EPYC 7281
VS
Ryzen 7 7736U

EPYC 7281 vs Ryzen 7 7736U

AMD

EPYC 7281

16 Cores32 Thrd155 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2017
VS
AMD

Ryzen 7 7736U

8 Cores16 Thrd15 WWMax: 4.7 GHz2023

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.

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 7281

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
577%
#1
Core i9-9990XE
MSRP: $2000|Avg: N/A
4%
#2
Xeon W-11855M
MSRP: $450|Avg: $200
11%
#3
Xeon W-11955M
MSRP: $623|Avg: $450
10%
#4
Xeon W-11865MLE
MSRP: $467|Avg: $350
9%
#5
Xeon W-11865MRE
MSRP: $600|Avg: $600
9%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
109%
#9
EPYC 7281
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
97%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
75%
#16
EPYC 7302
MSRP: $978|Avg: $109
74%
#21
Xeon Platinum 8260M
MSRP: $7705|Avg: N/A
68%
#22
Xeon Platinum 8268
MSRP: $6302|Avg: N/A
68%
#24
Xeon Gold 6130H
MSRP: $1894|Avg: N/A
66%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 7 7736U

#49
Core i9-12900HX
MSRP: $606|Avg: N/A
114%
#57
Ryzen AI 9 365
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
104%
#62
Ryzen 7 7736U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#64
Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
MSRP: $600|Avg: $600
100%
#73
Core i9-13950HX
MSRP: $590|Avg: $199
96%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Ryzen 7 7736U (2023) utilizes 6 nm technology and DDR5-4800, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightEPYC 7281Ryzen 7 7736U
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Naples (2017−2018) / 14 nm)
✨ Modern (Rembrandt-R (2023−2025) / 6 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The EPYC 7281 (2017) relies on 14 nm technology and **DDR4 Eight-channel**, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightEPYC 7281Ryzen 7 7736U
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

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 7281 and Ryzen 7 7736U

AMD

EPYC 7281

The EPYC 7281 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 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 32 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: 21,621 points. Launch price was $650.

AMD

Ryzen 7 7736U

The Ryzen 7 7736U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Rembrandt-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 21,696 points. Launch price was $299.

Processing Power

The EPYC 7281 packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen 7 7736U offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the EPYC 7281 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the EPYC 7281 versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7736U — a 54.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7736U (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The EPYC 7281 uses the Naples (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 7736U uses Rembrandt-R (2023−2025) (6 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7281 scores 21,621 against the Ryzen 7 7736U's 21,696 — a 0.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 7736U. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7281 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 7736U.

FeatureEPYC 7281Ryzen 7 7736U
Cores / Threads
16 / 32+100%
8 / 16
Boost Clock
2.7 GHz
4.7 GHz+74%
Base Clock
2.1 GHz
2.7 GHz+29%
L3 Cache
32 MB (total)+100%
16 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512K (per core)
512K (per core)
Process
14 nm
6 nm-57%
Architecture
Naples (2017−2018)
Rembrandt-R (2023−2025)
PassMark
21,621
21,696
Cinebench R23 Multi
12,768
Geekbench 6 Single
1,869
Geekbench 6 Multi
8,020
🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7281 uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 7736U uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureEPYC 7281Ryzen 7 7736U
Socket
TR4
FP7
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
LPDDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
20
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (EPYC 7281) / AMD-V (SVM) (Ryzen 7 7736U). The Ryzen 7 7736U includes integrated graphics (Radeon 680M), while the EPYC 7281 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 7736U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 7736U rivals Core i7-1255U.

FeatureEPYC 7281Ryzen 7 7736U
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Radeon 680M
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V (SVM)
Target Use
Productivity