Core i7-9700K vs EPYC 74F3

CPU

GPU

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

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EPYC 74F3

24 Cores48 Thrd240 WWMax: 4 GHz2021

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-9700K

8 / 8

14,397

0.0%

60,666

+321.4%

Ryzen 9 5900

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen 9 PRO 7945

Ryzen 9 7940HX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

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 $528 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $913 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 240W, a 145W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while EPYC 74F3 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 74F3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 60,666).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 74F3, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 66.4 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $913 MSRP).

EPYC 74F3

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +32.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Delivers 77.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 66.4 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($913 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅700% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
137.1% HIGHER MSRP
$913 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌152.6% higher power demand at 240W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

EPYC 74F3

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $528 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $913 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 240W, a 145W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while EPYC 74F3 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +32.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Delivers 77.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 66.4 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($913 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅700% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 74F3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 60,666).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 74F3, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 66.4 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $913 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌
137.1% HIGHER MSRP
$913 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌152.6% higher power demand at 240W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 74F3 better than Core i7-9700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 74F3 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 74F3 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 32.1% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 12 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 74F3 is the better fit. You are getting 321.4% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 2033.3% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 12 MB).

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

EPYC 74F3 is the smarter buy today. EPYC 74F3 is 137.1% more expensive on MSRP at $913 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 32.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 77.7% better value on MSRP (66.4 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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 74F3 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2018), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 256 MB L3 cache instead of 12 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 8/8. 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.

Core i7-9700K Benchmark Check

EPYC 74F3 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 74F3
1080p
low	308 FPS	170 FPS
medium	278 FPS	141 FPS
high	231 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	148 FPS
medium	221 FPS	120 FPS
high	178 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	70 FPS
medium	140 FPS	59 FPS
high	108 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 74F3

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 74F3
1080p
low	360 FPS	507 FPS
medium	321 FPS	443 FPS
high	291 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	288 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	417 FPS
medium	282 FPS	373 FPS
high	258 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	243 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	257 FPS
medium	221 FPS	234 FPS
high	208 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 74F3

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 74F3
1080p
low	360 FPS	725 FPS
medium	360 FPS	619 FPS
high	360 FPS	572 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	504 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	543 FPS
medium	360 FPS	461 FPS
high	360 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	363 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	400 FPS
medium	360 FPS	322 FPS
high	360 FPS	284 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	227 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 74F3

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 74F3
1080p
low	360 FPS	937 FPS
medium	360 FPS	854 FPS
high	360 FPS	731 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	647 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	744 FPS
medium	360 FPS	651 FPS
high	360 FPS	554 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	479 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	537 FPS
medium	360 FPS	482 FPS
high	360 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	361 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 74F3

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and EPYC 74F3

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.

EPYC 74F3

The EPYC 74F3 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 15 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Milan (2021−2023) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm+ process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 240 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 60,666 points. Launch price was $2,900.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the EPYC 74F3 offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the EPYC 74F3 has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4 GHz on the EPYC 74F3 — a 20.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 74F3 uses Milan (2021−2023) (7 nm+). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the EPYC 74F3's 60,666 — a 123.3% lead for the EPYC 74F3. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 74F3.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 74F3
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	24 / 48+200%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+23%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+29%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	256 MB (total)+2033%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm+-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Milan (2021−2023)
PassMark	14,397	60,666+321%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 74F3 uses SP3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus 3200 on the EPYC 74F3 — the EPYC 74F3 supports 199.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 74F3 supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-9700K) vs 8 (EPYC 74F3). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 128 (EPYC 74F3) — the EPYC 74F3 offers 112 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and SP3 (EPYC 74F3).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 74F3
Socket	LGA1151	SP3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	3200+79900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+3276700%	4096
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	128+700%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-9700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the EPYC 74F3 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 74F3 rivals Xeon Platinum 8380.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 74F3
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the EPYC 74F3 debuted at $913. On MSRP ($385 vs $913), the Core i7-9700K is $528 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 66.4 pts/$ for the EPYC 74F3 — making the EPYC 74F3 the 56% better value option.