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 7F32

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.1 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($2,100 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,801 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $2,100 MSRP).
✅Delivers 559.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 11.1 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $2,100 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 180W, a 115W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7F32 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 23,253).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7F32, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.

EPYC 7F32

2020

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,801 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $2,100 MSRP).
✅Delivers 559.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 11.1 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $2,100 MSRP).
✅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 per dollar, at 11.1 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($2,100 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7F32 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 23,253).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7F32, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 7F32 better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7F32 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 7F32 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 8.0% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7F32 is the better fit. You are getting 6.4% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

EPYC 7F32 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 7F32 is 602.3% more expensive on MSRP at $2,100 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 559.8% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 11.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 5600X is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

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 7F32 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 7F32	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	193 FPS	203 FPS
medium	158 FPS	174 FPS
high	136 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	167 FPS	169 FPS
medium	135 FPS	141 FPS
high	111 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	85 FPS
medium	58 FPS	76 FPS
high	47 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	47 FPS

Open EPYC 7F32 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 7F32	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	433 FPS	464 FPS
medium	379 FPS	387 FPS
high	309 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	367 FPS	397 FPS
medium	332 FPS	334 FPS
high	277 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	236 FPS	263 FPS
medium	215 FPS	226 FPS
high	191 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	159 FPS	171 FPS

Open EPYC 7F32 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 7F32	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	581 FPS	546 FPS
medium	580 FPS	473 FPS
high	541 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	466 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	508 FPS
medium	437 FPS	413 FPS
high	401 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	342 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	383 FPS	348 FPS
medium	300 FPS	292 FPS
high	268 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	213 FPS	199 FPS

Open EPYC 7F32 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 7F32	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	581 FPS	546 FPS
medium	581 FPS	546 FPS
high	581 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	581 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	581 FPS	546 FPS
medium	581 FPS	546 FPS
high	564 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	479 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	519 FPS	529 FPS
medium	468 FPS	484 FPS
high	415 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	379 FPS

Open EPYC 7F32 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7F32 and Ryzen 5 5600X

EPYC 7F32

The EPYC 7F32 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 23,253 points. Launch price was $2,100.

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 7F32 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the EPYC 7F32 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the EPYC 7F32 versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 16.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The EPYC 7F32 uses the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture (7 nm, 14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7F32 scores 23,253 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 6.2% lead for the EPYC 7F32. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7F32 vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	EPYC 7F32	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	8 / 16+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	4.6 GHz+18%
Base Clock	3.7 GHz	3.7 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)	32 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 14 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Zen 2 (2017−2020)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	23,253+6%	21,845

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7F32 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	EPYC 7F32	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	SP3	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (EPYC 7F32) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop.

Feature	EPYC 7F32	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 7F32 launched at $2100 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($2100 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $1801 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7F32 delivers 11.1 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 147.4% better value option.