Core i7-9700K vs EPYC 9124

CPU

GPU

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

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EPYC 9124

16 Cores32 Thrd200 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-9700K

8 / 8

14,397

0.0%

43,638

+203.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX

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: +3.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $698 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $1,083 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 200W, a 105W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while EPYC 9124 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 43,638).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9124, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while EPYC 9124 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9124

2022

Why buy it

✅+203.1% higher PassMark.
✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
✅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.
❌
181.3% HIGHER MSRP
$1,083 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌110.5% higher power demand at 200W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

EPYC 9124

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $698 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $1,083 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 200W, a 105W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while EPYC 9124 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+203.1% higher PassMark.
✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
✅700% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 43,638).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9124, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while EPYC 9124 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌
181.3% HIGHER MSRP
$1,083 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌110.5% higher power demand at 200W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9124 better than Core i7-9700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9124 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 9124 is the better fit. You are getting 203.1% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).

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

EPYC 9124 is the smarter buy today. EPYC 9124 is 181.3% more expensive on MSRP at $1,083 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you 203.1% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i7-9700K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 3.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 7.8% better value on MSRP (40.3 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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 9124 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018), a healthier platform with SP5 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB), more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 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.

Core i7-9700K Benchmark Check

EPYC 9124 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 9124
1080p
low	308 FPS	165 FPS
medium	278 FPS	135 FPS
high	231 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	91 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	145 FPS
medium	221 FPS	116 FPS
high	178 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	69 FPS
medium	140 FPS	58 FPS
high	108 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 9124

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 9124
1080p
low	360 FPS	499 FPS
medium	321 FPS	439 FPS
high	291 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	292 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	421 FPS
medium	282 FPS	377 FPS
high	258 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	249 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	260 FPS
medium	221 FPS	237 FPS
high	208 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	175 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 9124

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 9124
1080p
low	360 FPS	642 FPS
medium	360 FPS	524 FPS
high	360 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	425 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	499 FPS
medium	360 FPS	406 FPS
high	360 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	322 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	371 FPS
medium	360 FPS	288 FPS
high	360 FPS	258 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	207 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 9124

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 9124
1080p
low	360 FPS	851 FPS
medium	360 FPS	780 FPS
high	360 FPS	675 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	595 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	681 FPS
medium	360 FPS	601 FPS
high	360 FPS	517 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	442 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	491 FPS
medium	360 FPS	442 FPS
high	360 FPS	388 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	334 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open EPYC 9124

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and EPYC 9124

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 9124

The EPYC 9124 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 November 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 200 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 43,638 points. Launch price was $1,083.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the EPYC 9124 offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the EPYC 9124 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9124 — a 27.9% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 9124 uses Genoa (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the EPYC 9124's 43,638 — a 100.8% lead for the EPYC 9124. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 9124.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 9124
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	16 / 32+100%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+32%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+20%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+433%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	5 nm, 6 nm-64%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Genoa (2022−2023)
PassMark	14,397	43,638+203%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,770
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	18,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 9124 uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus DDR5-4800 on the EPYC 9124 — the EPYC 9124 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9124 supports up to 6144 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 191.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-9700K) vs 12 (EPYC 9124). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 128 (EPYC 9124) — the EPYC 9124 offers 112 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and SP5 (EPYC 9124).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 9124
Socket	LGA1151	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	6144 GB+4700%
RAM Channels	2	12+500%
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. Only the EPYC 9124 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs AMD-V (EPYC 9124). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the EPYC 9124 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop, EPYC 9124 targets Server. Direct competitor: EPYC 9124 rivals Xeon Gold 6426Y.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	EPYC 9124
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the EPYC 9124 debuted at $1083. On MSRP ($385 vs $1083), the Core i7-9700K is $698 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 40.3 pts/$ for the EPYC 9124 — making the EPYC 9124 the 7.5% better value option.