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 9655

2024

Why buy it

✅+2.3% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).
✅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 per dollar, at 13.2 vs 28.4 PassMark/$ ($11,852 MSRP vs $4,999 MSRP).

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $6,853 less on MSRP ($4,999 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).
✅Delivers 115.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 28.4 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($4,999 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).
✅Draws 350W instead of 400W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (28,666 vs 29,329).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 384 MB).

EPYC 9655

2024

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

2025

Why buy it

✅+2.3% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).
✅60% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $6,853 less on MSRP ($4,999 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).
✅Delivers 115.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 28.4 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($4,999 MSRP vs $11,852 MSRP).
✅Draws 350W instead of 400W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9980X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.2 vs 28.4 PassMark/$ ($11,852 MSRP vs $4,999 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (28,666 vs 29,329).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 384 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 9980X better than EPYC 9655?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is ahead with a 14.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9655 pulls ahead with 2.3% better Geekbench multi-core. EPYC 9655 also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9655 is the better fit. You are getting 2.3% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 96 cores and 192 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).

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

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is $6,853 cheaper on MSRP at $4,999 MSRP versus $11,852 MSRP, and it gives you a 14.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 9655 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 2.3% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 115.8% better value on MSRP (28.4 vs 13.2 PassMark/$), 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). 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 9655 Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	170 FPS	303 FPS
medium	143 FPS	281 FPS
high	122 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	149 FPS	268 FPS
medium	121 FPS	224 FPS
high	99 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	152 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	186 FPS
medium	73 FPS	155 FPS
high	57 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	105 FPS

Open EPYC 9655 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	696 FPS	803 FPS
medium	602 FPS	687 FPS
high	475 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	411 FPS	468 FPS
1440p
low	566 FPS	662 FPS
medium	501 FPS	590 FPS
high	414 FPS	477 FPS
ultra	336 FPS	386 FPS
4K
low	331 FPS	370 FPS
medium	295 FPS	334 FPS
high	267 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	235 FPS	269 FPS

Open EPYC 9655 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	746 FPS	889 FPS
medium	633 FPS	728 FPS
high	589 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	411 FPS	490 FPS
medium	331 FPS	407 FPS
high	299 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	303 FPS

Open EPYC 9655 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	1047 FPS	1131 FPS
medium	939 FPS	1014 FPS
high	821 FPS	889 FPS
ultra	744 FPS	802 FPS
1440p
low	839 FPS	890 FPS
medium	733 FPS	783 FPS
high	641 FPS	688 FPS
ultra	562 FPS	599 FPS
4K
low	605 FPS	649 FPS
medium	539 FPS	579 FPS
high	477 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	437 FPS

Open EPYC 9655 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9655 and Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

EPYC 9655

The EPYC 9655 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 96 cores and 192 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 384 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 400 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 156,110 points. Launch price was $11,852.

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

The EPYC 9655 packs 96 cores / 192 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X offers 64 cores / 128 threads — the EPYC 9655 has 32 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the EPYC 9655 versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The EPYC 9655 uses the Turin (2024) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X uses Shimada Peak (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9655 scores 156,110 against the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X's 142,069 — a 9.4% lead for the EPYC 9655. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,830 vs 3,220, a 12.9% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 29,329 vs 28,666 (2.3% advantage for the EPYC 9655). L3 cache: 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9655 vs 256 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X.

Feature	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
Cores / Threads	96 / 192+50%	64 / 128
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	5.4 GHz+20%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.2 GHz+23%
L3 Cache	384 MB (total)+50%	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	156,110+10%	142,069
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	115,098
Geekbench 6 Single	2,830	3,220+14%
Geekbench 6 Multi	29,329+2%	28,666

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9655 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 9655 supports up to 9 TB of RAM compared to 1 TB — 160% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9655) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9655) vs 80 (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X) — the EPYC 9655 offers 48 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9655) and sTR5,TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X).

Feature	EPYC 9655	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	9 TB+800%	1 TB
RAM Channels	12+200%	4
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+60%	80

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9655) vs AMD-V, SVM (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X). Primary use case: EPYC 9655 targets Data Center, Ryzen Threadripper 9980X targets HEDT / Enthusiast Workstation. Direct competitor: EPYC 9655 rivals Xeon 6979P; Ryzen Threadripper 9980X rivals Xeon w9-3495X.

Feature	EPYC 9655	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V, SVM
Target Use	Data Center	HEDT / Enthusiast Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9655 launched at $11852 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X debuted at $4999. On MSRP ($11852 vs $4999), the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is $6853 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9655 delivers 13.2 pts/$ vs 28.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X — making the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X the 73.3% better value option.