EPYC 7473X vs Xeon Gold 6542Y

CPU

GPU

EPYC 7473X

24 Cores48 Thrd240 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Xeon Gold 6542Y

24 Cores48 Thrd250 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2023

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

EPYC 7473X

24 / 48

59,280

0.0%

Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370

Ryzen 9 5900X

Ryzen 9 5950X

Ryzen 9 9850HX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

Xeon Gold 6542Y

24 / 48

60,144

+1.5%

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 7473X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 240W instead of 250W, a 10W reduction.
✅60% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (59,280 vs 60,144).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.2 vs 20.9 PassMark/$ ($3,900 MSRP vs $2,878 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Xeon Gold 6542Y moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Xeon Gold 6542Y

2023

Why buy it

✅+1.5% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $1,022 less on MSRP ($2,878 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).
✅Delivers 37.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 20.9 vs 15.2 PassMark/$ ($2,878 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7473X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

EPYC 7473X

2022

Xeon Gold 6542Y

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 240W instead of 250W, a 10W reduction.
✅60% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+1.5% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $1,022 less on MSRP ($2,878 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).
✅Delivers 37.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 20.9 vs 15.2 PassMark/$ ($2,878 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (59,280 vs 60,144).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.2 vs 20.9 PassMark/$ ($3,900 MSRP vs $2,878 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Xeon Gold 6542Y moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7473X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6542Y better than EPYC 7473X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, EPYC 7473X is ahead with a 10.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6542Y pulls ahead with 1.5% better PassMark. EPYC 7473X also has the bigger cache pool with 1180% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 60 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6542Y is the better fit. You are getting 1.5% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads.

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

Xeon Gold 6542Y is the smarter buy today. Xeon Gold 6542Y is $1,022 cheaper on MSRP at $2,878 MSRP versus $3,900 MSRP, and it gives you 1.5% better PassMark. The trade-off is that EPYC 7473X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 10.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 37.5% better value on MSRP (20.9 vs 15.2 PassMark/$), 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 Gold 6542Y is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of SP3, more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 24/48, 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 7473X Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6542Y Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 7473X	Xeon Gold 6542Y
1080p
low	205 FPS	187 FPS
medium	167 FPS	163 FPS
high	136 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	163 FPS	154 FPS
medium	127 FPS	129 FPS
high	100 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	70 FPS
medium	61 FPS	62 FPS
high	48 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	40 FPS	39 FPS

Open EPYC 7473X Open Xeon Gold 6542Y

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 7473X	Xeon Gold 6542Y
1080p
low	561 FPS	552 FPS
medium	490 FPS	493 FPS
high	390 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	316 FPS	365 FPS
1440p
low	461 FPS	474 FPS
medium	413 FPS	424 FPS
high	338 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	266 FPS	304 FPS
4K
low	284 FPS	296 FPS
medium	258 FPS	267 FPS
high	225 FPS	245 FPS
ultra	187 FPS	218 FPS

Open EPYC 7473X Open Xeon Gold 6542Y

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 7473X	Xeon Gold 6542Y
1080p
low	865 FPS	892 FPS
medium	717 FPS	807 FPS
high	668 FPS	748 FPS
ultra	590 FPS	659 FPS
1440p
low	622 FPS	764 FPS
medium	514 FPS	687 FPS
high	472 FPS	633 FPS
ultra	412 FPS	564 FPS
4K
low	444 FPS	506 FPS
medium	345 FPS	425 FPS
high	308 FPS	379 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	316 FPS

Open EPYC 7473X Open Xeon Gold 6542Y

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 7473X	Xeon Gold 6542Y
1080p
low	994 FPS	965 FPS
medium	902 FPS	863 FPS
high	777 FPS	747 FPS
ultra	672 FPS	649 FPS
1440p
low	768 FPS	785 FPS
medium	670 FPS	685 FPS
high	573 FPS	591 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	508 FPS
4K
low	551 FPS	570 FPS
medium	491 FPS	511 FPS
high	431 FPS	453 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	389 FPS

Open EPYC 7473X Open Xeon Gold 6542Y

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7473X and Xeon Gold 6542Y

EPYC 7473X

The EPYC 7473X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2022-03-01. It is based on the Milan-X (2022) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 768 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 240 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 59,280 points. Launch price was $3,900.

Xeon Gold 6542Y

The Xeon Gold 6542Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Emerald Rapids (2023) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 60 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 60,144 points. Launch price was $2,878.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the EPYC 7473X and Xeon Gold 6542Y share an identical 24-core/48-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 7473X versus 4.1 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6542Y — a 10.3% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6542Y (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The EPYC 7473X uses the Milan-X (2022) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6542Y uses Emerald Rapids (2023) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7473X scores 59,280 against the Xeon Gold 6542Y's 60,144 — a 1.4% lead for the Xeon Gold 6542Y. L3 cache: 768 MB (total) on the EPYC 7473X vs 60 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 6542Y.

Feature	EPYC 7473X	Xeon Gold 6542Y
Cores / Threads	24 / 48	24 / 48
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	4.1 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2.8 GHz	2.9 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	768 MB (total)+1180%	60 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+300%
Process	7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Milan-X (2022)	Emerald Rapids (2023)
PassMark	59,280	60,144+1%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7473X uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6542Y uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 3200 on the EPYC 7473X versus 4800 on the Xeon Gold 6542Y — the Xeon Gold 6542Y supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 4096 of RAM. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 7473X) vs 80 (Xeon Gold 6542Y) — the EPYC 7473X offers 48 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3 (EPYC 7473X) and C741 (Xeon Gold 6542Y).

Feature	EPYC 7473X	Xeon Gold 6542Y
Socket	SP3	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	3200	4800+50%
Max RAM Capacity	4096	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+60%	80

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon Gold 6542Y supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Direct competitor: EPYC 7473X rivals Xeon Platinum 8380; Xeon Gold 6542Y rivals EPYC 9354.

Feature	EPYC 7473X	Xeon Gold 6542Y
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 7473X launched at $3900 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6542Y debuted at $2878. On MSRP ($3900 vs $2878), the Xeon Gold 6542Y is $1022 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7473X delivers 15.2 pts/$ vs 20.9 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6542Y — making the Xeon Gold 6542Y the 31.6% better value option.