EPYC 9684X vs Xeon 6781P

CPU

GPU

EPYC 9684X

96 Cores192 Thrd400 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2023

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Xeon 6781P

80 Cores160 Thrd350 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2025

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

EPYC 9684X

96 / 192

122,017

+3.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX

Xeon 6781P

80 / 160

117,946

0.0%

About PassMark

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 9684X

2023

Why buy it

✅+3.5% higher PassMark.
✅+242.9% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 336 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.3 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($14,756 MSRP vs $8,960 MSRP).

Xeon 6781P

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $5,796 less on MSRP ($8,960 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Delivers 59.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.2 vs 8.3 PassMark/$ ($8,960 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Draws 350W instead of 400W, a 50W reduction.
✅6.3% more PCIe lanes (136 vs 128) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (117,946 vs 122,017).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (336 MB vs 1.1 GB).

EPYC 9684X

2023

Xeon 6781P

2025

Why buy it

✅+3.5% higher PassMark.
✅+242.9% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 336 MB).

Why buy it

✅Costs $5,796 less on MSRP ($8,960 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Delivers 59.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.2 vs 8.3 PassMark/$ ($8,960 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Draws 350W instead of 400W, a 50W reduction.
✅6.3% more PCIe lanes (136 vs 128) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.3 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($14,756 MSRP vs $8,960 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (117,946 vs 122,017).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (336 MB vs 1.1 GB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon 6781P better than EPYC 9684X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Xeon 6781P is ahead with a 0.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9684X pulls ahead with 3.5% better PassMark. EPYC 9684X also has the bigger cache pool with 242.9% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 336 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9684X is the better fit. You are getting 3.5% better PassMark, backed by 96 cores and 192 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 242.9% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 336 MB).

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

Xeon 6781P is the smarter buy today. Xeon 6781P is $5,796 cheaper on MSRP at $8,960 MSRP versus $14,756 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 9684X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 3.5% better PassMark. It is also 59.2% better value on MSRP (13.2 vs 8.3 PassMark/$), 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?

Xeon 6781P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023). 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 9684X Benchmark Check

Xeon 6781P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9684X	Xeon 6781P
1080p
low	169 FPS	187 FPS
medium	140 FPS	165 FPS
high	120 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	147 FPS	155 FPS
medium	119 FPS	131 FPS
high	95 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	70 FPS
medium	59 FPS	63 FPS
high	46 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	40 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open Xeon 6781P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9684X	Xeon 6781P
1080p
low	506 FPS	285 FPS
medium	442 FPS	252 FPS
high	353 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	416 FPS	233 FPS
medium	372 FPS	210 FPS
high	306 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	142 FPS
4K
low	256 FPS	144 FPS
medium	233 FPS	133 FPS
high	204 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	100 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open Xeon 6781P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9684X	Xeon 6781P
1080p
low	668 FPS	849 FPS
medium	558 FPS	768 FPS
high	519 FPS	730 FPS
ultra	452 FPS	641 FPS
1440p
low	509 FPS	737 FPS
medium	423 FPS	662 FPS
high	388 FPS	626 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	558 FPS
4K
low	374 FPS	493 FPS
medium	292 FPS	402 FPS
high	261 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	303 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open Xeon 6781P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9684X	Xeon 6781P
1080p
low	902 FPS	959 FPS
medium	822 FPS	864 FPS
high	708 FPS	745 FPS
ultra	623 FPS	644 FPS
1440p
low	721 FPS	784 FPS
medium	628 FPS	684 FPS
high	538 FPS	587 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	502 FPS
4K
low	517 FPS	563 FPS
medium	462 FPS	505 FPS
high	405 FPS	447 FPS
ultra	348 FPS	386 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open Xeon 6781P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9684X and Xeon 6781P

EPYC 9684X

The EPYC 9684X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 June 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Genoa-X (2023) architecture. It features 96 cores and 192 threads. Base frequency is 2.55 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 1152 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 400 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 122,017 points. Launch price was $14,756.

Xeon 6781P

The Xeon 6781P is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Granite Rapids (2024−2025) architecture. It features 80 cores and 160 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 336 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4710. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5(6400MT/s), MRDIMM(8800MT/s). Passmark benchmark score: 117,946 points. Launch price was $8,960.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9684X packs 96 cores / 192 threads, while the Xeon 6781P offers 80 cores / 160 threads — the EPYC 9684X has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9684X versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon 6781P — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Xeon 6781P (base: 2.55 GHz vs 2 GHz). The EPYC 9684X uses the Genoa-X (2023) architecture (5 nm), while the Xeon 6781P uses Granite Rapids (2024−2025) (Intel 3 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9684X scores 122,017 against the Xeon 6781P's 117,946 — a 3.4% lead for the EPYC 9684X. L3 cache: 1152 MB (total) on the EPYC 9684X vs 336 MB (total) on the Xeon 6781P.

Feature	EPYC 9684X	Xeon 6781P
Cores / Threads	96 / 192+20%	80 / 160
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	3.8 GHz+3%
Base Clock	2.55 GHz+27%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	1152 MB (total)+243%	336 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+100%
Process	5 nm	Intel 3 nm-40%
Architecture	Genoa-X (2023)	Granite Rapids (2024−2025)
PassMark	122,017+3%	117,946

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9684X uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon 6781P uses LGA4710 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The EPYC 9684X supports up to 6 TB of RAM compared to 4 TB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9684X) vs 8 (Xeon 6781P). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9684X) vs 136 (Xeon 6781P) — the Xeon 6781P offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	EPYC 9684X	Xeon 6781P
Socket	SP5	LGA4710
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	6 TB+50%	4 TB
RAM Channels	12+50%	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	136+6%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9684X) vs VT-x, VT-d, VT-x EPT (Xeon 6781P). Primary use case: EPYC 9684X targets HPC / Cache Sensitive Workloads, Xeon 6781P targets Data Center / Cloud Scale. Direct competitor: EPYC 9684X rivals Xeon 6979P; Xeon 6781P rivals EPYC 9655.

Feature	EPYC 9684X	Xeon 6781P
Integrated GPU	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	VT-x, VT-d, VT-x EPT
Target Use	HPC / Cache Sensitive Workloads	Data Center / Cloud Scale

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9684X launched at $14756 MSRP, while the Xeon 6781P debuted at $8960. On MSRP ($14756 vs $8960), the Xeon 6781P is $5796 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9684X delivers 8.3 pts/$ vs 13.2 pts/$ for the Xeon 6781P — making the Xeon 6781P the 45.7% better value option.