Core i9-9900KS vs EPYC 7252

Core i9-9900KS vs EPYC 7252 Performance Spectrum

Core i9-9900KS

8 / 16

19,397

0.0%

19,411

+0.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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 i9-9900KS vs EPYC 7252 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 i9-9900KS vs EPYC 7252: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i9-9900KS

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,397 vs 19,411).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $513 MSRP, while EPYC 7252 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

EPYC 7252

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Draws 120W instead of 127W, a 7W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9900KS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 7252 better than Core i9-9900KS?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. EPYC 7252 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i9-9900KS is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7252 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

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

EPYC 7252 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i9-9900KS is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. EPYC 7252 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $513 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i9-9900KS is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 28.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i9-9900KS is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (37.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

EPYC 7252 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i9-9900KS vs EPYC 7252 Technical Specifications

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

Core i9-9900KS

The Core i9-9900KS is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 127 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,397 points. Launch price was $513.

EPYC 7252

The EPYC 7252 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 19,411 points. Launch price was $475.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i9-9900KS and EPYC 7252 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-9900KS versus 3.2 GHz on the EPYC 7252 — a 43.9% clock advantage for the Core i9-9900KS (base: 4 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i9-9900KS uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 7252 uses Zen 2 (2017−2020) (7 nm, 14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9900KS scores 19,397 against the EPYC 7252's 19,411 — a 0.1% lead for the EPYC 7252. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9900KS vs 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7252.

Feature	Core i9-9900KS	EPYC 7252
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz+56%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	4 GHz+29%	3.1 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm, 14 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Zen 2 (2017−2020)
PassMark	19,397	19,411

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9900KS uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the EPYC 7252 uses SP3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.