EPYC 73F3 vs Xeon Gold 6342

AMD

EPYC 73F3

16 Cores32 Thrd240 WWMax: 4 GHz2021
EPYC family
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VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 6342

24 Cores48 Thrd230 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2021
Similar parts
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EPYC 73F3 vs Xeon Gold 6342 Performance Spectrum

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.

EPYC 73F3 vs Xeon Gold 6342 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

EPYC 73F3 vs Xeon Gold 6342: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

EPYC 73F3

2021

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +3.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • 100% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 64) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (46,103 vs 47,076).
  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.1 vs 15.8 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $2,977 MSRP).

Xeon Gold 6342

2021

Why buy it

  • +2.1% higher PassMark.
  • Costs $544 less on MSRP ($2,977 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
  • Delivers 20.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 15.8 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($2,977 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
  • Draws 230W instead of 240W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6342 better than EPYC 73F3?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, EPYC 73F3 is ahead with a 3.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6342 pulls ahead with 2.1% better PassMark. EPYC 73F3 also has the bigger cache pool with 611.1% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 36 MB).
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6342 is the stronger fit. You are getting 2.1% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Xeon Gold 6342 is the better buy right now. Xeon Gold 6342 comes in $544 cheaper on MSRP at $2,977 MSRP versus $3,521 MSRP, and it still gives you 2.1% better PassMark. The compromise is that EPYC 73F3 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 3.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 20.8% better value on MSRP (15.8 vs 13.1 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Xeon Gold 6342 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 16/32. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

EPYC 73F3 vs Xeon Gold 6342 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

AMD

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.

Intel

Xeon Gold 6342

The Xeon Gold 6342 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 230 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 47,076 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

The EPYC 73F3 packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6342 offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon Gold 6342 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the EPYC 73F3 versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6342 — a 13.3% clock advantage for the EPYC 73F3 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The EPYC 73F3 uses the Milan (2021−2023) architecture (7 nm+), while the Xeon Gold 6342 uses Ice Lake-SP (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 73F3 scores 46,103 against the Xeon Gold 6342's 47,076 — a 2.1% lead for the Xeon Gold 6342. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 73F3 vs 36 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 6342.

FeatureEPYC 73F3Xeon Gold 6342
Cores / Threads
16 / 32
24 / 48+50%
Boost Clock
4 GHz+14%
3.5 GHz
Base Clock
3.5 GHz+25%
2.8 GHz
L3 Cache
256 MB (total)+611%
36 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
1 MB (per core)+100%
Process
7 nm+-30%
10 nm
Architecture
Milan (2021−2023)
Ice Lake-SP (2021)
PassMark
46,103
47,076+2%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 73F3 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6342 uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to 3200 memory speed. The Xeon Gold 6342 supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 4096 50% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 73F3) vs 64 (Xeon Gold 6342) — the EPYC 73F3 offers 64 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3,C621A (EPYC 73F3) and C621A (Xeon Gold 6342).

FeatureEPYC 73F3Xeon Gold 6342
Socket
SP3
LGA4189
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
3200
3200
Max RAM Capacity
4096
6144+50%
RAM Channels
8
8
ECC Support
Yes
Yes
PCIe Lanes
128+100%
64
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Direct competitor: EPYC 73F3 rivals Xeon Platinum 8362; Xeon Gold 6342 rivals EPYC 7443.

FeatureEPYC 73F3Xeon Gold 6342
Integrated GPU
No
No
IGPU Model
None
None
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
Yes
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
VT-x, VT-d
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the EPYC 73F3 was priced at $3521, while the Xeon Gold 6342 came in at $2977. On launch pricing ($3521 vs $2977), Xeon Gold 6342 was $544 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 73F3 delivers 13.1 pts/$ vs 15.8 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6342 — making the Xeon Gold 6342 the 18.8% better value option.

FeatureEPYC 73F3Xeon Gold 6342
MSRP
$3521
$2977-15%
Performance per Dollar
13.1
15.8+21%
Release Date
2021
2021

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