high	538 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	459 FPS
4K
low	518 FPS	517 FPS
medium	462 FPS	462 FPS
high	406 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	348 FPS

Open EPYC 9634 Open EPYC 9684X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9634 and EPYC 9684X

EPYC 9634

The EPYC 9634 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 November 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture. It features 84 cores and 168 threads. Base frequency is 2.25 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 384 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 290 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 107,944 points. Launch price was $10,304.

EPYC 9684X

The EPYC 9684X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 June 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Genoa-X (2023) architecture. It features 96 cores and 192 threads. Base frequency is 2.55 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 1152 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 400 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 122,017 points. Launch price was $14,756.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9634 packs 84 cores / 168 threads, while the EPYC 9684X offers 96 cores / 192 threads — the EPYC 9684X has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9634 versus 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9684X — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.25 GHz vs 2.55 GHz). The EPYC 9634 uses the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture (5 nm, 6 nm), while the EPYC 9684X uses Genoa-X (2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9634 scores 107,944 against the EPYC 9684X's 122,017 — a 12.2% lead for the EPYC 9684X. L3 cache: 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9634 vs 1152 MB (total) on the EPYC 9684X.

Feature	EPYC 9634	EPYC 9684X
Cores / Threads	84 / 168	96 / 192+14%
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.25 GHz	2.55 GHz+13%
L3 Cache	384 MB (total)	1152 MB (total)+200%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm, 6 nm	5 nm
Architecture	Genoa (2022−2023)	Genoa-X (2023)
PassMark	107,944	122,017+13%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,800	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	85,000	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the SP5 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The EPYC 9634 supports up to 6144 GB of RAM compared to 6 TB — 199.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 12-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 128 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: SoC (EPYC 9634) and SP5 (EPYC 9684X).

Feature	EPYC 9634	EPYC 9684X
Socket	SP5	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	6144 GB	6 TB
RAM Channels	12	12
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	128

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V (EPYC 9634) vs AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9684X). Primary use case: EPYC 9634 targets Server/Datacenter, EPYC 9684X targets HPC / Cache Sensitive Workloads. Direct competitor: EPYC 9634 rivals Xeon 8470; EPYC 9684X rivals Xeon 6979P.

Feature	EPYC 9634	EPYC 9684X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	Yes	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use	Server/Datacenter	HPC / Cache Sensitive Workloads

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9634 launched at $10304 MSRP, while the EPYC 9684X debuted at $14756. On MSRP ($10304 vs $14756), the EPYC 9634 is $4452 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9634 delivers 10.5 pts/$ vs 8.3 pts/$ for the EPYC 9684X — making the EPYC 9634 the 23.5% better value option.