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 9965

2024

Why buy it

✅+13.2% higher PassMark.
✅+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 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.9 vs 28.4 PassMark/$ ($14,813 MSRP vs $4,999 MSRP).
❌42.9% higher power demand at 500W vs 350W.

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +29.7% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $9,814 less on MSRP ($4,999 MSRP vs $14,813 MSRP).
✅Delivers 161.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 28.4 vs 10.9 PassMark/$ ($4,999 MSRP vs $14,813 MSRP).
✅Draws 350W instead of 500W, a 150W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (142,069 vs 160,778).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 384 MB).

EPYC 9965

2024

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

2025

Why buy it

✅+13.2% higher PassMark.
✅+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: +29.7% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $9,814 less on MSRP ($4,999 MSRP vs $14,813 MSRP).
✅Delivers 161.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 28.4 vs 10.9 PassMark/$ ($4,999 MSRP vs $14,813 MSRP).
✅Draws 350W instead of 500W, a 150W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9980X across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.9 vs 28.4 PassMark/$ ($14,813 MSRP vs $4,999 MSRP).
❌42.9% higher power demand at 500W vs 350W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (142,069 vs 160,778).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 384 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 9980X better than EPYC 9965?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is ahead with a 29.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9965 pulls ahead with 13.2% better PassMark. EPYC 9965 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 9965 is the better fit. You are getting 13.2% better PassMark, backed by 192 cores and 384 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 $9,814 cheaper on MSRP at $4,999 MSRP versus $14,813 MSRP, and it gives you a 29.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 9965 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 13.2% better PassMark. It is also 161.8% better value on MSRP (28.4 vs 10.9 PassMark/$), 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) 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 9965 Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9965	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	192 FPS	303 FPS
medium	156 FPS	281 FPS
high	126 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	158 FPS	268 FPS
medium	124 FPS	224 FPS
high	96 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	152 FPS
4K
low	72 FPS	186 FPS
medium	60 FPS	155 FPS
high	47 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	105 FPS

Open EPYC 9965 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9965	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	274 FPS	803 FPS
medium	241 FPS	687 FPS
high	198 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	163 FPS	468 FPS
1440p
low	225 FPS	662 FPS
medium	202 FPS	590 FPS
high	171 FPS	477 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	386 FPS
4K
low	139 FPS	370 FPS
medium	128 FPS	334 FPS
high	115 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	269 FPS

Open EPYC 9965 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9965	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	743 FPS	889 FPS
medium	610 FPS	728 FPS
high	556 FPS	654 FPS
ultra	481 FPS	556 FPS
1440p
low	594 FPS	693 FPS
medium	494 FPS	567 FPS
high	450 FPS	498 FPS
ultra	390 FPS	419 FPS
4K
low	430 FPS	490 FPS
medium	335 FPS	407 FPS
high	298 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	303 FPS

Open EPYC 9965 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9965	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
1080p
low	962 FPS	1131 FPS
medium	873 FPS	1014 FPS
high	752 FPS	889 FPS
ultra	650 FPS	802 FPS
1440p
low	740 FPS	890 FPS
medium	648 FPS	783 FPS
high	554 FPS	688 FPS
ultra	476 FPS	599 FPS
4K
low	531 FPS	649 FPS
medium	475 FPS	579 FPS
high	417 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	437 FPS

Open EPYC 9965 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9965 and Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

EPYC 9965

The EPYC 9965 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 192 cores and 384 threads. Base frequency is 2.25 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 384 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 500 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 160,778 points. Launch price was $14,813.

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 9965 packs 192 cores / 384 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X offers 64 cores / 128 threads — the EPYC 9965 has 128 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9965 versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X — a 37.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X (base: 2.25 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The EPYC 9965 uses the Turin (2024) architecture (3 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X uses Shimada Peak (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9965 scores 160,778 against the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X's 142,069 — a 12.4% lead for the EPYC 9965. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,520 vs 3,220, a 71.7% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9965 vs 256 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X.

Feature	EPYC 9965	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
Cores / Threads	192 / 384+200%	64 / 128
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	5.4 GHz+46%
Base Clock	2.25 GHz	3.2 GHz+42%
L3 Cache	384 MB (total)+50%	256 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	3 nm-25%	4 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Shimada Peak (2025)
PassMark	160,778+13%	142,069
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	115,098
Geekbench 6 Single	1,520	3,220+112%
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	28,666

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9965 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 9965 supports up to 6 TB of RAM compared to 1 TB — 142.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9965) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9965) vs 80 (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X) — the EPYC 9965 offers 48 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9965) and sTR5,TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X).

Feature	EPYC 9965	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 9965) vs AMD-V, SVM (Ryzen Threadripper 9980X). Primary use case: EPYC 9965 targets Data Center / High Density, Ryzen Threadripper 9980X targets HEDT / Enthusiast Workstation. Direct competitor: EPYC 9965 rivals Xeon 6980P; Ryzen Threadripper 9980X rivals Xeon w9-3495X.

Feature	EPYC 9965	Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V, SVM
Target Use	Data Center / High Density	HEDT / Enthusiast Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9965 launched at $14813 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X debuted at $4999. On MSRP ($14813 vs $4999), the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is $9814 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9965 delivers 10.9 pts/$ vs 28.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X — making the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X the 89.5% better value option.