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 74F3

2021

Why buy it

✅+2.3% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $2,987 less on MSRP ($913 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).
✅Delivers 337.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 66.4 vs 15.2 PassMark/$ ($913 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7473X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 768 MB).

EPYC 7473X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 256 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (59,280 vs 60,666).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.2 vs 66.4 PassMark/$ ($3,900 MSRP vs $913 MSRP).

EPYC 74F3

2021

EPYC 7473X

2022

Why buy it

✅+2.3% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $2,987 less on MSRP ($913 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).
✅Delivers 337.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 66.4 vs 15.2 PassMark/$ ($913 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 256 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7473X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 768 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (59,280 vs 60,666).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.2 vs 66.4 PassMark/$ ($3,900 MSRP vs $913 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 74F3 better than EPYC 7473X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, EPYC 7473X is ahead with a 10.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 74F3 pulls ahead with 2.3% better PassMark. EPYC 7473X also has the bigger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 256 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 74F3 is the better 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?

EPYC 74F3 is the smarter buy today. EPYC 74F3 is $2,987 cheaper on MSRP at $913 MSRP versus $3,900 MSRP, and it gives you 2.3% better PassMark. The trade-off is that EPYC 7473X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 10.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 337.2% better value on MSRP (66.4 vs 15.2 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

EPYC 7473X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021) and 200% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 256 MB). That extra cache should hold up really well in CPU-limited games and high-refresh builds.

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 74F3 Benchmark Check

EPYC 7473X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 74F3	EPYC 7473X
1080p
low	170 FPS	205 FPS
medium	141 FPS	167 FPS
high	120 FPS	136 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	105 FPS
1440p
low	148 FPS	163 FPS
medium	120 FPS	127 FPS
high	95 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	74 FPS
medium	59 FPS	61 FPS
high	47 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	40 FPS

Open EPYC 74F3 Open EPYC 7473X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 74F3	EPYC 7473X
1080p
low	507 FPS	561 FPS
medium	443 FPS	490 FPS
high	354 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	288 FPS	316 FPS
1440p
low	417 FPS	461 FPS
medium	373 FPS	413 FPS
high	308 FPS	338 FPS
ultra	243 FPS	266 FPS
4K
low	257 FPS	284 FPS
medium	234 FPS	258 FPS
high	205 FPS	225 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	187 FPS

Open EPYC 74F3 Open EPYC 7473X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 74F3	EPYC 7473X
1080p
low	725 FPS	865 FPS
medium	619 FPS	717 FPS
high	572 FPS	668 FPS
ultra	504 FPS	590 FPS
1440p
low	543 FPS	622 FPS
medium	461 FPS	514 FPS
high	419 FPS	472 FPS
ultra	363 FPS	412 FPS
4K
low	400 FPS	444 FPS
medium	322 FPS	345 FPS
high	284 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	227 FPS	249 FPS

Open EPYC 74F3 Open EPYC 7473X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 74F3	EPYC 7473X
1080p
low	937 FPS	994 FPS
medium	854 FPS	902 FPS
high	731 FPS	777 FPS
ultra	647 FPS	672 FPS
1440p
low	744 FPS	768 FPS
medium	651 FPS	670 FPS
high	554 FPS	573 FPS
ultra	479 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	537 FPS	551 FPS
medium	482 FPS	491 FPS
high	420 FPS	431 FPS
ultra	361 FPS	373 FPS

Open EPYC 74F3 Open EPYC 7473X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 74F3 and EPYC 7473X

EPYC 74F3

The EPYC 74F3 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 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 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: 60,666 points. Launch price was $2,900.

EPYC 7473X

The EPYC 7473X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2022-03-01. It is based on the Milan-X (2022) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 768 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 240 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 59,280 points. Launch price was $3,900.

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Processing Power

Both the EPYC 74F3 and EPYC 7473X share an identical 24-core/48-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the EPYC 74F3 versus 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 7473X — a 7.8% clock advantage for the EPYC 74F3 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The EPYC 74F3 uses the Milan (2021−2023) architecture (7 nm+), while the EPYC 7473X uses Milan-X (2022) (7 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 74F3 scores 60,666 against the EPYC 7473X's 59,280 — a 2.3% lead for the EPYC 74F3. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 74F3 vs 768 MB (total) on the EPYC 7473X.

Feature	EPYC 74F3	EPYC 7473X
Cores / Threads	24 / 48	24 / 48
Boost Clock	4 GHz+8%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.8 GHz	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	256 MB (total)	768 MB (total)+200%
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm+	7 nm
Architecture	Milan (2021−2023)	Milan-X (2022)
PassMark	60,666+2%	59,280

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the SP3 socket with PCIe 4.0. Both support up to 3200 memory speed. Both support up to 4096 of RAM. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 128 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: SP3 (EPYC 74F3) and SP3 (EPYC 7473X).

Feature	EPYC 74F3	EPYC 7473X
Socket	SP3	SP3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	3200	3200
Max RAM Capacity	4096	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	128

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Direct competitor: EPYC 74F3 rivals Xeon Platinum 8380; EPYC 7473X rivals Xeon Platinum 8380.

Feature	EPYC 74F3	EPYC 7473X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 74F3 launched at $913 MSRP, while the EPYC 7473X debuted at $3900. On MSRP ($913 vs $3900), the EPYC 74F3 is $2987 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 74F3 delivers 66.4 pts/$ vs 15.2 pts/$ for the EPYC 7473X — making the EPYC 74F3 the 125.5% better value option.