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 73F3

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.5% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 96) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.1 vs 53.1 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $855 MSRP).
❌50% higher power demand at 240W vs 160W.
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while EPYC 8224P moves to SP6 and DDR5.

EPYC 8224P

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,666 less on MSRP ($855 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Delivers 305.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 53.1 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($855 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Draws 160W instead of 240W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on SP6 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (45,421 vs 46,103).

EPYC 73F3

2021

EPYC 8224P

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.5% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 96) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,666 less on MSRP ($855 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Delivers 305.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 53.1 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($855 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Draws 160W instead of 240W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on SP6 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.1 vs 53.1 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $855 MSRP).
❌50% higher power demand at 240W vs 160W.
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while EPYC 8224P moves to SP6 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (45,421 vs 46,103).

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 73F3 better than EPYC 8224P?

Yes. EPYC 73F3 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 9.5% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.5% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 73F3 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 9.5% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 64 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 73F3 is the better fit. You are getting 1.5% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 64 MB).

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

EPYC 73F3 is still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 8224P makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 73F3 is 311.8% more expensive on MSRP at $3,521 MSRP versus $855 MSRP, and it gives you a 9.5% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. EPYC 8224P is also 305.7% better value on MSRP (53.1 vs 13.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

EPYC 8224P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021) and a healthier platform with SP6 and DDR5 instead of SP3. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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.

EPYC 73F3 Benchmark Check

EPYC 8224P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 8224P
1080p
low	200 FPS	157 FPS
medium	159 FPS	129 FPS
high	128 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	86 FPS
1440p
low	166 FPS	140 FPS
medium	128 FPS	112 FPS
high	99 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	71 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	67 FPS
medium	61 FPS	57 FPS
high	48 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	36 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open EPYC 8224P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 8224P
1080p
low	510 FPS	392 FPS
medium	446 FPS	348 FPS
high	357 FPS	284 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	227 FPS
1440p
low	418 FPS	330 FPS
medium	375 FPS	299 FPS
high	309 FPS	252 FPS
ultra	244 FPS	193 FPS
4K
low	257 FPS	204 FPS
medium	235 FPS	187 FPS
high	206 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	128 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open EPYC 8224P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 8224P
1080p
low	979 FPS	858 FPS
medium	819 FPS	771 FPS
high	760 FPS	745 FPS
ultra	678 FPS	668 FPS
1440p
low	675 FPS	662 FPS
medium	564 FPS	576 FPS
high	515 FPS	548 FPS
ultra	453 FPS	487 FPS
4K
low	482 FPS	434 FPS
medium	382 FPS	343 FPS
high	338 FPS	306 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	250 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open EPYC 8224P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 8224P
1080p
low	1146 FPS	1018 FPS
medium	1015 FPS	908 FPS
high	873 FPS	770 FPS
ultra	758 FPS	647 FPS
1440p
low	842 FPS	824 FPS
medium	733 FPS	708 FPS
high	620 FPS	597 FPS
ultra	539 FPS	488 FPS
4K
low	608 FPS	597 FPS
medium	542 FPS	521 FPS
high	471 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	372 FPS

Open EPYC 73F3 Open EPYC 8224P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 73F3 and EPYC 8224P

EPYC 73F3

The EPYC 73F3 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 15 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Milan (2021−2023) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm+ process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 240 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 46,103 points. Launch price was $3,521.

EPYC 8224P

The EPYC 8224P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 18 September 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Siena (2023−2024) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.55 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 160 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 45,421 points. Launch price was $855.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 73F3 packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the EPYC 8224P offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the EPYC 8224P has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the EPYC 73F3 versus 3 GHz on the EPYC 8224P — a 28.6% clock advantage for the EPYC 73F3 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.55 GHz). The EPYC 73F3 uses the Milan (2021−2023) architecture (7 nm+), while the EPYC 8224P uses Siena (2023−2024) (5 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 73F3 scores 46,103 against the EPYC 8224P's 45,421 — a 1.5% lead for the EPYC 73F3. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 73F3 vs 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 8224P.

Feature	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 8224P
Cores / Threads	16 / 32	24 / 48+50%
Boost Clock	4 GHz+33%	3 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+37%	2.55 GHz
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)+300%	64 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	7 nm+	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Milan (2021−2023)	Siena (2023−2024)
PassMark	46,103+2%	45,421

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 73F3 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the EPYC 8224P uses SP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 3200 on the EPYC 73F3 versus 4800 on the EPYC 8224P — the EPYC 8224P supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 73F3 supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 1152 — 112.2% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (EPYC 73F3) vs 6 (EPYC 8224P). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 73F3) vs 96 (EPYC 8224P) — the EPYC 73F3 offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3,C621A (EPYC 73F3) and SP6 (EPYC 8224P).

Feature	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 8224P
Socket	SP3	SP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	3200	4800+50%
Max RAM Capacity	4096+256%	1152
RAM Channels	8+33%	6
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+33%	96

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (EPYC 73F3) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (EPYC 8224P). Direct competitor: EPYC 73F3 rivals Xeon Platinum 8362; EPYC 8224P rivals Xeon Platinum 8452Y.

Feature	EPYC 73F3	EPYC 8224P
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 73F3 launched at $3521 MSRP, while the EPYC 8224P debuted at $855. On MSRP ($3521 vs $855), the EPYC 8224P is $2666 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 73F3 delivers 13.1 pts/$ vs 53.1 pts/$ for the EPYC 8224P — making the EPYC 8224P the 120.9% better value option.