EPYC 9845 vs EPYC 9965

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 9845

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,249 less on MSRP ($13,564 MSRP vs $14,813 MSRP).
✅Draws 390W instead of 500W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (152,985 vs 160,778).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (320 MB vs 384 MB).

EPYC 9965

2024

Why buy it

✅+5.1% higher PassMark.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 320 MB).

Trade-offs

❌
9.2% HIGHER MSRP
$14,813 MSRPvs$13,564 MSRP
❌28.2% higher power demand at 500W vs 390W.

EPYC 9845

2024

EPYC 9965

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,249 less on MSRP ($13,564 MSRP vs $14,813 MSRP).
✅Draws 390W instead of 500W, a 110W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+5.1% higher PassMark.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 320 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (152,985 vs 160,778).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (320 MB vs 384 MB).

Trade-offs

❌
9.2% HIGHER MSRP
$14,813 MSRPvs$13,564 MSRP
❌28.2% higher power demand at 500W vs 390W.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9965 better than EPYC 9845?

Yes. EPYC 9965 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting 5.1% better PassMark 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 9965 is the better fit. You are getting 5.1% better PassMark, backed by 192 cores and 384 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 9965 is still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 9845 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9965 is 9.2% more expensive on MSRP at $14,813 MSRP versus $13,564 MSRP, and it gives you 5.1% higher PassMark. EPYC 9845 is also 3.9% better value on MSRP (11.3 vs 10.9 PassMark/$), 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 9965 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 20% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 320 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 192 cores / 384 threads instead of 160/320. 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 9845 Benchmark Check

EPYC 9965 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9845	EPYC 9965
1080p
low	192 FPS	192 FPS
medium	156 FPS	156 FPS
high	126 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	158 FPS	158 FPS
medium	124 FPS	124 FPS
high	96 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	72 FPS	72 FPS
medium	60 FPS	60 FPS
high	47 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS

Open EPYC 9845 Open EPYC 9965

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9845	EPYC 9965
1080p
low	274 FPS	274 FPS
medium	241 FPS	241 FPS
high	198 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	163 FPS	163 FPS
1440p
low	225 FPS	225 FPS
medium	202 FPS	202 FPS
high	171 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	139 FPS	139 FPS
medium	128 FPS	128 FPS
high	115 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	96 FPS

Open EPYC 9845 Open EPYC 9965

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9845	EPYC 9965
1080p
low	743 FPS	743 FPS
medium	610 FPS	610 FPS
high	556 FPS	556 FPS
ultra	481 FPS	481 FPS
1440p
low	594 FPS	594 FPS
medium	494 FPS	494 FPS
high	450 FPS	450 FPS
ultra	390 FPS	390 FPS
4K
low	430 FPS	430 FPS
medium	335 FPS	335 FPS
high	298 FPS	298 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	240 FPS

Open EPYC 9845 Open EPYC 9965

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9845	EPYC 9965
1080p
low	958 FPS	962 FPS
medium	869 FPS	873 FPS
high	746 FPS	752 FPS
ultra	646 FPS	650 FPS
1440p
low	739 FPS	740 FPS
medium	646 FPS	648 FPS
high	552 FPS	554 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	476 FPS
4K
low	530 FPS	531 FPS
medium	474 FPS	475 FPS
high	415 FPS	417 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	360 FPS

Open EPYC 9845 Open EPYC 9965

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9845 and EPYC 9965

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.

EPYC 9965

The EPYC 9965 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 192 cores and 384 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 3 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 500 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 160,778 points. Launch price was $14,813.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 9845 packs 160 cores / 320 threads, while the EPYC 9965 offers 192 cores / 384 threads — the EPYC 9965 has 32 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9845 versus 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9965 — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.25 GHz). Both are built on the Turin (2024) architecture using a 3 nm process. In PassMark, the EPYC 9845 scores 152,985 against the EPYC 9965's 160,778 — a 5% lead for the EPYC 9965. L3 cache: 320 MB (total) on the EPYC 9845 vs 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9965.

Feature	EPYC 9845	EPYC 9965
Cores / Threads	160 / 320	192 / 384+20%
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	2.25 GHz+7%
L3 Cache	320 MB (total)	384 MB (total)+20%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	3 nm	3 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Turin (2024)
PassMark	152,985	160,778+5%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,520

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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 9845) and SP5 (EPYC 9965).

Feature	EPYC 9845	EPYC 9965
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

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Advanced Features

Both support AMD-V, SEV-SNP virtualization. Primary use case: EPYC 9845 targets Data Center / AI Training, EPYC 9965 targets Data Center / High Density. Direct competitor: EPYC 9845 rivals Xeon 6972P; EPYC 9965 rivals Xeon 6980P.

Feature	EPYC 9845	EPYC 9965
Integrated GPU	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use	Data Center / AI Training	Data Center / High Density

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Value Analysis

The EPYC 9845 launched at $13564 MSRP, while the EPYC 9965 debuted at $14813. On MSRP ($13564 vs $14813), the EPYC 9845 is $1249 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9845 delivers 11.3 pts/$ vs 10.9 pts/$ for the EPYC 9965 — making the EPYC 9845 the 3.8% better value option.