Core i7-9700K vs EPYC 9575F

Intel

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

EPYC 9575F

64 Cores128 Thrd400 WWMax: 5 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 $11,406 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $11,791 MSRP).
  • Delivers 198.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 12.5 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $11,791 MSRP).
  • Draws 95W instead of 400W, a 305W reduction.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while EPYC 9575F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9575F across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 147,718).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9575F, which brings 64 cores / 128 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
  • Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while EPYC 9575F moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9575F

2024

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +38.2% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 64 cores / 128 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 12.5 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($11,791 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 9575F better than Core i7-9700K?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9575F 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 9575F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 38.2% more average FPS across 2 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 9575F is the better fit. You are getting 926% 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 9575F is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. EPYC 9575F is 2962.6% more expensive on MSRP at $11,791 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 38.2% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-9700K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 198.5% better value on paper (37.4 vs 12.5 PassMark/$), 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 9575F 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, and more multi-core headroom with 64 cores / 128 threads instead of 8/8. 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 9575F
1080p
low308 FPS303 FPS
medium278 FPS280 FPS
high231 FPS232 FPS
ultra182 FPS196 FPS
1440p
low270 FPS268 FPS
medium221 FPS223 FPS
high178 FPS172 FPS
ultra143 FPS153 FPS
4K
low170 FPS186 FPS
medium140 FPS154 FPS
high108 FPS118 FPS
ultra95 FPS105 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i7-9700KEPYC 9575F
1080p
low360 FPS797 FPS
medium321 FPS681 FPS
high291 FPS536 FPS
ultra259 FPS466 FPS
1440p
low324 FPS657 FPS
medium282 FPS585 FPS
high258 FPS475 FPS
ultra225 FPS384 FPS
4K
low249 FPS367 FPS
medium221 FPS332 FPS
high208 FPS306 FPS
ultra179 FPS268 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i7-9700KEPYC 9575F
1080p
low360 FPS884 FPS
medium360 FPS721 FPS
high360 FPS652 FPS
ultra360 FPS553 FPS
1440p
low360 FPS689 FPS
medium360 FPS560 FPS
high360 FPS494 FPS
ultra360 FPS417 FPS
4K
low360 FPS487 FPS
medium360 FPS404 FPS
high360 FPS359 FPS
ultra318 FPS297 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i7-9700KEPYC 9575F
1080p
low360 FPS1118 FPS
medium360 FPS1007 FPS
high360 FPS884 FPS
ultra360 FPS797 FPS
1440p
low360 FPS884 FPS
medium360 FPS778 FPS
high360 FPS683 FPS
ultra360 FPS595 FPS
4K
low360 FPS645 FPS
medium360 FPS575 FPS
high360 FPS511 FPS
ultra360 FPS437 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and EPYC 9575F

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 9575F

The EPYC 9575F is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 5 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: 147,718 points. Launch price was $11,791.

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the EPYC 9575F offers 64 cores / 128 threads — the EPYC 9575F has 56 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 5 GHz on the EPYC 9575F — a 2% clock advantage for the EPYC 9575F (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 9575F uses Turin (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the EPYC 9575F's 147,718 — a 164.5% lead for the EPYC 9575F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9575F.

FeatureCore i7-9700KEPYC 9575F
Cores / Threads
8 / 8
64 / 128+700%
Boost Clock
4.9 GHz
5 GHz+2%
Base Clock
3.6 GHz+9%
3.3 GHz
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
147,718+926%
Geekbench 6 Multi
29,308
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 9575F 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 9575F — the EPYC 9575F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-9700K supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 6 TB 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-9700K) vs 12 (EPYC 9575F). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 128 (EPYC 9575F) — the EPYC 9575F offers 112 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and SP5 (EPYC 9575F).

FeatureCore i7-9700KEPYC 9575F
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
6 TB+4700%
RAM Channels
2
12+500%
ECC Support
No
Yes
PCIe Lanes
16
128+700%
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) vs AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9575F). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the EPYC 9575F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop, EPYC 9575F targets Data Center / High Frequency. Direct competitor: EPYC 9575F rivals Xeon 6952P.

FeatureCore i7-9700KEPYC 9575F
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use
Desktop
Data Center / High Frequency
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the EPYC 9575F debuted at $11791. On MSRP ($385 vs $11791), the Core i7-9700K is $11406 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 12.5 pts/$ for the EPYC 9575F — making the Core i7-9700K the 99.6% better value option.

FeatureCore i7-9700KEPYC 9575F
MSRP
$385-97%
$11791
Performance per Dollar
37.4+199%
12.5
Release Date
2018
2024