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 9454

2022

Why buy it

✅+41.1% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 128 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 48 cores / 96 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 7950X3D across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 16.8 vs 89.2 PassMark/$ ($5,225 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
❌141.7% higher power demand at 290W vs 120W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 7950X3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 7950X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +50.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $4,526 less on MSRP ($699 MSRP vs $5,225 MSRP).
✅Delivers 429.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 89.2 vs 16.8 PassMark/$ ($699 MSRP vs $5,225 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 290W, a 170W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics, while EPYC 9454 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (62,323 vs 87,961).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (128 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9454, which brings 48 cores / 96 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 9454

2022

Ryzen 9 7950X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅+41.1% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 128 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 48 cores / 96 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: +50.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $4,526 less on MSRP ($699 MSRP vs $5,225 MSRP).
✅Delivers 429.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 89.2 vs 16.8 PassMark/$ ($699 MSRP vs $5,225 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 290W, a 170W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics, while EPYC 9454 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7950X3D across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 16.8 vs 89.2 PassMark/$ ($5,225 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
❌141.7% higher power demand at 290W vs 120W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 7950X3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (62,323 vs 87,961).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (128 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9454, which brings 48 cores / 96 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7950X3D better than EPYC 9454?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9454 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 9 7950X3D 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 9454 is the better fit. You are getting 41.1% better PassMark, backed by 48 cores and 96 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 128 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 7950X3D is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 7950X3D is $4,526 cheaper on MSRP at $699 MSRP versus $5,225 MSRP, and it gives you a 50.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 9454 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 41.1% better PassMark. It is also 429.6% better value on MSRP (89.2 vs 16.8 PassMark/$), 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 9 7950X3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) 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 9454 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 7950X3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9454	Ryzen 9 7950X3D
1080p
low	171 FPS	291 FPS
medium	142 FPS	265 FPS
high	122 FPS	219 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	186 FPS
1440p
low	149 FPS	275 FPS
medium	120 FPS	227 FPS
high	97 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	190 FPS
medium	60 FPS	156 FPS
high	47 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	107 FPS

Open EPYC 9454 Open Ryzen 9 7950X3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9454	Ryzen 9 7950X3D
1080p
low	533 FPS	734 FPS
medium	465 FPS	627 FPS
high	373 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	303 FPS	393 FPS
1440p
low	438 FPS	602 FPS
medium	392 FPS	536 FPS
high	323 FPS	413 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	326 FPS
4K
low	270 FPS	338 FPS
medium	246 FPS	305 FPS
high	216 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	229 FPS

Open EPYC 9454 Open Ryzen 9 7950X3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9454	Ryzen 9 7950X3D
1080p
low	672 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	561 FPS	1122 FPS
high	522 FPS	1062 FPS
ultra	455 FPS	875 FPS
1440p
low	511 FPS	936 FPS
medium	426 FPS	845 FPS
high	390 FPS	775 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	377 FPS	574 FPS
medium	294 FPS	498 FPS
high	263 FPS	447 FPS
ultra	211 FPS	378 FPS

Open EPYC 9454 Open Ryzen 9 7950X3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9454	Ryzen 9 7950X3D
1080p
low	902 FPS	1082 FPS
medium	822 FPS	973 FPS
high	708 FPS	854 FPS
ultra	625 FPS	766 FPS
1440p
low	724 FPS	853 FPS
medium	631 FPS	751 FPS
high	540 FPS	659 FPS
ultra	462 FPS	569 FPS
4K
low	519 FPS	623 FPS
medium	464 FPS	555 FPS
high	407 FPS	493 FPS
ultra	350 FPS	426 FPS

Open EPYC 9454 Open Ryzen 9 7950X3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9454 and Ryzen 9 7950X3D

EPYC 9454

The EPYC 9454 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 48 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 2.75 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): 290 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 87,961 points. Launch price was $5,225.

Ryzen 9 7950X3D

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 4.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.7 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 62,323 points. Launch price was $699.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9454 packs 48 cores / 96 threads, while the Ryzen 9 7950X3D offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the EPYC 9454 has 32 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the EPYC 9454 versus 5.7 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7950X3D — a 40% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D (base: 2.75 GHz vs 4.2 GHz). The EPYC 9454 uses the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture (5 nm, 6 nm), while the Ryzen 9 7950X3D uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9454 scores 87,961 against the Ryzen 9 7950X3D's 62,323 — a 34.1% lead for the EPYC 9454. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9454 vs 128 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7950X3D.

Feature	EPYC 9454	Ryzen 9 7950X3D
Cores / Threads	48 / 96+200%	16 / 32
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	5.7 GHz+50%
Base Clock	2.75 GHz	4.2 GHz+53%
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)+100%	128 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm, 6 nm	5 nm, 6 nm
Architecture	Genoa (2022−2023)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	87,961+41%	62,323
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	38,581
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,926
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	19,643

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9454 uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 7950X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The Ryzen 9 7950X3D supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 6 TB — 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9454) vs 2 (Ryzen 9 7950X3D). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9454) vs 28 (Ryzen 9 7950X3D) — the EPYC 9454 offers 100 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9454) and AMD X670E,AMD X670,AMD B650E,AMD B650 (Ryzen 9 7950X3D).

Feature	EPYC 9454	Ryzen 9 7950X3D
Socket	SP5	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	6 TB+4700%	128 GB
RAM Channels	12+500%	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+357%	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9454) vs true (Ryzen 9 7950X3D). The Ryzen 9 7950X3D includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics), while the EPYC 9454 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: EPYC 9454 targets Data Center. Direct competitor: EPYC 9454 rivals Xeon Platinum 8468; Ryzen 9 7950X3D rivals Core i9-13900K.

Feature	EPYC 9454	Ryzen 9 7950X3D
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon Graphics
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	true
Target Use	Data Center	—

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9454 launched at $5225 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 7950X3D debuted at $699. On MSRP ($5225 vs $699), the Ryzen 9 7950X3D is $4526 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9454 delivers 16.8 pts/$ vs 89.2 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D — making the Ryzen 9 7950X3D the 136.5% better value option.