EPYC 7272 vs EPYC 7501

AMD

EPYC 7272

12 Cores24 Thrd120 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2019

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

EPYC 7501

32 Cores64 Thrd155 WWMax: 3 GHz2017

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.

EPYC 7272

2019

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +3.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Draws 120W instead of 155W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).

EPYC 7501

2017

Why buy it

  • +100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7272 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (24,925 vs 25,161).
  • 29.2% higher power demand at 155W vs 120W.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 7272 better than EPYC 7501?
Yes. EPYC 7272 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 3.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.9% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, EPYC 7272 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 3.2% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7272 is the better fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
EPYC 7272 still looks like the safer overall buy. EPYC 7272 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 3.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
EPYC 7272 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 32/64. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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

PresetEPYC 7272EPYC 7501
1080p
low148 FPS187 FPS
medium121 FPS165 FPS
high103 FPS132 FPS
ultra83 FPS105 FPS
1440p
low129 FPS153 FPS
medium103 FPS127 FPS
high84 FPS97 FPS
ultra67 FPS78 FPS
4K
low62 FPS71 FPS
medium53 FPS63 FPS
high42 FPS48 FPS
ultra33 FPS39 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetEPYC 7272EPYC 7501
1080p
low354 FPS207 FPS
medium312 FPS188 FPS
high261 FPS160 FPS
ultra213 FPS131 FPS
1440p
low300 FPS178 FPS
medium274 FPS163 FPS
high234 FPS141 FPS
ultra188 FPS111 FPS
4K
low194 FPS112 FPS
medium178 FPS103 FPS
high153 FPS92 FPS
ultra123 FPS75 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetEPYC 7272EPYC 7501
1080p
low625 FPS620 FPS
medium509 FPS518 FPS
high453 FPS466 FPS
ultra398 FPS399 FPS
1440p
low487 FPS517 FPS
medium396 FPS432 FPS
high347 FPS378 FPS
ultra300 FPS325 FPS
4K
low363 FPS383 FPS
medium282 FPS308 FPS
high241 FPS270 FPS
ultra193 FPS220 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetEPYC 7272EPYC 7501
1080p
low629 FPS623 FPS
medium629 FPS623 FPS
high616 FPS623 FPS
ultra540 FPS561 FPS
1440p
low624 FPS623 FPS
medium548 FPS584 FPS
high472 FPS500 FPS
ultra403 FPS420 FPS
4K
low426 FPS475 FPS
medium386 FPS427 FPS
high345 FPS375 FPS
ultra298 FPS320 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7272 and EPYC 7501

AMD

EPYC 7272

The EPYC 7272 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 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 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: 25,161 points. Launch price was $625.

AMD

EPYC 7501

The EPYC 7501 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 32 cores and 64 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: 24,925 points. Launch price was $3,400.

Processing Power

The EPYC 7272 packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the EPYC 7501 offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the EPYC 7501 has 20 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the EPYC 7272 versus 3 GHz on the EPYC 7501 — a 6.5% clock advantage for the EPYC 7272 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2 GHz). The EPYC 7272 uses the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture (7 nm, 14 nm), while the EPYC 7501 uses Naples (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7272 scores 25,161 against the EPYC 7501's 24,925 — a 0.9% lead for the EPYC 7272. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7272 vs 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 7501.

FeatureEPYC 7272EPYC 7501
Cores / Threads
12 / 24
32 / 64+167%
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz+7%
3 GHz
Base Clock
2.9 GHz+45%
2 GHz
L3 Cache
32 MB (total)
64 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
512K (per core)
Process
7 nm, 14 nm-50%
14 nm
Architecture
Zen 2 (2017−2020)
Naples (2017−2018)
PassMark
25,161
24,925
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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7272 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the EPYC 7501 uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureEPYC 7272EPYC 7501
Socket
SP3
TR4
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 4.0