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 9555

2024

Why buy it

✅60% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9980X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (133,253 vs 142,069).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.6 vs 28.4 PassMark/$ ($9,826 MSRP vs $4,999 MSRP).

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $4,827 less on MSRP ($4,999 MSRP vs $9,826 MSRP).
✅Delivers 109.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 28.4 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($4,999 MSRP vs $9,826 MSRP).
✅Draws 350W instead of 360W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

EPYC 9555

2024

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

2025

Why buy it

✅60% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $4,827 less on MSRP ($4,999 MSRP vs $9,826 MSRP).
✅Delivers 109.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 28.4 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($4,999 MSRP vs $9,826 MSRP).
✅Draws 350W instead of 360W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9980X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (133,253 vs 142,069).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.6 vs 28.4 PassMark/$ ($9,826 MSRP vs $4,999 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 9980X better than EPYC 9555?

Yes. Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 17.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 6.6% better PassMark, 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 9980X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 17.7% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is the better fit. You are getting 6.6% better PassMark, backed by 64 cores and 128 threads.

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

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is $4,827 cheaper on MSRP at $4,999 MSRP versus $9,826 MSRP, and it gives you a 17.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 109.6% better value on MSRP (28.4 vs 13.6 PassMark/$), 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 Threadripper 9980X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2024), more multi-core headroom with 64 cores / 128 threads instead of 64/128, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That extra cache should hold up really well in CPU-limited games and high-refresh builds.

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 9555 Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9555	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	171 FPS	303 FPS
medium	142 FPS	281 FPS
high	122 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	268 FPS
medium	121 FPS	224 FPS
high	99 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	152 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	186 FPS
medium	73 FPS	155 FPS
high	57 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	105 FPS

Open EPYC 9555 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9555	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	655 FPS	803 FPS
medium	566 FPS	687 FPS
high	459 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	397 FPS	468 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	662 FPS
medium	483 FPS	590 FPS
high	404 FPS	477 FPS
ultra	328 FPS	386 FPS
4K
low	331 FPS	370 FPS
medium	295 FPS	334 FPS
high	268 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	236 FPS	269 FPS

Open EPYC 9555 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9555	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	747 FPS	889 FPS
medium	634 FPS	728 FPS
high	590 FPS	654 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	556 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	693 FPS
medium	474 FPS	567 FPS
high	434 FPS	498 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	419 FPS
4K
low	405 FPS	490 FPS
medium	326 FPS	407 FPS
high	288 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	303 FPS

Open EPYC 9555 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9555	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	1005 FPS	1131 FPS
medium	902 FPS	1014 FPS
high	778 FPS	889 FPS
ultra	702 FPS	802 FPS
1440p
low	809 FPS	890 FPS
medium	704 FPS	783 FPS
high	603 FPS	688 FPS
ultra	533 FPS	599 FPS
4K
low	574 FPS	649 FPS
medium	510 FPS	579 FPS
high	447 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	392 FPS	437 FPS

Open EPYC 9555 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9555 and Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

EPYC 9555

The EPYC 9555 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 360 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 133,253 points. Launch price was $9,826.

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

The Ryzen Threadripper 9980X 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 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 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: 142,069 points. Launch price was $4,999.

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Processing Power

Both the EPYC 9555 and Ryzen Threadripper 9980X share an identical 64-core/128-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the EPYC 9555 versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X — a 20.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The EPYC 9555 uses the Turin (2024) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X uses Shimada Peak (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9555 scores 133,253 against the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X's 142,069 — a 6.4% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X. Both processors carry 256 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	EPYC 9555	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
Cores / Threads	64 / 128	64 / 128
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.4 GHz+23%
Base Clock	3.2 GHz	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)	256 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	4 nm	4 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Shimada Peak (2025)
PassMark	133,253	142,069+7%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	115,098
Geekbench 6 Single	—	3,220
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	28,666

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9555 uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X uses sTR5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-6000 memory speed. The EPYC 9555 supports up to 6 TB of RAM compared to 1 TB — 142.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9555) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9555) vs 80 (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X) — the EPYC 9555 offers 48 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9555) and sTR5,TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X).

Feature	EPYC 9555	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
Socket	SP5	sTR5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6000	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	6 TB+500%	1 TB
RAM Channels	12+200%	4
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+60%	80

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9555) vs AMD-V, SVM (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X). Primary use case: EPYC 9555 targets Data Center, Ryzen Threadripper 9980X targets HEDT / Enthusiast Workstation. Direct competitor: EPYC 9555 rivals Xeon 6972P; Ryzen Threadripper 9980X rivals Xeon w9-3495X.

Feature	EPYC 9555	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V, SVM
Target Use	Data Center	HEDT / Enthusiast Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9555 launched at $9826 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X debuted at $4999. On MSRP ($9826 vs $4999), the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is $4827 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9555 delivers 13.6 pts/$ vs 28.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X — making the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X the 70.8% better value option.