EPYC 7402 vs Xeon Gold 6342

AMD

EPYC 7402

24 Cores48 Thrd180 WWMax: 3.35 GHz2019
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 7402 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 7402 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 7402 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 7402

2019

Why buy it

  • Costs $1,194 less on MSRP ($1,783 MSRP vs $2,977 MSRP).
  • Delivers 63.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 25.8 vs 15.8 PassMark/$ ($1,783 MSRP vs $2,977 MSRP).
  • Draws 180W instead of 230W, a 50W reduction.
  • 100% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 64) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6342 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (46,012 vs 47,076).
  • No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon Gold 6342

2021

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +17.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.8 vs 25.8 PassMark/$ ($2,977 MSRP vs $1,783 MSRP).
  • 27.8% higher power demand at 230W vs 180W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6342 better than EPYC 7402?
Yes. Xeon Gold 6342 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 17.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2.3% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Xeon Gold 6342 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 17.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.
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 2.3% 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 still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 7402 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon Gold 6342 comes in 67.0% more expensive on MSRP at $2,977 MSRP versus $1,783 MSRP, and it still gives you a 17.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. EPYC 7402 is also 63.2% better value on MSRP (25.8 vs 15.8 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds 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 a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2019), more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 24/48, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

EPYC 7402 vs Xeon Gold 6342 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

EPYC 7402

The EPYC 7402 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 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.35 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): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 46,012 points. Launch price was $1,783.

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

Both the EPYC 7402 and Xeon Gold 6342 share an identical 24-core/48-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.35 GHz on the EPYC 7402 versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6342 — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6342 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The EPYC 7402 uses the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture (7 nm, 14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6342 uses Ice Lake-SP (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7402 scores 46,012 against the Xeon Gold 6342's 47,076 — a 2.3% lead for the Xeon Gold 6342. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7402 vs 36 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 6342.

FeatureEPYC 7402Xeon Gold 6342
Cores / Threads
24 / 48
24 / 48
Boost Clock
3.35 GHz
3.5 GHz+4%
Base Clock
2.8 GHz
2.8 GHz
L3 Cache
32 MB (total)
36 MB (total)+13%
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
1 MB (per core)+100%
Process
7 nm, 14 nm-30%
10 nm
Architecture
Zen 2 (2017−2020)
Ice Lake-SP (2021)
PassMark
46,012
47,076+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi
28,546
Geekbench 6 Single
1,299
Geekbench 6 Multi
12,622
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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7402 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 DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Xeon Gold 6342 supports up to 6144 GB of RAM compared to 4096 GB 50% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 7402) vs 64 (Xeon Gold 6342) — the EPYC 7402 offers 64 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3,Rome (EPYC 7402) and C621A (Xeon Gold 6342).

FeatureEPYC 7402Xeon Gold 6342
Socket
SP3
LGA4189
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-3200
3200
Max RAM Capacity
4096 GB
6144 GB+50%
RAM Channels
8
8
ECC Support
Yes
Yes
PCIe Lanes
128+100%
64
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon Gold 6342 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV, IOMMU (EPYC 7402) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6342). Primary use case: EPYC 7402 targets Server / Workstation. Direct competitor: EPYC 7402 rivals Xeon Gold 6242; Xeon Gold 6342 rivals EPYC 7443.

FeatureEPYC 7402Xeon Gold 6342
Integrated GPU
No
No
IGPU Model
None
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
Yes
Virtualization
AMD-V, SEV, IOMMU
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Server / Workstation
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the EPYC 7402 was priced at $1783, while the Xeon Gold 6342 came in at $2977. On launch pricing ($1783 vs $2977), EPYC 7402 was $1194 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7402 delivers 25.8 pts/$ vs 15.8 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6342 — making the EPYC 7402 the 48% better value option.

FeatureEPYC 7402Xeon Gold 6342
MSRP
$1783-40%
$2977
Performance per Dollar
25.8+63%
15.8
Release Date
2019
2021

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