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 9354

2022

Why buy it

✅+160.9% higher PassMark.
✅+700% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅357.1% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600X across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.6 vs 94.7 PassMark/$ ($3,420 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌166.7% higher power demand at 280W vs 105W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 7600X can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.3% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $3,121 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $3,420 MSRP).
✅Delivers 338.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 94.7 vs 21.6 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $3,420 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 280W, a 175W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core), while EPYC 9354 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (28,325 vs 73,892).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9354, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 9354

2022

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅+160.9% higher PassMark.
✅+700% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅357.1% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.3% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $3,121 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $3,420 MSRP).
✅Delivers 338.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 94.7 vs 21.6 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $3,420 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 280W, a 175W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core), while EPYC 9354 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600X across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.6 vs 94.7 PassMark/$ ($3,420 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌166.7% higher power demand at 280W vs 105W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 7600X can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (28,325 vs 73,892).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9354, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7600X better than EPYC 9354?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9354 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 7600X is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9354 is the better fit. You are getting 160.9% 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?

Ryzen 5 7600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 7600X is $3,121 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $3,420 MSRP, and it gives you a 20.3% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 9354 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 160.9% better PassMark. It is also 338.5% better value on MSRP (94.7 vs 21.6 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 7600X 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 9354 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9354	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	176 FPS	266 FPS
medium	145 FPS	246 FPS
high	125 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	226 FPS
medium	123 FPS	189 FPS
high	99 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	71 FPS	157 FPS
medium	60 FPS	131 FPS
high	47 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	87 FPS

Open EPYC 9354 Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9354	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	534 FPS	649 FPS
medium	466 FPS	524 FPS
high	374 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	304 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	439 FPS	544 FPS
medium	392 FPS	455 FPS
high	324 FPS	388 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	329 FPS
4K
low	270 FPS	341 FPS
medium	246 FPS	290 FPS
high	216 FPS	271 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	232 FPS

Open EPYC 9354 Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9354	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	673 FPS	708 FPS
medium	562 FPS	652 FPS
high	523 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	455 FPS	484 FPS
1440p
low	511 FPS	708 FPS
medium	426 FPS	554 FPS
high	390 FPS	479 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	409 FPS
4K
low	377 FPS	463 FPS
medium	295 FPS	392 FPS
high	263 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	211 FPS	281 FPS

Open EPYC 9354 Open Ryzen 5 7600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9354	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	937 FPS	708 FPS
medium	856 FPS	708 FPS
high	735 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	648 FPS	708 FPS
1440p
low	751 FPS	708 FPS
medium	658 FPS	708 FPS
high	561 FPS	658 FPS
ultra	480 FPS	571 FPS
4K
low	539 FPS	560 FPS
medium	484 FPS	502 FPS
high	423 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	366 FPS	391 FPS

Open EPYC 9354 Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9354 and Ryzen 5 7600X

EPYC 9354

The EPYC 9354 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 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 3.25 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 73,892 points. Launch price was $3,420.

Ryzen 5 7600X

The Ryzen 5 7600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 28,325 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9354 packs 32 cores / 64 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the EPYC 9354 has 26 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the EPYC 9354 versus 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7600X — a 33% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600X (base: 3.25 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The EPYC 9354 uses the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture (5 nm, 6 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9354 scores 73,892 against the Ryzen 5 7600X's 28,325 — a 89.2% lead for the EPYC 9354. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9354 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7600X.

Feature	EPYC 9354	Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores / Threads	32 / 64+433%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	5.3 GHz+39%
Base Clock	3.25 GHz	4.7 GHz+45%
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)+700%	32 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	6 MB+500%
Process	5 nm, 6 nm	5 nm, 6 nm
Architecture	Genoa (2022−2023)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	73,892+161%	28,325
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	15,300
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,900
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	13,800

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9354 uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the EPYC 9354 versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 5 7600X — the EPYC 9354 supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9354 supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 191.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9354) vs 2 (Ryzen 5 7600X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9354) vs 28 (Ryzen 5 7600X) — the EPYC 9354 offers 100 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9354) and X670E,X670,B650E,B650,A620 (Ryzen 5 7600X).

Feature	EPYC 9354	Ryzen 5 7600X
Socket	SP5	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+95900%	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	6144	128 GB+2184433%
RAM Channels	12+500%	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+357%	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 7600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9354) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 7600X). The Ryzen 5 7600X includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)), while the EPYC 9354 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 7600X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: EPYC 9354 rivals Xeon Platinum 8468; Ryzen 5 7600X rivals Intel Core i5-13600K.

Feature	EPYC 9354	Ryzen 5 7600X
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	None	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9354 launched at $3420 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 7600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($3420 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 7600X is $3121 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9354 delivers 21.6 pts/$ vs 94.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 7600X — making the Ryzen 5 7600X the 125.7% better value option.