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 9254

2022

Why buy it

✅+31.2% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Costs $730 less on MSRP ($3,761 MSRP vs $4,491 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 17.1 vs 14.0 PassMark/$ ($3,761 MSRP vs $4,491 MSRP).
✅Draws 200W instead of 280W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 3970X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +42.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (13,739 vs 18,023).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.0 vs 17.1 PassMark/$ ($4,491 MSRP vs $3,761 MSRP).
❌40% higher power demand at 280W vs 200W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while EPYC 9254 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9254

2022

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

2019

Why buy it

✅+31.2% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Costs $730 less on MSRP ($3,761 MSRP vs $4,491 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 17.1 vs 14.0 PassMark/$ ($3,761 MSRP vs $4,491 MSRP).
✅Draws 200W instead of 280W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +42.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 3970X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (13,739 vs 18,023).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.0 vs 17.1 PassMark/$ ($4,491 MSRP vs $3,761 MSRP).
❌40% higher power demand at 280W vs 200W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while EPYC 9254 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9254 better than Ryzen Threadripper 3970X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Threadripper 3970X is ahead with a 42.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9254 pulls ahead with 31.2% better Geekbench multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9254 is the better fit. You are getting 31.2% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads.

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

EPYC 9254 is the smarter buy today. EPYC 9254 is $730 cheaper on MSRP at $3,761 MSRP versus $4,491 MSRP, and it gives you 31.2% better Geekbench multi-core. The trade-off is that Ryzen Threadripper 3970X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 42.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 22.1% better value on MSRP (17.1 vs 14.0 PassMark/$), 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?

EPYC 9254 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019), a healthier platform with SP5 and DDR5 instead of TR4, more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 32/64, 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 9254 Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9254	Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
1080p
low	171 FPS	270 FPS
medium	142 FPS	222 FPS
high	123 FPS	183 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	131 FPS
1440p
low	149 FPS	211 FPS
medium	120 FPS	164 FPS
high	97 FPS	130 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	96 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	98 FPS
medium	60 FPS	81 FPS
high	47 FPS	63 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	51 FPS

Open EPYC 9254 Open Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9254	Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
1080p
low	603 FPS	806 FPS
medium	529 FPS	681 FPS
high	429 FPS	528 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	457 FPS
1440p
low	507 FPS	652 FPS
medium	453 FPS	565 FPS
high	379 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	314 FPS	373 FPS
4K
low	315 FPS	381 FPS
medium	285 FPS	333 FPS
high	257 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	230 FPS	261 FPS

Open EPYC 9254 Open Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9254	Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
1080p
low	716 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	608 FPS	927 FPS
high	552 FPS	862 FPS
ultra	486 FPS	765 FPS
1440p
low	549 FPS	776 FPS
medium	465 FPS	644 FPS
high	415 FPS	580 FPS
ultra	359 FPS	506 FPS
4K
low	400 FPS	539 FPS
medium	321 FPS	428 FPS
high	283 FPS	381 FPS
ultra	227 FPS	306 FPS

Open EPYC 9254 Open Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9254	Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
1080p
low	868 FPS	1325 FPS
medium	793 FPS	1015 FPS
high	684 FPS	1073 FPS
ultra	605 FPS	875 FPS
1440p
low	695 FPS	1031 FPS
medium	610 FPS	900 FPS
high	523 FPS	778 FPS
ultra	453 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	502 FPS	744 FPS
medium	451 FPS	662 FPS
high	397 FPS	579 FPS
ultra	340 FPS	437 FPS

Open EPYC 9254 Open Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9254 and Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

EPYC 9254

The EPYC 9254 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 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.15 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 200 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 64,344 points. Launch price was $2,299.

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

The Ryzen Threadripper 3970X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 November 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 62,946 points. Launch price was $1,999.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9254 packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.15 GHz on the EPYC 9254 versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X — a 8.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The EPYC 9254 uses the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture (5 nm, 6 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9254 scores 64,344 against the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X's 62,946 — a 2.2% lead for the EPYC 9254. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,233 vs 1,664, a 29.2% lead for the EPYC 9254 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 18,023 vs 13,739 (27% advantage for the EPYC 9254). L3 cache: 128 MB (total) on the EPYC 9254 vs 128 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X.

Feature	EPYC 9254	Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
Cores / Threads	24 / 48	32 / 64+33%
Boost Clock	4.15 GHz	4.5 GHz+8%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.7 GHz+28%
L3 Cache	128 MB (total)	128 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)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	64,344+2%	62,946
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	44,510
Geekbench 6 Single	2,233+34%	1,664
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,023+31%	13,739

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9254 uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the EPYC 9254 versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X — the EPYC 9254 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9254 supports up to 6144 GB of RAM compared to 256 GB — 184% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9254) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 3970X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9254) vs 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 3970X) — the EPYC 9254 offers 64 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9254) and TRX40 (Ryzen Threadripper 3970X).

Feature	EPYC 9254	Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
Socket	SP5	TR4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	6144 GB+2300%	256 GB
RAM Channels	12+200%	4
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+100%	64

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the EPYC 9254 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (EPYC 9254) vs true (Ryzen Threadripper 3970X). Primary use case: EPYC 9254 targets Enterprise Server. Direct competitor: EPYC 9254 rivals Xeon Platinum 8468; Ryzen Threadripper 3970X rivals Core i9-10980XE.

Feature	EPYC 9254	Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	true
Target Use	Enterprise Server	—

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9254 launched at $3761 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X debuted at $4491. On MSRP ($3761 vs $4491), the EPYC 9254 is $730 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9254 delivers 17.1 pts/$ vs 14.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X — making the EPYC 9254 the 19.9% better value option.