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 7573X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.4 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($5,590 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌330.8% higher power demand at 280W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $5,291 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $5,590 MSRP).
✅Delivers 488.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 12.4 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $5,590 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 280W, a 215W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7573X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 69,432).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7573X, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 7573X

2022

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $5,291 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $5,590 MSRP).
✅Delivers 488.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 12.4 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $5,590 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 280W, a 215W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.4 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($5,590 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌330.8% higher power demand at 280W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7573X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 69,432).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7573X, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 7573X better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7573X 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 gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 7573X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 24.8% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 768 MB vs 32 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7573X is the better fit. You are getting 217.8% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 2300% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 32 MB).

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

EPYC 7573X is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 7573X is 1769.6% more expensive on MSRP at $5,590 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 24.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 488.2% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 12.4 PassMark/$), 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 7573X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 768 MB L3 cache instead of 32 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 32 cores / 64 threads instead of 6/12. 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 7573X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 7573X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	205 FPS	203 FPS
medium	167 FPS	174 FPS
high	136 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	163 FPS	169 FPS
medium	127 FPS	141 FPS
high	100 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	85 FPS
medium	61 FPS	76 FPS
high	48 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	40 FPS	47 FPS

Open EPYC 7573X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 7573X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	463 FPS	464 FPS
medium	407 FPS	387 FPS
high	329 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	381 FPS	397 FPS
medium	343 FPS	334 FPS
high	286 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	218 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	234 FPS	263 FPS
medium	215 FPS	226 FPS
high	180 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	171 FPS

Open EPYC 7573X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 7573X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	865 FPS	546 FPS
medium	717 FPS	473 FPS
high	668 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	590 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	622 FPS	508 FPS
medium	514 FPS	413 FPS
high	472 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	412 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	444 FPS	348 FPS
medium	345 FPS	292 FPS
high	308 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	199 FPS

Open EPYC 7573X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 7573X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	992 FPS	546 FPS
medium	900 FPS	546 FPS
high	775 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	671 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	767 FPS	546 FPS
medium	668 FPS	546 FPS
high	572 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	492 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	550 FPS	529 FPS
medium	490 FPS	484 FPS
high	430 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	372 FPS	379 FPS

Open EPYC 7573X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7573X and Ryzen 5 5600X

EPYC 7573X

The EPYC 7573X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2022-03-01. It is based on the Milan-X (2022) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 768 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 69,432 points. Launch price was $5,590.

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 7573X packs 32 cores / 64 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the EPYC 7573X has 26 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the EPYC 7573X versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 24.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 2.8 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The EPYC 7573X uses the Milan-X (2022) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7573X scores 69,432 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 104.3% lead for the EPYC 7573X. L3 cache: 768 MB (total) on the EPYC 7573X vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	EPYC 7573X	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	32 / 64+433%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz	4.6 GHz+28%
Base Clock	2.8 GHz	3.7 GHz+32%
L3 Cache	768 MB (total)+2300%	32 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Milan-X (2022)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	69,432+218%	21,845

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7573X uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 3200 on the EPYC 7573X versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X — the EPYC 7573X supports 199.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7573X supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (EPYC 7573X) vs 2 (Ryzen 5 5600X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 7573X) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) — the EPYC 7573X offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3 (EPYC 7573X) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X).

Feature	EPYC 7573X	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	SP3	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	3200+79900%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	4096	128 GB+3276700%
RAM Channels	8+300%	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+433%	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (EPYC 7573X) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 7573X rivals Xeon Platinum 8280.

Feature	EPYC 7573X	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 7573X launched at $5590 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($5590 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $5291 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7573X delivers 12.4 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 141.9% better value option.