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 9255

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +29.0% higher average FPS across 34 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 30.4 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($2,495 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌207.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,196 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $2,495 MSRP).
✅Delivers 140.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 30.4 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $2,495 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 200W, a 135W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9255 across 34 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 75,809).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9255, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while EPYC 9255 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9255

2024

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +29.0% higher average FPS across 34 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,196 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $2,495 MSRP).
✅Delivers 140.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 30.4 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $2,495 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 200W, a 135W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 30.4 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($2,495 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌207.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9255 across 34 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 75,809).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9255, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while EPYC 9255 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9255 better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9255 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 9255 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 29.0% more average FPS across 34 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 32 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9255 is the better fit. You are getting 247% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 32 MB).

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

EPYC 9255 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9255 is 734.4% more expensive on MSRP at $2,495 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 29.0% average FPS lead across 34 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 140.5% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 30.4 PassMark/$), 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 9255 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020), a healthier platform with SP5 and DDR5 instead of AM4, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 32 MB, more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 6/12, and 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 9255 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9255	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	303 FPS	203 FPS
medium	280 FPS	174 FPS
high	231 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	268 FPS	169 FPS
medium	223 FPS	141 FPS
high	172 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	152 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	186 FPS	85 FPS
medium	154 FPS	76 FPS
high	117 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	47 FPS

Open EPYC 9255 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9255	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	717 FPS	464 FPS
medium	614 FPS	387 FPS
high	485 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	421 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	573 FPS	397 FPS
medium	507 FPS	334 FPS
high	419 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	341 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	335 FPS	263 FPS
medium	298 FPS	226 FPS
high	270 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	239 FPS	171 FPS

Open EPYC 9255 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9255	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	850 FPS	546 FPS
medium	691 FPS	473 FPS
high	625 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	530 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	677 FPS	508 FPS
medium	548 FPS	413 FPS
high	484 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	483 FPS	348 FPS
medium	399 FPS	292 FPS
high	355 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	293 FPS	199 FPS

Open EPYC 9255 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9255	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	1083 FPS	546 FPS
medium	982 FPS	546 FPS
high	862 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	777 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	859 FPS	546 FPS
medium	761 FPS	546 FPS
high	668 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	582 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	627 FPS	529 FPS
medium	562 FPS	484 FPS
high	500 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	379 FPS

Open EPYC 9255 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9255 and Ryzen 5 5600X

EPYC 9255

The EPYC 9255 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 3.25 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 200 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 75,809 points. Launch price was $2,495.

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 9255 packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the EPYC 9255 has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the EPYC 9255 versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 4.3% clock advantage for the EPYC 9255 (base: 3.25 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The EPYC 9255 uses the Turin (2024) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9255 scores 75,809 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 110.5% lead for the EPYC 9255. L3 cache: 128 MB (total) on the EPYC 9255 vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	EPYC 9255	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	24 / 48+300%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+4%	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.25 GHz	3.7 GHz+14%
L3 Cache	128 MB (total)+300%	32 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	4 nm-43%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	75,809+247%	21,845

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9255 uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the EPYC 9255 versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X — the EPYC 9255 supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9255 supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 191.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9255) vs 2 (Ryzen 5 5600X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9255) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) — the EPYC 9255 offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9255) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X).

Feature	EPYC 9255	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	SP5	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+119900%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	6144	128 GB+2184433%
RAM Channels	12+500%	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. Only the EPYC 9255 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9255) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 9255 rivals Xeon Platinum 8480+.

Feature	EPYC 9255	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9255 launched at $2495 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($2495 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $2196 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9255 delivers 30.4 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 82.5% better value option.