EPYC 9224 vs Xeon Gold 6342

CPU

GPU

EPYC 9224

24 Cores48 Thrd200 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Xeon Gold 6342

24 Cores48 Thrd230 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2021

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

EPYC 9224

24 / 48

48,573

+3.2%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX

Xeon Gold 6342

24 / 48

47,076

0.0%

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.

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 9224

2022

Why buy it

✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Costs $1,152 less on MSRP ($1,825 MSRP vs $2,977 MSRP).
✅Delivers 68.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 26.6 vs 15.8 PassMark/$ ($1,825 MSRP vs $2,977 MSRP).
✅Draws 200W instead of 230W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Xeon Gold 6342

2021

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (47,076 vs 48,573).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.8 vs 26.6 PassMark/$ ($2,977 MSRP vs $1,825 MSRP).
❌15% higher power demand at 230W vs 200W.
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while EPYC 9224 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9224

2022

Xeon Gold 6342

2021

Why buy it

✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Costs $1,152 less on MSRP ($1,825 MSRP vs $2,977 MSRP).
✅Delivers 68.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 26.6 vs 15.8 PassMark/$ ($1,825 MSRP vs $2,977 MSRP).
✅Draws 200W instead of 230W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (47,076 vs 48,573).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.8 vs 26.6 PassMark/$ ($2,977 MSRP vs $1,825 MSRP).
❌15% higher power demand at 230W vs 200W.
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while EPYC 9224 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9224 better than Xeon Gold 6342?

Yes. EPYC 9224 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 3.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 9224 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.3% 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, EPYC 9224 is the better fit. You are getting 3.2% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).

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

EPYC 9224 is the smarter buy today. EPYC 9224 is $1,152 cheaper on MSRP at $1,825 MSRP versus $2,977 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 68.3% better value on MSRP (26.6 vs 15.8 PassMark/$), 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 9224 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021), a healthier platform with SP5 and DDR5 instead of LGA4189, 77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 24/48. 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 9224 Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6342 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9224	Xeon Gold 6342
1080p
low	168 FPS	187 FPS
medium	139 FPS	150 FPS
high	120 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	146 FPS	155 FPS
medium	118 FPS	121 FPS
high	95 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	73 FPS
medium	59 FPS	60 FPS
high	46 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	38 FPS

Open EPYC 9224 Open Xeon Gold 6342

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9224	Xeon Gold 6342
1080p
low	500 FPS	416 FPS
medium	439 FPS	364 FPS
high	353 FPS	297 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	237 FPS
1440p
low	422 FPS	357 FPS
medium	377 FPS	317 FPS
high	313 FPS	265 FPS
ultra	248 FPS	204 FPS
4K
low	260 FPS	221 FPS
medium	237 FPS	200 FPS
high	209 FPS	169 FPS
ultra	175 FPS	136 FPS

Open EPYC 9224 Open Xeon Gold 6342

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9224	Xeon Gold 6342
1080p
low	644 FPS	986 FPS
medium	527 FPS	859 FPS
high	490 FPS	812 FPS
ultra	426 FPS	720 FPS
1440p
low	501 FPS	787 FPS
medium	408 FPS	676 FPS
high	374 FPS	639 FPS
ultra	323 FPS	567 FPS
4K
low	371 FPS	504 FPS
medium	289 FPS	397 FPS
high	258 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	288 FPS

Open EPYC 9224 Open Xeon Gold 6342

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9224	Xeon Gold 6342
1080p
low	850 FPS	911 FPS
medium	781 FPS	828 FPS
high	675 FPS	714 FPS
ultra	594 FPS	615 FPS
1440p
low	680 FPS	712 FPS
medium	601 FPS	625 FPS
high	516 FPS	537 FPS
ultra	441 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	491 FPS	514 FPS
medium	441 FPS	459 FPS
high	388 FPS	403 FPS
ultra	333 FPS	351 FPS

Open EPYC 9224 Open Xeon Gold 6342

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9224 and Xeon Gold 6342

EPYC 9224

The EPYC 9224 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 November 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 200 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 48,573 points. Launch price was $1,825.

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 9224 and Xeon Gold 6342 share an identical 24-core/48-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9224 versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6342 — a 5.6% clock advantage for the EPYC 9224 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The EPYC 9224 uses the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture (5 nm, 6 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6342 uses Ice Lake-SP (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9224 scores 48,573 against the Xeon Gold 6342's 47,076 — a 3.1% lead for the EPYC 9224. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 9224 vs 36 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 6342.

Feature	EPYC 9224	Xeon Gold 6342
Cores / Threads	24 / 48	24 / 48
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+6%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.8 GHz+12%
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)+78%	36 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm, 6 nm-50%	10 nm
Architecture	Genoa (2022−2023)	Ice Lake-SP (2021)
PassMark	48,573+3%	47,076

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9224 uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Gold 6342 uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the EPYC 9224 versus 3200 on the Xeon Gold 6342 — the EPYC 9224 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 6144 of RAM. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9224) vs 8 (Xeon Gold 6342). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9224) vs 64 (Xeon Gold 6342) — the EPYC 9224 offers 64 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9224) and C621A (Xeon Gold 6342).

Feature	EPYC 9224	Xeon Gold 6342
Socket	SP5	LGA4189
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+50%	3200
Max RAM Capacity	6144	6144
RAM Channels	12+50%	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. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (EPYC 9224) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6342). Direct competitor: EPYC 9224 rivals Xeon Platinum 8468X; Xeon Gold 6342 rivals EPYC 7443.

Feature	EPYC 9224	Xeon Gold 6342
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9224 launched at $1825 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6342 debuted at $2977. On MSRP ($1825 vs $2977), the EPYC 9224 is $1152 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9224 delivers 26.6 pts/$ vs 15.8 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6342 — making the EPYC 9224 the 50.9% better value option.