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 9255

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $3,034 less on MSRP ($2,495 MSRP vs $5,529 MSRP).
✅Delivers 132.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 30.4 vs 13.0 PassMark/$ ($2,495 MSRP vs $5,529 MSRP).
✅Draws 200W instead of 320W, a 120W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (128 MB vs 768 MB).

EPYC 9384X

2023

Why buy it

✅+500% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 128 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9255 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (72,121 vs 75,809).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.0 vs 30.4 PassMark/$ ($5,529 MSRP vs $2,495 MSRP).
❌60% higher power demand at 320W vs 200W.

EPYC 9255

2024

EPYC 9384X

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $3,034 less on MSRP ($2,495 MSRP vs $5,529 MSRP).
✅Delivers 132.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 30.4 vs 13.0 PassMark/$ ($2,495 MSRP vs $5,529 MSRP).
✅Draws 200W instead of 320W, a 120W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+500% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 128 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (128 MB vs 768 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9255 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (72,121 vs 75,809).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.0 vs 30.4 PassMark/$ ($5,529 MSRP vs $2,495 MSRP).
❌60% higher power demand at 320W vs 200W.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9255 better than EPYC 9384X?

Yes. EPYC 9255 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 31.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 5.1% 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 9255 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 31.6% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9255 is the better fit. You are getting 5.1% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads.

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

EPYC 9255 is the smarter buy today. EPYC 9255 is $3,034 cheaper on MSRP at $2,495 MSRP versus $5,529 MSRP, and it gives you a 31.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 132.9% better value on MSRP (30.4 vs 13.0 PassMark/$), 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 9255 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023) and more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 32/64. 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 9255 Benchmark Check

EPYC 9384X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9384X
1080p
low	303 FPS	171 FPS
medium	280 FPS	141 FPS
high	231 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	268 FPS	148 FPS
medium	223 FPS	120 FPS
high	172 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	152 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	186 FPS	70 FPS
medium	154 FPS	59 FPS
high	117 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	38 FPS

Open EPYC 9255 Open EPYC 9384X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9384X
1080p
low	717 FPS	507 FPS
medium	614 FPS	443 FPS
high	485 FPS	355 FPS
ultra	421 FPS	288 FPS
1440p
low	573 FPS	417 FPS
medium	507 FPS	373 FPS
high	419 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	341 FPS	243 FPS
4K
low	335 FPS	257 FPS
medium	298 FPS	234 FPS
high	270 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	239 FPS	171 FPS

Open EPYC 9255 Open EPYC 9384X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9384X
1080p
low	850 FPS	670 FPS
medium	691 FPS	559 FPS
high	625 FPS	521 FPS
ultra	530 FPS	453 FPS
1440p
low	677 FPS	510 FPS
medium	548 FPS	424 FPS
high	484 FPS	389 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	336 FPS
4K
low	483 FPS	376 FPS
medium	399 FPS	294 FPS
high	355 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	293 FPS	210 FPS

Open EPYC 9255 Open EPYC 9384X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9384X
1080p
low	1083 FPS	904 FPS
medium	982 FPS	822 FPS
high	862 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	777 FPS	625 FPS
1440p
low	859 FPS	721 FPS
medium	761 FPS	629 FPS
high	668 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	582 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	627 FPS	518 FPS
medium	562 FPS	462 FPS
high	500 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	349 FPS

Open EPYC 9255 Open EPYC 9384X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9255 and EPYC 9384X

EPYC 9255

The EPYC 9255 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 3.25 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 200 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 75,809 points. Launch price was $2,495.

EPYC 9384X

The EPYC 9384X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 June 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Genoa-X (2023) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 768 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 320 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 72,121 points. Launch price was $5,529.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 9255 packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the EPYC 9384X offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the EPYC 9384X has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the EPYC 9255 versus 3.9 GHz on the EPYC 9384X — a 20.7% clock advantage for the EPYC 9255 (base: 3.25 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The EPYC 9255 uses the Turin (2024) architecture (4 nm), while the EPYC 9384X uses Genoa-X (2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9255 scores 75,809 against the EPYC 9384X's 72,121 — a 5% lead for the EPYC 9255. L3 cache: 128 MB (total) on the EPYC 9255 vs 768 MB (total) on the EPYC 9384X.

Feature	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9384X
Cores / Threads	24 / 48	32 / 64+33%
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+23%	3.9 GHz
Base Clock	3.25 GHz+5%	3.1 GHz
L3 Cache	128 MB (total)	768 MB (total)+500%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	4 nm-20%	5 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Genoa-X (2023)
PassMark	75,809+5%	72,121

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the SP5 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to 4800 memory speed. Both support up to 6144 of RAM. Both feature 12-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 128 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9255) and SP5 (EPYC 9384X).

Feature	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9384X
Socket	SP5	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800	4800
Max RAM Capacity	6144	6144
RAM Channels	12	12
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	128

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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, SEV-SNP virtualization. Direct competitor: EPYC 9255 rivals Xeon Platinum 8480+; EPYC 9384X rivals Xeon Platinum 8468.

Feature	EPYC 9255	EPYC 9384X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP	VT-x, VT-d, SEV-SNP

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Value Analysis

The EPYC 9255 launched at $2495 MSRP, while the EPYC 9384X debuted at $5529. On MSRP ($2495 vs $5529), the EPYC 9255 is $3034 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9255 delivers 30.4 pts/$ vs 13.0 pts/$ for the EPYC 9384X — making the EPYC 9255 the 79.9% better value option.