EPYC 7451 vs Ryzen 5 5600X

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 7451

2017

Why buy it

✅+21.9% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads.

Trade-offs

❌176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 65W instead of 180W, a 115W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 26,639).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7451, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while EPYC 7451 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

EPYC 7451

2017

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅+21.9% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads.

Why buy it

✅Draws 65W instead of 180W, a 115W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 26,639).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7451, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while EPYC 7451 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than EPYC 7451?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7451 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 5600X 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 7451 is the better fit. You are getting 21.9% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 5600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5600X is at an unclear MSRP at $299 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 2.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 7451 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 21.9% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 5 5600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 7451 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 7451	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	187 FPS	203 FPS
medium	165 FPS	174 FPS
high	132 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	169 FPS
medium	127 FPS	141 FPS
high	97 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	71 FPS	85 FPS
medium	63 FPS	76 FPS
high	48 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	47 FPS

Open EPYC 7451 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 7451	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	355 FPS	464 FPS
medium	321 FPS	387 FPS
high	271 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	219 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	306 FPS	397 FPS
medium	280 FPS	334 FPS
high	239 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	187 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	191 FPS	263 FPS
medium	176 FPS	226 FPS
high	152 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	122 FPS	171 FPS

Open EPYC 7451 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 7451	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	620 FPS	546 FPS
medium	518 FPS	473 FPS
high	466 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	399 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	517 FPS	508 FPS
medium	432 FPS	413 FPS
high	378 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	325 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	383 FPS	348 FPS
medium	308 FPS	292 FPS
high	270 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	220 FPS	199 FPS

Open EPYC 7451 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 7451	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	666 FPS	546 FPS
medium	666 FPS	546 FPS
high	659 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	571 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	666 FPS	546 FPS
medium	587 FPS	546 FPS
high	503 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	426 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	476 FPS	529 FPS
medium	429 FPS	484 FPS
high	378 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	379 FPS

Open EPYC 7451 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7451 and Ryzen 5 5600X

EPYC 7451

The EPYC 7451 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Naples (2017−2018) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 26,639 points. Launch price was $2,400.

Ryzen 5 5600X

The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 7451 packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the EPYC 7451 has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the EPYC 7451 versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 35.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The EPYC 7451 uses the Naples (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7451 scores 26,639 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 19.8% lead for the EPYC 7451. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 7451 vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	EPYC 7451	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	24 / 48+300%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	4.6 GHz+44%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	3.7 GHz+61%
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)+100%	32 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-50%
Architecture	Naples (2017−2018)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	26,639+22%	21,845