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 9684X

2023

Why buy it

✅+255.8% higher PassMark.
✅+1100% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 96 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 96 cores / 192 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅357.1% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 7800X3D across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.3 vs 76.4 PassMark/$ ($14,756 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
❌233.3% higher power demand at 400W vs 120W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 7800X3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +48.0% higher average FPS across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $14,307 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Delivers 823.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 76.4 vs 8.3 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 400W, a 280W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core), while EPYC 9684X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (34,293 vs 122,017).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (96 MB vs 1.1 GB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9684X, which brings 96 cores / 192 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 9684X

2023

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅+255.8% higher PassMark.
✅+1100% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 96 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 96 cores / 192 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅357.1% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +48.0% higher average FPS across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $14,307 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Delivers 823.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 76.4 vs 8.3 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 400W, a 280W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core), while EPYC 9684X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 7800X3D across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.3 vs 76.4 PassMark/$ ($14,756 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
❌233.3% higher power demand at 400W vs 120W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 7800X3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (34,293 vs 122,017).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (96 MB vs 1.1 GB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9684X, which brings 96 cores / 192 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 7800X3D better than EPYC 9684X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9684X makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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 255.8% better PassMark, backed by 96 cores and 192 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 1100% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 96 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 7800X3D is $14,307 cheaper on MSRP at $449 MSRP versus $14,756 MSRP, and it gives you a 48.0% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 9684X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 255.8% better PassMark. It is also 823.7% better value on MSRP (76.4 vs 8.3 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 9684X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 7800X3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9684X	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1080p
low	169 FPS	266 FPS
medium	140 FPS	247 FPS
high	120 FPS	211 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	186 FPS
1440p
low	147 FPS	258 FPS
medium	119 FPS	215 FPS
high	95 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	154 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	179 FPS
medium	59 FPS	149 FPS
high	46 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	100 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open Ryzen 7 7800X3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9684X	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1080p
low	506 FPS	857 FPS
medium	442 FPS	737 FPS
high	353 FPS	580 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	493 FPS
1440p
low	416 FPS	722 FPS
medium	372 FPS	611 FPS
high	306 FPS	500 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	398 FPS
4K
low	256 FPS	396 FPS
medium	233 FPS	339 FPS
high	204 FPS	315 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	273 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open Ryzen 7 7800X3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9684X	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1080p
low	668 FPS	857 FPS
medium	558 FPS	857 FPS
high	519 FPS	857 FPS
ultra	452 FPS	857 FPS
1440p
low	509 FPS	857 FPS
medium	423 FPS	851 FPS
high	388 FPS	786 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	374 FPS	558 FPS
medium	292 FPS	479 FPS
high	261 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	362 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open Ryzen 7 7800X3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9684X	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1080p
low	902 FPS	857 FPS
medium	822 FPS	857 FPS
high	708 FPS	857 FPS
ultra	623 FPS	782 FPS
1440p
low	721 FPS	857 FPS
medium	628 FPS	760 FPS
high	538 FPS	669 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	576 FPS
4K
low	517 FPS	618 FPS
medium	462 FPS	556 FPS
high	405 FPS	495 FPS
ultra	348 FPS	428 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open Ryzen 7 7800X3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9684X and Ryzen 7 7800X3D

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.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 34,293 points. Launch price was $449.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9684X packs 96 cores / 192 threads, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the EPYC 9684X has 88 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9684X versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — a 29.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D (base: 2.55 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The EPYC 9684X uses the Genoa-X (2023) architecture (5 nm), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9684X scores 122,017 against the Ryzen 7 7800X3D's 34,293 — a 112.2% lead for the EPYC 9684X. L3 cache: 1152 MB (total) on the EPYC 9684X vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D.

Feature	EPYC 9684X	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Cores / Threads	96 / 192+1100%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	5 GHz+35%
Base Clock	2.55 GHz	4.4 GHz+73%
L3 Cache	1152 MB (total)+1100%	96 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm	5 nm
Architecture	Genoa-X (2023)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	122,017+256%	34,293
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	18,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,700
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	15,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9684X uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 6 TB — 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9684X) vs 2 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9684X) vs 28 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D) — the EPYC 9684X offers 100 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9684X) and X670E,X670,B650E,B650,A620 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D).

Feature	EPYC 9684X	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Socket	SP5	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	6 TB+4700%	128 GB
RAM Channels	12+500%	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+357%	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9684X) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 7800X3D). The Ryzen 7 7800X3D includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)), while the EPYC 9684X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: EPYC 9684X targets HPC / Cache Sensitive Workloads, Ryzen 7 7800X3D targets Gaming. Direct competitor: EPYC 9684X rivals Xeon 6979P; Ryzen 7 7800X3D rivals Intel Core i7-14700K.

Feature	EPYC 9684X	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V
Target Use	HPC / Cache Sensitive Workloads	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9684X launched at $14756 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D debuted at $449. On MSRP ($14756 vs $449), the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is $14307 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9684X delivers 8.3 pts/$ vs 76.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — making the Ryzen 7 7800X3D the 160.9% better value option.