EPYC 9684X vs Xeon 6960P

CPU

GPU

EPYC 9684X

96 Cores192 Thrd400 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2023

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Xeon 6960P

72 Cores144 Thrd500 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2024

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

EPYC 9684X

96 / 192

122,017

0.0%

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 6960P

72 / 144

130,659

+7.1%

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

✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 432 MB).
✅Draws 400W instead of 500W, a 100W reduction.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 96) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon 6960P across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (122,017 vs 130,659).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.3 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($14,756 MSRP vs $9,625 MSRP).

Xeon 6960P

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $5,131 less on MSRP ($9,625 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Delivers 64.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.6 vs 8.3 PassMark/$ ($9,625 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (432 MB vs 1.1 GB).
❌25% higher power demand at 500W vs 400W.

EPYC 9684X

2023

Xeon 6960P

2024

Why buy it

✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 432 MB).
✅Draws 400W instead of 500W, a 100W reduction.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 96) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $5,131 less on MSRP ($9,625 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Delivers 64.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.6 vs 8.3 PassMark/$ ($9,625 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon 6960P across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (122,017 vs 130,659).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.3 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($14,756 MSRP vs $9,625 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (432 MB vs 1.1 GB).
❌25% higher power demand at 500W vs 400W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon 6960P better than EPYC 9684X?

Yes. Xeon 6960P is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 6.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 7.1% better 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 6.7% 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 7.1% better PassMark, 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 $5,131 cheaper on MSRP at $9,625 MSRP versus $14,756 MSRP, and it gives you a 6.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 64.2% better value on MSRP (13.6 vs 8.3 PassMark/$), 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 6960P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023), 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 9684X Benchmark Check

Xeon 6960P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9684X	Xeon 6960P
1080p
low	169 FPS	196 FPS
medium	140 FPS	159 FPS
high	120 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	147 FPS	159 FPS
medium	119 FPS	125 FPS
high	95 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	73 FPS
medium	59 FPS	60 FPS
high	46 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	39 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open Xeon 6960P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9684X	Xeon 6960P
1080p
low	506 FPS	524 FPS
medium	442 FPS	450 FPS
high	353 FPS	358 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	293 FPS
1440p
low	416 FPS	430 FPS
medium	372 FPS	380 FPS
high	306 FPS	311 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	247 FPS
4K
low	256 FPS	266 FPS
medium	233 FPS	239 FPS
high	204 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	174 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open Xeon 6960P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9684X	Xeon 6960P
1080p
low	668 FPS	985 FPS
medium	558 FPS	874 FPS
high	519 FPS	826 FPS
ultra	452 FPS	734 FPS
1440p
low	509 FPS	788 FPS
medium	423 FPS	689 FPS
high	388 FPS	651 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	579 FPS
4K
low	374 FPS	505 FPS
medium	292 FPS	397 FPS
high	261 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	288 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open Xeon 6960P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9684X	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	721 FPS	764 FPS
medium	628 FPS	667 FPS
high	538 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	486 FPS
4K
low	517 FPS	549 FPS
medium	462 FPS	489 FPS
high	405 FPS	430 FPS
ultra	348 FPS	369 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open Xeon 6960P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9684X and Xeon 6960P

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 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 9684X packs 96 cores / 192 threads, while the Xeon 6960P offers 72 cores / 144 threads — the EPYC 9684X has 24 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9684X versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon 6960P — a 5.3% clock advantage for the Xeon 6960P (base: 2.55 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The EPYC 9684X uses the Genoa-X (2023) architecture (5 nm), while the Xeon 6960P uses Granite Rapids (2024−2025) (Intel 3 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9684X scores 122,017 against the Xeon 6960P's 130,659 — a 6.8% lead for the Xeon 6960P. L3 cache: 1152 MB (total) on the EPYC 9684X vs 432 MB (total) on the Xeon 6960P.

Feature	EPYC 9684X	Xeon 6960P
Cores / Threads	96 / 192+33%	72 / 144
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	3.9 GHz+5%
Base Clock	2.55 GHz	2.7 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	1152 MB (total)+167%	432 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	130,659+7%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,100
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	60,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9684X 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 9684X) vs 96 (Xeon 6960P) — the EPYC 9684X offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9684X) and Intel 600 Series (Xeon 6960P).

Feature	EPYC 9684X	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 9684X) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon 6960P). Primary use case: EPYC 9684X targets HPC / Cache Sensitive Workloads, Xeon 6960P targets Server. Direct competitor: EPYC 9684X rivals Xeon 6979P; Xeon 6960P rivals EPYC 9654.

Feature	EPYC 9684X	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	HPC / Cache Sensitive Workloads	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9684X launched at $14756 MSRP, while the Xeon 6960P debuted at $9625. On MSRP ($14756 vs $9625), the Xeon 6960P is $5131 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9684X delivers 8.3 pts/$ vs 13.6 pts/$ for the Xeon 6960P — making the Xeon 6960P the 48.6% better value option.