Core i9-12900E vs EPYC 7401P

Core i9-12900E vs EPYC 7401P Performance Spectrum

Core i9-12900E

16 / 24

28,170

+1.2%

27,836

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9965WX

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.

Core i9-12900E vs EPYC 7401P FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i9-12900E vs EPYC 7401P: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i9-12900E

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 155W, a 90W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 7401P needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7401P, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $500 MSRP, while EPYC 7401P mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

EPYC 7401P

2017

Why buy it

✅+113.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900E across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (27,836 vs 28,170).
❌138.5% higher power demand at 155W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Core i9-12900E moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-12900E can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-12900E better than EPYC 7401P?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. EPYC 7401P makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i9-12900E is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-12900E is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 22.5% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-12900E is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.2% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads.

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

Core i9-12900E is the better buy right now. Core i9-12900E comes in at an unclear MSRP at $500 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 22.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (56.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i9-12900E makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2017), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of TR4, more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 24 threads instead of 24/48, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i9-12900E vs EPYC 7401P Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i9-12900E

The Core i9-12900E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 28,170 points. Launch price was $299.

EPYC 7401P

The EPYC 7401P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Naples (2017−2018) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 170 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 27,836 points. Launch price was $1,075.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-12900E packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the EPYC 7401P offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the EPYC 7401P has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-12900E versus 3 GHz on the EPYC 7401P — a 50% clock advantage for the Core i9-12900E (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i9-12900E uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (10 nm), while the EPYC 7401P uses Naples (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-12900E scores 28,170 against the EPYC 7401P's 27,836 — a 1.2% lead for the Core i9-12900E. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900E vs 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 7401P.

Feature	Core i9-12900E	EPYC 7401P
Cores / Threads	16 / 24	24 / 48+50%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+67%	3 GHz
Base Clock	2.3 GHz+15%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+113%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	512K (per core)+40860%
Process	10 nm-29%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Naples (2017−2018)
PassMark	28,170+1%	27,836
Cinebench R23 Multi	13,420	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	13,107	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-12900E uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 7401P uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i9-12900E	EPYC 7401P
Socket	LGA1700	TR4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-12900E) / not specified (EPYC 7401P). The Core i9-12900E includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the EPYC 7401P requires a dedicated GPU.