EPYC 9745 vs Xeon 6781P

CPU

GPU

EPYC 9745

128 Cores256 Thrd400 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2024

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Xeon 6781P

80 Cores160 Thrd350 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2025

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

EPYC 9745

128 / 256

130,698

+10.8%

Ryzen 9 9950X3D

Ryzen Threadripper 7960X

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9995WX

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 9745

2024

Why buy it

✅+10.8% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 336 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.8 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($12,141 MSRP vs $8,960 MSRP).

Xeon 6781P

2025

Why buy it

✅+31.3% larger total L3 cache (336 MB vs 256 MB).
✅Costs $3,181 less on MSRP ($8,960 MSRP vs $12,141 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.2 vs 10.8 PassMark/$ ($8,960 MSRP vs $12,141 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 130,698).

EPYC 9745

2024

Xeon 6781P

2025

Why buy it

✅+10.8% higher PassMark.

Why buy it

✅+31.3% larger total L3 cache (336 MB vs 256 MB).
✅Costs $3,181 less on MSRP ($8,960 MSRP vs $12,141 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.2 vs 10.8 PassMark/$ ($8,960 MSRP vs $12,141 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

❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 336 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.8 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($12,141 MSRP vs $8,960 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (117,946 vs 130,698).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon 6781P better than EPYC 9745?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Xeon 6781P is ahead with a 2.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9745 pulls ahead with 10.8% better PassMark. Xeon 6781P also has the bigger cache pool with 31.3% larger total L3 cache (336 MB vs 256 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9745 is the better fit. You are getting 10.8% better PassMark, backed by 128 cores and 256 threads.

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

Xeon 6781P is the smarter buy today. Xeon 6781P is $3,181 cheaper on MSRP at $8,960 MSRP versus $12,141 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 9745 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 10.8% better PassMark. It is also 22.3% better value on MSRP (13.2 vs 10.8 PassMark/$), 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 2024) and 31.3% larger total L3 cache (336 MB vs 256 MB). 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 9745 Benchmark Check

Xeon 6781P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9745	Xeon 6781P
1080p
low	192 FPS	187 FPS
medium	156 FPS	165 FPS
high	126 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	158 FPS	155 FPS
medium	124 FPS	131 FPS
high	96 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	72 FPS	70 FPS
medium	60 FPS	63 FPS
high	47 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	40 FPS

Open EPYC 9745 Open Xeon 6781P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9745	Xeon 6781P
1080p
low	525 FPS	285 FPS
medium	450 FPS	252 FPS
high	358 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	431 FPS	233 FPS
medium	379 FPS	210 FPS
high	310 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	142 FPS
4K
low	267 FPS	144 FPS
medium	239 FPS	133 FPS
high	208 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	172 FPS	100 FPS

Open EPYC 9745 Open Xeon 6781P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9745	Xeon 6781P
1080p
low	743 FPS	849 FPS
medium	610 FPS	768 FPS
high	556 FPS	730 FPS
ultra	481 FPS	641 FPS
1440p
low	594 FPS	737 FPS
medium	494 FPS	662 FPS
high	450 FPS	626 FPS
ultra	390 FPS	558 FPS
4K
low	430 FPS	493 FPS
medium	335 FPS	402 FPS
high	298 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	303 FPS

Open EPYC 9745 Open Xeon 6781P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9745	Xeon 6781P
1080p
low	974 FPS	959 FPS
medium	884 FPS	864 FPS
high	761 FPS	745 FPS
ultra	658 FPS	644 FPS
1440p
low	750 FPS	784 FPS
medium	656 FPS	684 FPS
high	561 FPS	587 FPS
ultra	482 FPS	502 FPS
4K
low	538 FPS	563 FPS
medium	481 FPS	505 FPS
high	422 FPS	447 FPS
ultra	365 FPS	386 FPS

Open EPYC 9745 Open Xeon 6781P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9745 and Xeon 6781P

EPYC 9745

The EPYC 9745 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 128 cores and 256 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 400 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 130,698 points. Launch price was $12,141.

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.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 9745 packs 128 cores / 256 threads, while the Xeon 6781P offers 80 cores / 160 threads — the EPYC 9745 has 48 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9745 versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon 6781P — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Xeon 6781P (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2 GHz). The EPYC 9745 uses the Turin (2024) architecture (3 nm), while the Xeon 6781P uses Granite Rapids (2024−2025) (Intel 3 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9745 scores 130,698 against the Xeon 6781P's 117,946 — a 10.3% lead for the EPYC 9745. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9745 vs 336 MB (total) on the Xeon 6781P.

Feature	EPYC 9745	Xeon 6781P
Cores / Threads	128 / 256+60%	80 / 160
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	3.8 GHz+3%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+20%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)	336 MB (total)+31%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+100%
Process	3 nm	Intel 3 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Granite Rapids (2024−2025)
PassMark	130,698+11%	117,946

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9745 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 DDR5-6000 memory speed. The EPYC 9745 supports up to 6 TB of RAM compared to 4 TB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9745) vs 8 (Xeon 6781P). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9745) vs 136 (Xeon 6781P) — the Xeon 6781P offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	EPYC 9745	Xeon 6781P
Socket	SP5	LGA4710
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6000	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 9745) vs VT-x, VT-d, VT-x EPT (Xeon 6781P). Primary use case: EPYC 9745 targets Data Center / High Density, Xeon 6781P targets Data Center / Cloud Scale. Direct competitor: EPYC 9745 rivals Xeon 6980P; Xeon 6781P rivals EPYC 9655.

Feature	EPYC 9745	Xeon 6781P
Integrated GPU	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	VT-x, VT-d, VT-x EPT
Target Use	Data Center / High Density	Data Center / Cloud Scale

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9745 launched at $12141 MSRP, while the Xeon 6781P debuted at $8960. On MSRP ($12141 vs $8960), the Xeon 6781P is $3181 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9745 delivers 10.8 pts/$ vs 13.2 pts/$ for the Xeon 6781P — making the Xeon 6781P the 20% better value option.