Core i7-9700K vs EPYC 4484PX

Intel

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

EPYC 4484PX

12 Cores24 Thrd120 WWMax: 5.6 GHz2024

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

  • Costs $214 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
  • Draws 95W instead of 120W, a 25W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 4484PX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 50,547).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 4484PX, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads and 28 PCIe lanes.
  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 84.4 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
  • Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while EPYC 4484PX moves to AM5 and DDR5.

EPYC 4484PX

2024

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +29.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads, plus 28 PCIe lanes vs 16.
  • Delivers 125.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.4 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($599 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
  • Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
  • 75% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • 55.6% HIGHER MSRP
    $599 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
  • 26.3% higher power demand at 120W vs 95W.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 4484PX better than Core i7-9700K?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 4484PX makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-9700K is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, EPYC 4484PX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 29.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 12 MB.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 4484PX is the better fit. You are getting 251.1% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 966.7% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 12 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
EPYC 4484PX is the smarter buy today. EPYC 4484PX is 55.6% more expensive on MSRP at $599 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 29.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 125.7% better value on MSRP (84.4 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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?
EPYC 4484PX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2018), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 12 MB, more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 8/8, 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetCore i7-9700KEPYC 4484PX
1080p
low308 FPS271 FPS
medium278 FPS248 FPS
high231 FPS212 FPS
ultra182 FPS186 FPS
1440p
low270 FPS263 FPS
medium221 FPS216 FPS
high178 FPS171 FPS
ultra143 FPS154 FPS
4K
low170 FPS182 FPS
medium140 FPS149 FPS
high108 FPS112 FPS
ultra95 FPS100 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i7-9700KEPYC 4484PX
1080p
low360 FPS806 FPS
medium321 FPS657 FPS
high291 FPS488 FPS
ultra259 FPS404 FPS
1440p
low324 FPS648 FPS
medium282 FPS551 FPS
high258 FPS425 FPS
ultra225 FPS329 FPS
4K
low249 FPS361 FPS
medium221 FPS311 FPS
high208 FPS273 FPS
ultra179 FPS230 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i7-9700KEPYC 4484PX
1080p
low360 FPS1025 FPS
medium360 FPS1163 FPS
high360 FPS1100 FPS
ultra360 FPS875 FPS
1440p
low360 FPS970 FPS
medium360 FPS877 FPS
high360 FPS804 FPS
ultra360 FPS656 FPS
4K
low360 FPS596 FPS
medium360 FPS518 FPS
high360 FPS465 FPS
ultra318 FPS393 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i7-9700KEPYC 4484PX
1080p
low360 FPS1264 FPS
medium360 FPS1015 FPS
high360 FPS993 FPS
ultra360 FPS865 FPS
1440p
low360 FPS1035 FPS
medium360 FPS897 FPS
high360 FPS772 FPS
ultra360 FPS647 FPS
4K
low360 FPS759 FPS
medium360 FPS662 FPS
high360 FPS577 FPS
ultra360 FPS437 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and EPYC 4484PX

Intel

Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

AMD

EPYC 4484PX

The EPYC 4484PX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 May 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raphael (2023−2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.6 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 50,547 points. Launch price was $599.

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the EPYC 4484PX offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the EPYC 4484PX has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 5.6 GHz on the EPYC 4484PX — a 13.3% clock advantage for the EPYC 4484PX (base: 3.6 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 4484PX uses Raphael (2023−2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the EPYC 4484PX's 50,547 — a 111.3% lead for the EPYC 4484PX. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 128 MB (total) on the EPYC 4484PX.

FeatureCore i7-9700KEPYC 4484PX
Cores / Threads
8 / 8
12 / 24+50%
Boost Clock
4.9 GHz
5.6 GHz+14%
Base Clock
3.6 GHz
4.4 GHz+22%
L3 Cache
12 MB (total)
128 MB (total)+967%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
1 MB (per core)+300%
Process
14 nm
5 nm-64%
Architecture
Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)
Raphael (2023−2025)
PassMark
14,397
50,547+251%
Cinebench R23 Multi
24,500
Geekbench 6 Single
2,950
Geekbench 6 Multi
17,500
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 4484PX uses AM5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus DDR5-5200 on the EPYC 4484PX — the EPYC 4484PX supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 4484PX supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 28 (EPYC 4484PX) — the EPYC 4484PX offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and B650,X670,X870 (EPYC 4484PX).

FeatureCore i7-9700KEPYC 4484PX
Socket
LGA1151
AM5
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
DDR5-5200+25%
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
192 GB+50%
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
No
Yes
PCIe Lanes
16
28+75%
🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-9700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the EPYC 4484PX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs AMD-V, AMD-Vi (EPYC 4484PX). Both include integrated graphics UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9700K) and Radeon Graphics (EPYC 4484PX) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop, EPYC 4484PX targets Workstation / Server. Direct competitor: EPYC 4484PX rivals Ryzen 9 7900X3D.

FeatureCore i7-9700KEPYC 4484PX
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
UHD Graphics 630
Radeon Graphics
Unlocked
Yes
No
AVX-512
No
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
AMD-V, AMD-Vi
Target Use
Desktop
Workstation / Server
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the EPYC 4484PX debuted at $599. On MSRP ($385 vs $599), the Core i7-9700K is $214 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 84.4 pts/$ for the EPYC 4484PX — making the EPYC 4484PX the 77.2% better value option.

FeatureCore i7-9700KEPYC 4484PX
MSRP
$385-36%
$599
Performance per Dollar
37.4
84.4+126%
Release Date
2018
2024