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 9654

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).

Trade-offs

❌
23% HIGHER MSRP
$11,805 MSRPvs$9,600 MSRP

EPYC 9734

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,205 less on MSRP ($9,600 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9654 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (102,286 vs 119,246).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 384 MB).

EPYC 9654

2022

EPYC 9734

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,205 less on MSRP ($9,600 MSRP vs $11,805 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌
23% HIGHER MSRP
$11,805 MSRPvs$9,600 MSRP

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9654 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (102,286 vs 119,246).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 384 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9654 better than EPYC 9734?

Yes. EPYC 9654 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 14.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 16.6% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 9654 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 14.2% 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 9654 is the better fit. You are getting 16.6% better PassMark, backed by 96 cores and 192 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 256 MB).

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

EPYC 9654 is still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 9734 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9654 is 23.0% more expensive on MSRP at $11,805 MSRP versus $9,600 MSRP, and it gives you a 14.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. EPYC 9734 is also 5.5% better value on MSRP (10.7 vs 10.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

EPYC 9734 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022). 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 9654 Benchmark Check

EPYC 9734 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9654	EPYC 9734
1080p
low	170 FPS	163 FPS
medium	141 FPS	134 FPS
high	122 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	148 FPS	143 FPS
medium	119 FPS	114 FPS
high	97 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	68 FPS
medium	59 FPS	58 FPS
high	47 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	37 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open EPYC 9734

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9654	EPYC 9734
1080p
low	524 FPS	238 FPS
medium	457 FPS	211 FPS
high	365 FPS	174 FPS
ultra	296 FPS	138 FPS
1440p
low	431 FPS	195 FPS
medium	385 FPS	177 FPS
high	317 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	250 FPS	116 FPS
4K
low	265 FPS	121 FPS
medium	241 FPS	112 FPS
high	211 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	79 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open EPYC 9734

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9654	EPYC 9734
1080p
low	671 FPS	650 FPS
medium	560 FPS	541 FPS
high	522 FPS	481 FPS
ultra	454 FPS	422 FPS
1440p
low	511 FPS	503 FPS
medium	425 FPS	418 FPS
high	389 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	318 FPS
4K
low	376 FPS	371 FPS
medium	293 FPS	289 FPS
high	262 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	210 FPS	199 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open EPYC 9734

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9654	EPYC 9734
1080p
low	902 FPS	868 FPS
medium	822 FPS	785 FPS
high	708 FPS	672 FPS
ultra	623 FPS	582 FPS
1440p
low	724 FPS	692 FPS
medium	631 FPS	600 FPS
high	540 FPS	511 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	430 FPS
4K
low	519 FPS	493 FPS
medium	464 FPS	439 FPS
high	407 FPS	384 FPS
ultra	350 FPS	327 FPS

Open EPYC 9654 Open EPYC 9734

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9654 and EPYC 9734

EPYC 9654

The EPYC 9654 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 96 cores and 192 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 384 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 360 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 119,246 points. Launch price was $11,805.

EPYC 9734

The EPYC 9734 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 June 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Bergamo (2023) architecture. It features 112 cores and 224 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 340 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 102,286 points. Launch price was $9,600.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 9654 packs 96 cores / 192 threads, while the EPYC 9734 offers 112 cores / 224 threads — the EPYC 9734 has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 9654 versus 3 GHz on the EPYC 9734 — a 20.9% clock advantage for the EPYC 9654 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The EPYC 9654 uses the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture (5 nm, 6 nm), while the EPYC 9734 uses Bergamo (2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9654 scores 119,246 against the EPYC 9734's 102,286 — a 15.3% lead for the EPYC 9654. L3 cache: 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9654 vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9734.

Feature	EPYC 9654	EPYC 9734
Cores / Threads	96 / 192	112 / 224+17%
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+23%	3 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+9%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	384 MB (total)+50%	256 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm, 6 nm	5 nm
Architecture	Genoa (2022−2023)	Bergamo (2023)
PassMark	119,246+17%	102,286
Geekbench 6 Single	1,250	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	20,000	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the SP5 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. Both support up to 6 TB of RAM. Both feature 12-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 128 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: SP5 (EPYC 9654) and SP5 (EPYC 9734).

Feature	EPYC 9654	EPYC 9734
Socket	SP5	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	6 TB	6 TB
RAM Channels	12	12
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128	128

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support AMD-V, SEV-SNP virtualization. Primary use case: EPYC 9654 targets Data Center, EPYC 9734 targets Data Center / High Density. Direct competitor: EPYC 9654 rivals Xeon 8592+; EPYC 9734 rivals Xeon 6780E.

Feature	EPYC 9654	EPYC 9734
Integrated GPU	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use	Data Center	Data Center / High Density

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9654 launched at $11805 MSRP, while the EPYC 9734 debuted at $9600. On MSRP ($11805 vs $9600), the EPYC 9734 is $2205 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9654 delivers 10.1 pts/$ vs 10.7 pts/$ for the EPYC 9734 — making the EPYC 9734 the 5.3% better value option.