EPYC 9654 vs Xeon 6960P

CPU

GPU

EPYC 9654

96 Cores192 Thrd360 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Xeon 6960P

72 Cores144 Thrd500 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2024

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

EPYC 9654

96 / 192

119,246

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX

Xeon 6960P

72 / 144

130,659

+9.6%

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 9654

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 360W instead of 500W, a 140W reduction.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 96) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,250 vs 2,100).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (20,000 vs 60,000).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.1 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($11,805 MSRP vs $9,625 MSRP).

Xeon 6960P

2024

Why buy it

✅+68% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $2,180 less on MSRP ($9,625 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).
✅Delivers 34.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.6 vs 10.1 PassMark/$ ($9,625 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌38.9% higher power demand at 500W vs 360W.

EPYC 9654

2022

Xeon 6960P

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 360W instead of 500W, a 140W reduction.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 96) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+68% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $2,180 less on MSRP ($9,625 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).
✅Delivers 34.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.6 vs 10.1 PassMark/$ ($9,625 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,250 vs 2,100).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (20,000 vs 60,000).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.1 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($11,805 MSRP vs $9,625 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌38.9% higher power demand at 500W vs 360W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon 6960P better than EPYC 9654?

Yes. Xeon 6960P is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 200% better Geekbench multi-core, 9.6% higher 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, Xeon 6960P is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.2% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon 6960P is the better fit. You are getting 200% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 72 cores and 144 threads.

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

Xeon 6960P is the smarter buy today. Xeon 6960P is $2,180 cheaper on MSRP at $9,625 MSRP versus $11,805 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 34.4% better value on MSRP (13.6 vs 10.1 PassMark/$), 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 6960P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022), more multi-core headroom with 72 cores / 144 threads instead of 96/192, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 9654 Benchmark Check

Xeon 6960P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9654	Xeon 6960P
1080p
low	170 FPS	196 FPS
medium	141 FPS	159 FPS
high	122 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	148 FPS	159 FPS
medium	119 FPS	125 FPS
high	97 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	73 FPS
medium	59 FPS	60 FPS
high	47 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open Xeon 6960P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9654	Xeon 6960P
1080p
low	524 FPS	524 FPS
medium	457 FPS	450 FPS
high	365 FPS	358 FPS
ultra	296 FPS	293 FPS
1440p
low	431 FPS	430 FPS
medium	385 FPS	380 FPS
high	317 FPS	311 FPS
ultra	250 FPS	247 FPS
4K
low	265 FPS	266 FPS
medium	241 FPS	239 FPS
high	211 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	174 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open Xeon 6960P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9654	Xeon 6960P
1080p
low	671 FPS	985 FPS
medium	560 FPS	874 FPS
high	522 FPS	826 FPS
ultra	454 FPS	734 FPS
1440p
low	511 FPS	788 FPS
medium	425 FPS	689 FPS
high	389 FPS	651 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	579 FPS
4K
low	376 FPS	505 FPS
medium	293 FPS	397 FPS
high	262 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	210 FPS	288 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open Xeon 6960P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9654	Xeon 6960P
1080p
low	902 FPS	985 FPS
medium	822 FPS	891 FPS
high	708 FPS	768 FPS
ultra	623 FPS	658 FPS
1440p
low	724 FPS	764 FPS
medium	631 FPS	667 FPS
high	540 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	486 FPS
4K
low	519 FPS	549 FPS
medium	464 FPS	489 FPS
high	407 FPS	430 FPS
ultra	350 FPS	369 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open Xeon 6960P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9654 and Xeon 6960P

EPYC 9654

The EPYC 9654 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 November 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture. It features 96 cores and 192 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 384 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 360 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 119,246 points. Launch price was $11,805.

Xeon 6960P

The Xeon 6960P is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2024-09-24. It is based on the Granite Rapids (2024−2025) architecture. It features 72 cores and 144 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 432 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA7529. Thermal design power (TDP): 500 Watt. Memory support: DDR5(6400MT/s), MRDIMM(8800MT/s). Passmark benchmark score: 130,659 points. Launch price was $9,625.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9654 packs 96 cores / 192 threads, while the Xeon 6960P offers 72 cores / 144 threads — the EPYC 9654 has 24 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9654 versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon 6960P — a 5.3% clock advantage for the Xeon 6960P (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The EPYC 9654 uses the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture (5 nm, 6 nm), while the Xeon 6960P uses Granite Rapids (2024−2025) (Intel 3 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9654 scores 119,246 against the Xeon 6960P's 130,659 — a 9.1% lead for the Xeon 6960P. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,250 vs 2,100, a 50.7% lead for the Xeon 6960P that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 20,000 vs 60,000 (100% advantage for the Xeon 6960P). L3 cache: 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9654 vs 432 MB (total) on the Xeon 6960P.

Feature	EPYC 9654	Xeon 6960P
Cores / Threads	96 / 192+33%	72 / 144
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	3.9 GHz+5%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	2.7 GHz+13%
L3 Cache	384 MB (total)	432 MB (total)+13%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+100%
Process	5 nm, 6 nm	Intel 3 nm-40%
Architecture	Genoa (2022−2023)	Granite Rapids (2024−2025)
PassMark	119,246	130,659+10%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,250	2,100+68%
Geekbench 6 Multi	20,000	60,000+200%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9654 uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon 6960P uses LGA7529 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The Xeon 6960P supports up to 3072 GB of RAM compared to 6 TB — 199.2% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 12-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9654) vs 96 (Xeon 6960P) — the EPYC 9654 offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9654) and Intel 600 Series (Xeon 6960P).

Feature	EPYC 9654	Xeon 6960P
Socket	SP5	LGA7529
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	6 TB+100%	3072 GB
RAM Channels	12	12
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+33%	96

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9654) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon 6960P). Primary use case: EPYC 9654 targets Data Center, Xeon 6960P targets Server. Direct competitor: EPYC 9654 rivals Xeon 8592+; Xeon 6960P rivals EPYC 9654.

Feature	EPYC 9654	Xeon 6960P
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Data Center	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9654 launched at $11805 MSRP, while the Xeon 6960P debuted at $9625. On MSRP ($11805 vs $9625), the Xeon 6960P is $2180 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9654 delivers 10.1 pts/$ vs 13.6 pts/$ for the Xeon 6960P — making the Xeon 6960P the 29.3% better value option.