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 9355P

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +25.1% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 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 32.4 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($2,998 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌330.8% higher power demand at 280W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,699 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $2,998 MSRP).
✅Delivers 125.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 32.4 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $2,998 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 280W, a 215W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9355P across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 97,249).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9355P, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while EPYC 9355P moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9355P

2024

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +25.1% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 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 $2,699 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $2,998 MSRP).
✅Delivers 125.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 32.4 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $2,998 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 280W, a 215W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.4 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($2,998 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌330.8% higher power demand at 280W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9355P across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 97,249).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9355P, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while EPYC 9355P moves to SP5 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9355P better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9355P 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 9355P is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 25.1% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 32 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9355P is the better fit. You are getting 345.2% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 700% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 32 MB).

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

EPYC 9355P is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9355P is 902.7% more expensive on MSRP at $2,998 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 25.1% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 125.2% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 32.4 PassMark/$), 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 9355P 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 256 MB L3 cache instead of 32 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 32 cores / 64 threads instead of 6/12. 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 9355P Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9355P	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	174 FPS	203 FPS
medium	144 FPS	174 FPS
high	124 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	152 FPS	169 FPS
medium	123 FPS	141 FPS
high	101 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	85 FPS
medium	73 FPS	76 FPS
high	58 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	48 FPS	47 FPS

Open EPYC 9355P Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9355P	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	658 FPS	464 FPS
medium	566 FPS	387 FPS
high	459 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	397 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	548 FPS	397 FPS
medium	483 FPS	334 FPS
high	404 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	328 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	333 FPS	263 FPS
medium	295 FPS	226 FPS
high	268 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	236 FPS	171 FPS

Open EPYC 9355P Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9355P	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	752 FPS	546 FPS
medium	638 FPS	473 FPS
high	593 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	508 FPS
medium	474 FPS	413 FPS
high	434 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	405 FPS	348 FPS
medium	326 FPS	292 FPS
high	288 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	199 FPS

Open EPYC 9355P Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9355P	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	1018 FPS	546 FPS
medium	914 FPS	546 FPS
high	788 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	711 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	813 FPS	546 FPS
medium	707 FPS	546 FPS
high	606 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	535 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	577 FPS	529 FPS
medium	512 FPS	484 FPS
high	449 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	394 FPS	379 FPS

Open EPYC 9355P Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9355P and Ryzen 5 5600X

EPYC 9355P

The EPYC 9355P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 3.55 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 97,249 points. Launch price was $2,998.

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 9355P packs 32 cores / 64 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the EPYC 9355P has 26 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the EPYC 9355P versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.55 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The EPYC 9355P 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 9355P scores 97,249 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 126.6% lead for the EPYC 9355P. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9355P vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	EPYC 9355P	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	32 / 64+433%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.6 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.55 GHz	3.7 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)+700%	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	97,249+345%	21,845

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9355P 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 DDR5-6000 on the EPYC 9355P versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X — the EPYC 9355P supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 5 5600X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 6 TB — 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9355P) vs 2 (Ryzen 5 5600X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9355P) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) — the EPYC 9355P offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9355P) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X).

Feature	EPYC 9355P	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	SP5	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6000+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	6 TB+4700%	128 GB
RAM Channels	12+500%	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+433%	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9355P) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). Primary use case: EPYC 9355P targets Data Center / Single Socket, Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 9355P rivals Xeon 6740P.

Feature	EPYC 9355P	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V
Target Use	Data Center / Single Socket	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9355P launched at $2998 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($2998 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $2699 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9355P delivers 32.4 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 77% better value option.