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 9654

2022

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 384 MB vs 32 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 96 cores / 192 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 10.1 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($11,805 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌453.8% higher power demand at 360W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $11,506 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).
✅Delivers 623.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 10.1 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 360W, a 295W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (32 MB vs 384 MB).
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 119,246).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9654, which brings 96 cores / 192 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while EPYC 9654 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9654

2022

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 384 MB vs 32 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 96 cores / 192 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 $11,506 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).
✅Delivers 623.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 10.1 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 360W, a 295W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.1 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($11,805 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌453.8% higher power demand at 360W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (32 MB vs 384 MB).
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 119,246).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9654, which brings 96 cores / 192 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while EPYC 9654 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9654 better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9654 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 9654 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.5% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 384 MB vs 32 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9654 is the better fit. You are getting 445.9% better PassMark, backed by 96 cores and 192 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 1100% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 32 MB).

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

EPYC 9654 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9654 is 3848.2% more expensive on MSRP at $11,805 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.5% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 623.3% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 10.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

EPYC 9654 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with SP5 and DDR5 instead of AM4, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 384 MB L3 cache instead of 32 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 96 cores / 192 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 9654 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9654	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	170 FPS	203 FPS
medium	141 FPS	174 FPS
high	122 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	148 FPS	169 FPS
medium	119 FPS	141 FPS
high	97 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	85 FPS
medium	59 FPS	76 FPS
high	47 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	47 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9654	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	524 FPS	464 FPS
medium	457 FPS	387 FPS
high	365 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	296 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	431 FPS	397 FPS
medium	385 FPS	334 FPS
high	317 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	250 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	265 FPS	263 FPS
medium	241 FPS	226 FPS
high	211 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	171 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9654	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	671 FPS	546 FPS
medium	560 FPS	473 FPS
high	522 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	454 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	511 FPS	508 FPS
medium	425 FPS	413 FPS
high	389 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	376 FPS	348 FPS
medium	293 FPS	292 FPS
high	262 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	210 FPS	199 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9654	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	902 FPS	546 FPS
medium	822 FPS	546 FPS
high	708 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	623 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	724 FPS	546 FPS
medium	631 FPS	546 FPS
high	540 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	519 FPS	529 FPS
medium	464 FPS	484 FPS
high	407 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	350 FPS	379 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9654 and Ryzen 5 5600X

EPYC 9654

The EPYC 9654 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 November 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture. It features 96 cores and 192 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 384 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 360 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 119,246 points. Launch price was $11,805.

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 9654 packs 96 cores / 192 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the EPYC 9654 has 90 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9654 versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 21.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The EPYC 9654 uses the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture (5 nm, 6 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9654 scores 119,246 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 138.1% lead for the EPYC 9654. L3 cache: 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9654 vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	EPYC 9654	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	96 / 192+1500%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	4.6 GHz+24%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	3.7 GHz+54%
L3 Cache	384 MB (total)+1100%	32 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	5 nm, 6 nm-29%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Genoa (2022−2023)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	119,246+446%	21,845
Geekbench 6 Single	1,250	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	20,000	—

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9654 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 DDR5-4800 on the EPYC 9654 versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X — the EPYC 9654 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 9654) vs 2 (Ryzen 5 5600X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9654) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) — the EPYC 9654 offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9654) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X).

Feature	EPYC 9654	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	SP5	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800+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 9654) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). Primary use case: EPYC 9654 targets Data Center, Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 9654 rivals Xeon 8592+.

Feature	EPYC 9654	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V
Target Use	Data Center	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9654 launched at $11805 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($11805 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $11506 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9654 delivers 10.1 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 151.4% better value option.