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 7401

2017

Why buy it

✅+1.6% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 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 9 7945HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,500 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7945HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌181.8% higher power demand at 155W vs 55W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 7945HX moves to FL1 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 7945HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 7945HX

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +34.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 55W instead of 155W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FL1 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 610M, while EPYC 7401 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike EPYC 7401.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (54,425 vs 55,280).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7401, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 7401

2017

Ryzen 9 7945HX

2023

Why buy it

✅+1.6% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 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: +34.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 55W instead of 155W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FL1 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 610M, while EPYC 7401 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike EPYC 7401.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7945HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,500 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7945HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌181.8% higher power demand at 155W vs 55W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 7945HX moves to FL1 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 7945HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (54,425 vs 55,280).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7401, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7945HX better than EPYC 7401?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7401 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 7945HX 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 7401 is the better fit. You are getting 1.6% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 7945HX is still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 7401 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 7945HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,500 MSRP, and it gives you a 34.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 7401 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.6% better PassMark. EPYC 7401 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (36.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 9 7945HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2017), a healthier platform with FL1 and DDR5 instead of TR4, 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 7401 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 7945HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 7401	Ryzen 9 7945HX
1080p
low	187 FPS	301 FPS
medium	165 FPS	276 FPS
high	132 FPS	224 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	190 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	271 FPS
medium	127 FPS	226 FPS
high	97 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	153 FPS
4K
low	71 FPS	189 FPS
medium	63 FPS	157 FPS
high	48 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	107 FPS

Open EPYC 7401 Open Ryzen 9 7945HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 7401	Ryzen 9 7945HX
1080p
low	207 FPS	744 FPS
medium	188 FPS	620 FPS
high	160 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	131 FPS	397 FPS
1440p
low	178 FPS	630 FPS
medium	163 FPS	541 FPS
high	141 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	111 FPS	328 FPS
4K
low	112 FPS	355 FPS
medium	103 FPS	309 FPS
high	92 FPS	272 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	230 FPS

Open EPYC 7401 Open Ryzen 9 7945HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 7401	Ryzen 9 7945HX
1080p
low	620 FPS	893 FPS
medium	518 FPS	712 FPS
high	466 FPS	618 FPS
ultra	399 FPS	533 FPS
1440p
low	517 FPS	718 FPS
medium	432 FPS	572 FPS
high	378 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	325 FPS	418 FPS
4K
low	383 FPS	513 FPS
medium	308 FPS	427 FPS
high	270 FPS	383 FPS
ultra	220 FPS	323 FPS

Open EPYC 7401 Open Ryzen 9 7945HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 7401	Ryzen 9 7945HX
1080p
low	834 FPS	1129 FPS
medium	758 FPS	1006 FPS
high	651 FPS	873 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	768 FPS
1440p
low	667 FPS	900 FPS
medium	584 FPS	790 FPS
high	500 FPS	689 FPS
ultra	420 FPS	584 FPS
4K
low	475 FPS	648 FPS
medium	427 FPS	578 FPS
high	375 FPS	510 FPS
ultra	320 FPS	436 FPS

Open EPYC 7401 Open Ryzen 9 7945HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7401 and Ryzen 9 7945HX

EPYC 7401

The EPYC 7401 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Naples (2017−2018) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 170 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 55,280 points. Launch price was $1,850.

Ryzen 9 7945HX

The Ryzen 9 7945HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2023-03-12. It is based on the Dragon Range-HX (Zen 4) (2023−2024) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on CCD = 5 nm, I/O = 6 nm process technology. Socket: FL1. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 54,425 points. Launch price was $700.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 7401 packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the Ryzen 9 7945HX offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the EPYC 7401 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the EPYC 7401 versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7945HX — a 57.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7945HX (base: 2 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The EPYC 7401 uses the Naples (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 9 7945HX uses Dragon Range-HX (Zen 4) (2023−2024) (CCD = 5 nm, I/O = 6 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7401 scores 55,280 against the Ryzen 9 7945HX's 54,425 — a 1.6% lead for the EPYC 7401. Both processors carry 64 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	EPYC 7401	Ryzen 9 7945HX
Cores / Threads	24 / 48+50%	16 / 32
Boost Clock	3 GHz	5.4 GHz+80%
Base Clock	2 GHz	2.5 GHz+25%
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)	64 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	CCD = 5 nm, I/O = 6 nm-64%
Architecture	Naples (2017−2018)	Dragon Range-HX (Zen 4) (2023−2024)
PassMark	55,280+2%	54,425
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	34,521
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,774
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	16,214

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7401 uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 7945HX uses FL1 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 2666 on the EPYC 7401 versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 9 7945HX — the EPYC 7401 supports 199.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7401 supports up to 2048 of RAM compared to 64 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (EPYC 7401) vs 2 (Ryzen 9 7945HX). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 7401) vs 28 (Ryzen 9 7945HX) — the EPYC 7401 offers 100 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3 (EPYC 7401) and FL1 (Ryzen 9 7945HX).

Feature	EPYC 7401	Ryzen 9 7945HX
Socket	TR4	FL1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	2666+53220%	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	2048	64 GB+3276700%
RAM Channels	8+300%	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+357%	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 7945HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 9 7945HX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (EPYC 7401) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 7945HX). The Ryzen 9 7945HX includes integrated graphics (Radeon 610M), while the EPYC 7401 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 9 7945HX targets Extreme Gaming / Mobile Workstation. Direct competitor: EPYC 7401 rivals Xeon Silver 4114; Ryzen 9 7945HX rivals Core i9-14900HX.