EPYC 7261
VS
Ryzen 3 4100

EPYC 7261 vs Ryzen 3 4100

AMD

EPYC 7261

8 Cores16 Thrd155 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2018
VS
AMD

Ryzen 3 4100

4 Cores8 Thrd65 WWMax: 4 GHz2022

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. The EPYC 7261 is positioned at rank #592 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar EPYC 7261

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
9340%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
1764%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1567%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
1210%
#355
Xeon w7-3455
MSRP: $2489|Avg: $2625
99%
#356
EPYC 9334
MSRP: $2990|Avg: $1810
99%
#357
Xeon w9-3575X
MSRP: $3789|Avg: $675
98%
#358
Xeon w7-3465X
MSRP: $2889|Avg: $468
97%
#359
Xeon Gold 6530
MSRP: $2128|Avg: $1846
97%
#359
EPYC 9354
MSRP: $3420|Avg: $2498
97%
#361
Xeon Silver 4114
MSRP: $612|Avg: $30
96%
#362
EPYC 7532
MSRP: $2380|Avg: $225
96%
#592
EPYC 7261
MSRP: $501|Avg: $8
100%
#594
Xeon E5-1620 v2
MSRP: $294|Avg: $50
100%
#605
Xeon E3-1270 v3
MSRP: $339|Avg: $410
96%
#607
Xeon E3-1235
MSRP: $240|Avg: $270
96%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 3 4100

#53
Core i3-12100F
MSRP: $97|Avg: $90
105%
#54
Core Ultra 7 265
MSRP: $384|Avg: $320
105%
#55
Ryzen 7 5800X
MSRP: $449|Avg: $180
104%
#56
Core i5-11400F
MSRP: $157|Avg: $110
104%
#57
Ryzen 7 5700G
MSRP: $359|Avg: $160
103%
#58
Ryzen 7 5700X
MSRP: $299|Avg: $175
103%
#59
Core i5-9500
MSRP: $192|Avg: $65
103%
#60
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX
MSRP: $429|Avg: $450
102%
#61
Core i9-9960X
MSRP: $1684|Avg: $200
101%
#62
Core Ultra 5 225T
MSRP: $240|Avg: $180
101%
#63
Ryzen 3 3300X
MSRP: $120|Avg: $90
101%
#64
Core i5-12600K
MSRP: $289|Avg: $185
101%
#65
Core Ultra 5 235
MSRP: $257|Avg: $269
101%
#66
Ryzen 7 5700
MSRP: $179|Avg: $164
101%
#67
Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $90
100%
#68
Ryzen 3 4100
MSRP: $99|Avg: $75
100%
#69
Ryzen 9 9900X
MSRP: $499|Avg: $370
100%
#70
Ryzen 5 7600
MSRP: $229|Avg: $185
99%
#71
Core i5-14490F
MSRP: $209|Avg: $190
99%
#72
Core i5-12600KF
MSRP: $264|Avg: $190
98%
#73
Core i5-13600KF
MSRP: $249|Avg: $258
98%
#74
Ryzen 5 5500GT
MSRP: $125|Avg: $130
98%
#75
Ryzen 7 1700
MSRP: $140|Avg: $185
72%
#75
Ryzen 7 PRO 4750G
MSRP: $309|Avg: $140
98%
#76
Ryzen 7 7700X
MSRP: $399|Avg: $249
97%
#77
Ryzen 9 5900XT
MSRP: $349|Avg: $311
96%
#78
Core i5-12500
MSRP: $212|Avg: $140
96%
#79
Core i5-14600K
MSRP: $329|Avg: $275
95%
#80
Ryzen 7 7700
MSRP: $329|Avg: $246
95%
#81
Core i5-13400F
MSRP: $196|Avg: $180
94%
#82
Core i3-12100T
MSRP: $125|Avg: $90
94%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($8) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The EPYC 7261 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightEPYC 7261Ryzen 3 4100
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
More affordable ($8)
⚠️ Higher cost ($75)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Naples (2017−2018) / 14 nm)
✨ Modern (Renoir (2020−2023) / 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Ryzen 3 4100 ($75), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($67 less, 838% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightEPYC 7261Ryzen 3 4100
Cost Efficiency
Better overall value (+845%)
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($8)
⚠️ Higher cost ($75)

Performance Check

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7261 and Ryzen 3 4100

AMD

EPYC 7261

The EPYC 7261 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Naples (2017−2018) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 170 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 11,149 points. Launch price was $800.

AMD

Ryzen 3 4100

The Ryzen 3 4100 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8.00391 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 11,062 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

The EPYC 7261 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 3 4100 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the EPYC 7261 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the EPYC 7261 versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 4100 — a 31.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 4100 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The EPYC 7261 uses the Naples (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 3 4100 uses Renoir (2020−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7261 scores 11,149 against the Ryzen 3 4100's 11,062 — a 0.8% lead for the EPYC 7261. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7261 vs 8.00391 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 4100.

FeatureEPYC 7261Ryzen 3 4100
Cores / Threads
8 / 16+100%
4 / 8
Boost Clock
2.9 GHz
4 GHz+38%
Base Clock
2.5 GHz
3.8 GHz+52%
L3 Cache
32 MB (total)+300%
8.00391 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512K (per core)
512K (per core)
Process
14 nm
7 nm-50%
Architecture
Naples (2017−2018)
Renoir (2020−2023)
PassMark
11,149
11,062
🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7261 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 3 4100 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureEPYC 7261Ryzen 3 4100
Socket
SP3
AM4
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0
💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 7261 launched at $501 MSRP, while the Ryzen 3 4100 debuted at $99. At current prices ($8 vs $75), the EPYC 7261 is $67 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7261 delivers 1393.6 pts/$ vs 147.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen 3 4100 — making the EPYC 7261 the 161.7% better value option.

FeatureEPYC 7261Ryzen 3 4100
MSRP
$501
$99-80%
Avg Price (30d)
$8-89%
$75
Performance per Dollar
1393.6+845%
147.5
Release Date
2018
2022