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

✅+200% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 128 MB).
✅39.1% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 92) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9970X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (20,000 vs 29,244).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.1 vs 43.4 PassMark/$ ($11,805 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $9,306 less on MSRP ($2,499 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).
✅Delivers 329.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 43.4 vs 10.1 PassMark/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (128 MB vs 384 MB).

EPYC 9654

2022

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

2025

Why buy it

✅+200% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 128 MB).
✅39.1% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 92) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $9,306 less on MSRP ($2,499 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).
✅Delivers 329.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 43.4 vs 10.1 PassMark/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9970X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (20,000 vs 29,244).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.1 vs 43.4 PassMark/$ ($11,805 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (128 MB vs 384 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 9970X better than EPYC 9654?

Yes. Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 23.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 46.2% better Geekbench multi-core, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 23.2% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the better fit. You are getting 46.2% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads.

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

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is $9,306 cheaper on MSRP at $2,499 MSRP versus $11,805 MSRP, and it gives you a 23.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 329.3% better value on MSRP (43.4 vs 10.1 PassMark/$), 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 Threadripper 9970X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022), more multi-core headroom with 32 cores / 64 threads instead of 96/192, 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 9654 Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9654	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
1080p
low	170 FPS	314 FPS
medium	141 FPS	289 FPS
high	122 FPS	240 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	203 FPS
1440p
low	148 FPS	278 FPS
medium	119 FPS	231 FPS
high	97 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	158 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	191 FPS
medium	59 FPS	158 FPS
high	47 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	107 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9654	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
1080p
low	524 FPS	818 FPS
medium	457 FPS	697 FPS
high	365 FPS	542 FPS
ultra	296 FPS	472 FPS
1440p
low	431 FPS	674 FPS
medium	385 FPS	599 FPS
high	317 FPS	480 FPS
ultra	250 FPS	388 FPS
4K
low	265 FPS	377 FPS
medium	241 FPS	339 FPS
high	211 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	271 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9654	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
1080p
low	671 FPS	891 FPS
medium	560 FPS	723 FPS
high	522 FPS	649 FPS
ultra	454 FPS	552 FPS
1440p
low	511 FPS	714 FPS
medium	425 FPS	580 FPS
high	389 FPS	508 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	427 FPS
4K
low	376 FPS	508 FPS
medium	293 FPS	419 FPS
high	262 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	210 FPS	311 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9654	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
1080p
low	902 FPS	1116 FPS
medium	822 FPS	1002 FPS
high	708 FPS	879 FPS
ultra	623 FPS	792 FPS
1440p
low	724 FPS	872 FPS
medium	631 FPS	768 FPS
high	540 FPS	674 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	587 FPS
4K
low	519 FPS	636 FPS
medium	464 FPS	568 FPS
high	407 FPS	504 FPS
ultra	350 FPS	437 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9654 and Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

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 Threadripper 9970X

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 30 July 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Shimada Peak (2025) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: sTR5. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 108,377 points. Launch price was $2,499.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9654 packs 96 cores / 192 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the EPYC 9654 has 64 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9654 versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X — a 37.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X (base: 2.4 GHz vs 4 GHz). The EPYC 9654 uses the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture (5 nm, 6 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X uses Shimada Peak (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9654 scores 119,246 against the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X's 108,377 — a 9.6% lead for the EPYC 9654. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,250 vs 3,220, a 88.1% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 20,000 vs 29,244 (37.5% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X). L3 cache: 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9654 vs 128 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X.

Feature	EPYC 9654	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
Cores / Threads	96 / 192+200%	32 / 64
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	5.4 GHz+46%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	4 GHz+67%
L3 Cache	384 MB (total)+200%	128 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm, 6 nm	4 nm-20%
Architecture	Genoa (2022−2023)	Shimada Peak (2025)
PassMark	119,246+10%	108,377
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	76,136
Geekbench 6 Single	1,250	3,220+158%
Geekbench 6 Multi	20,000	29,244+46%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9654 uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X uses sTR5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The EPYC 9654 supports up to 6 TB of RAM compared to 1 TB — 142.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9654) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 9970X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9654) vs 92 (Ryzen Threadripper 9970X) — the EPYC 9654 offers 36 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9654) and TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper 9970X).

Feature	EPYC 9654	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
Socket	SP5	sTR5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	6 TB+500%	1 TB
RAM Channels	12+200%	4
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+39%	92

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9654) vs AMD-V, SVM (Ryzen Threadripper 9970X). Primary use case: EPYC 9654 targets Data Center, Ryzen Threadripper 9970X targets HEDT / Workstation. Direct competitor: EPYC 9654 rivals Xeon 8592+; Ryzen Threadripper 9970X rivals Xeon w7-3465X.

Feature	EPYC 9654	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V, SVM
Target Use	Data Center	HEDT / Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9654 launched at $11805 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X debuted at $2499. On MSRP ($11805 vs $2499), the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is $9306 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9654 delivers 10.1 pts/$ vs 43.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X — making the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X the 124.4% better value option.