Core i7-9700K vs EPYC 7662

CPU

GPU

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

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EPYC 7662

64 Cores128 Thrd225 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2020

Popular choices:

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Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-9700K

8 / 8

14,397

0.0%

72,298

+402.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen 9 7900

Ryzen 9 9900X3D

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

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

✅Better for gaming: +13.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $5,765 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $6,150 MSRP).
✅Delivers 218.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 11.8 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $6,150 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 225W, a 130W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while EPYC 7662 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 72,298).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7662, which brings 64 cores / 128 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 7662

2020

Why buy it

✅+402.2% higher PassMark.
✅+2033.3% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 64 cores / 128 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅700% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.8 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($6,150 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌136.8% higher power demand at 225W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

EPYC 7662

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $5,765 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $6,150 MSRP).
✅Delivers 218.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 11.8 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $6,150 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 225W, a 130W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while EPYC 7662 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+402.2% higher PassMark.
✅+2033.3% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 64 cores / 128 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅700% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 72,298).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7662, which brings 64 cores / 128 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.8 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($6,150 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
❌136.8% higher power demand at 225W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 7662 better than Core i7-9700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7662 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 streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7662 is the better fit. You are getting 402.2% better PassMark, backed by 64 cores and 128 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 7662 is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. EPYC 7662 is 1497.4% more expensive on MSRP at $6,150 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you 402.2% better PassMark. Core i7-9700K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 218.1% better value on paper (37.4 vs 11.8 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1151.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

EPYC 7662 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2018), 2033.3% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 64 cores / 128 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 7662 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 7662
1080p
low	308 FPS	192 FPS
medium	278 FPS	156 FPS
high	231 FPS	125 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	156 FPS
medium	221 FPS	122 FPS
high	178 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	73 FPS
medium	140 FPS	60 FPS
high	108 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 7662

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 7662
1080p
low	360 FPS	249 FPS
medium	321 FPS	220 FPS
high	291 FPS	182 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	145 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	204 FPS
medium	282 FPS	185 FPS
high	258 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	122 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	127 FPS
medium	221 FPS	117 FPS
high	208 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	83 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 7662

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 7662
1080p
low	360 FPS	722 FPS
medium	360 FPS	590 FPS
high	360 FPS	513 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	446 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	587 FPS
medium	360 FPS	486 FPS
high	360 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	368 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	426 FPS
medium	360 FPS	330 FPS
high	360 FPS	281 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	227 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 7662

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 7662
1080p
low	360 FPS	935 FPS
medium	360 FPS	846 FPS
high	360 FPS	724 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	624 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	721 FPS
medium	360 FPS	628 FPS
high	360 FPS	535 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	514 FPS
medium	360 FPS	458 FPS
high	360 FPS	400 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	348 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 7662

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and EPYC 7662

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 7662

The EPYC 7662 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2020-02-19. It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB. L2 cache: 32 MB. Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 225 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 72,298 points. Launch price was $6,700.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the EPYC 7662 offers 64 cores / 128 threads — the EPYC 7662 has 56 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 3.3 GHz on the EPYC 7662 — a 39% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 7662 uses Zen 2 (2017−2020) (7 nm, 14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the EPYC 7662's 72,298 — a 133.6% lead for the EPYC 7662. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 256 MB on the EPYC 7662.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 7662
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	64 / 128+700%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+48%	3.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+80%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	256 MB+2033%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	32 MB+12700%
Process	14 nm	7 nm, 14 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Zen 2 (2017−2020)
PassMark	14,397	72,298+402%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 7662 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 7662 — the EPYC 7662 supports 199.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7662 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 7662). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 128 (EPYC 7662) — the EPYC 7662 offers 112 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and SP3 (EPYC 7662).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 7662
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 7662 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 7662 rivals Xeon Platinum 8280.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 7662
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 7662 debuted at $6150. On MSRP ($385 vs $6150), the Core i7-9700K is $5765 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 11.8 pts/$ for the EPYC 7662 — making the Core i7-9700K the 104.3% better value option.