Core i9-9900KS vs EPYC 7252
Core i9-9900KS
EPYC 7252
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i9-9900KS
Performance Per Dollar EPYC 7252
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i9-9900KS | EPYC 7252 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($350) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Zen 2 (2017−2020) / 7 nm, 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i9-9900KS | EPYC 7252 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($350) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9900KS and EPYC 7252
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.
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 |
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.
| Feature | Core i9-9900KS | EPYC 7252 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | SP3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
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