Core i7-9700K vs EPYC 9475F

Intel

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

EPYC 9475F

48 Cores96 Thrd400 WWMax: 4.8 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 $7,207 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $7,592 MSRP).
  • Delivers 131.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 16.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $7,592 MSRP).
  • Draws 95W instead of 400W, a 305W reduction.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while EPYC 9475F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9475F across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 122,476).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9475F, which brings 48 cores / 96 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
  • Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while EPYC 9475F moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9475F

2024

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +66.2% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 48 cores / 96 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 per dollar, at 16.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($7,592 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
  • 321.1% higher power demand at 400W vs 95W.
  • No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9475F better than Core i7-9700K?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9475F 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 9475F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 66.2% more average FPS across 5 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 9475F is the better fit. You are getting 750.7% better PassMark, backed by 48 cores and 96 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 9475F is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. EPYC 9475F is 1871.9% more expensive on MSRP at $7,592 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 66.2% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-9700K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 131.8% better value on paper (37.4 vs 16.1 PassMark/$), 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 9475F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2018), a healthier platform with SP5 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 256 MB L3 cache instead of 12 MB, more multi-core headroom with 48 cores / 96 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 9475F
1080p
low308 FPS315 FPS
medium278 FPS289 FPS
high231 FPS240 FPS
ultra182 FPS203 FPS
1440p
low270 FPS278 FPS
medium221 FPS230 FPS
high178 FPS178 FPS
ultra143 FPS157 FPS
4K
low170 FPS191 FPS
medium140 FPS157 FPS
high108 FPS120 FPS
ultra95 FPS107 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i7-9700KEPYC 9475F
1080p
low360 FPS725 FPS
medium321 FPS618 FPS
high291 FPS485 FPS
ultra259 FPS421 FPS
1440p
low324 FPS579 FPS
medium282 FPS510 FPS
high258 FPS419 FPS
ultra225 FPS341 FPS
4K
low249 FPS338 FPS
medium221 FPS300 FPS
high208 FPS270 FPS
ultra179 FPS239 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i7-9700KEPYC 9475F
1080p
low360 FPS906 FPS
medium360 FPS738 FPS
high360 FPS668 FPS
ultra360 FPS566 FPS
1440p
low360 FPS702 FPS
medium360 FPS570 FPS
high360 FPS503 FPS
ultra360 FPS424 FPS
4K
low360 FPS496 FPS
medium360 FPS411 FPS
high360 FPS365 FPS
ultra318 FPS302 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i7-9700KEPYC 9475F
1080p
low360 FPS1139 FPS
medium360 FPS1015 FPS
high360 FPS901 FPS
ultra360 FPS812 FPS
1440p
low360 FPS888 FPS
medium360 FPS782 FPS
high360 FPS687 FPS
ultra360 FPS598 FPS
4K
low360 FPS648 FPS
medium360 FPS578 FPS
high360 FPS513 FPS
ultra360 FPS437 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and EPYC 9475F

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 9475F

The EPYC 9475F is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 48 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 3.65 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 400 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 122,476 points. Launch price was $7,592.

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the EPYC 9475F offers 48 cores / 96 threads — the EPYC 9475F has 40 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4.8 GHz on the EPYC 9475F — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.65 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 9475F uses Turin (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the EPYC 9475F's 122,476 — a 157.9% lead for the EPYC 9475F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9475F.

FeatureCore i7-9700KEPYC 9475F
Cores / Threads
8 / 8
48 / 96+500%
Boost Clock
4.9 GHz+2%
4.8 GHz
Base Clock
3.6 GHz
3.65 GHz+1%
L3 Cache
12 MB (total)
256 MB (total)+2033%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
1 MB (per core)+300%
Process
14 nm
4 nm-71%
Architecture
Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)
Turin (2024)
PassMark
14,397
122,476+751%
Geekbench 6 Single
1,960
Geekbench 6 Multi
45,000
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 9475F uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus DDR5-6000 on the EPYC 9475F — the EPYC 9475F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9475F 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 9475F). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 128 (EPYC 9475F) — the EPYC 9475F offers 112 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and SP5 (EPYC 9475F).

FeatureCore i7-9700KEPYC 9475F
Socket
LGA1151
SP5
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
DDR5-6000+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 9475F supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs AMD-V (EPYC 9475F). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the EPYC 9475F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop, EPYC 9475F targets Server. Direct competitor: EPYC 9475F rivals Xeon 6952P.

FeatureCore i7-9700KEPYC 9475F
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 9475F debuted at $7592. On MSRP ($385 vs $7592), the Core i7-9700K is $7207 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 16.1 pts/$ for the EPYC 9475F — making the Core i7-9700K the 79.4% better value option.

FeatureCore i7-9700KEPYC 9475F
MSRP
$385-95%
$7592
Performance per Dollar
37.4+132%
16.1
Release Date
2018
2024