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 9684X

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+350% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 256 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.3 vs 10.7 PassMark/$ ($14,756 MSRP vs $9,600 MSRP).
❌17.6% higher power demand at 400W vs 340W.

EPYC 9734

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $5,156 less on MSRP ($9,600 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Delivers 28.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 10.7 vs 8.3 PassMark/$ ($9,600 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Draws 340W instead of 400W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9684X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (102,286 vs 122,017).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 1.1 GB).

EPYC 9684X

2023

EPYC 9734

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+350% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 256 MB).

Why buy it

✅Costs $5,156 less on MSRP ($9,600 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Delivers 28.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 10.7 vs 8.3 PassMark/$ ($9,600 MSRP vs $14,756 MSRP).
✅Draws 340W instead of 400W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.3 vs 10.7 PassMark/$ ($14,756 MSRP vs $9,600 MSRP).
❌17.6% higher power demand at 400W vs 340W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9684X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (102,286 vs 122,017).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (256 MB vs 1.1 GB).

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9684X better than EPYC 9734?

Yes. EPYC 9684X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 4.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 19.3% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 9684X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 4.8% 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 9684X is the better fit. You are getting 19.3% better PassMark, backed by 96 cores and 192 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 350% larger total L3 cache (1.1 GB vs 256 MB).

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

EPYC 9684X is still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 9734 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9684X is 53.7% more expensive on MSRP at $14,756 MSRP versus $9,600 MSRP, and it gives you a 4.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. EPYC 9734 is also 28.9% better value on MSRP (10.7 vs 8.3 PassMark/$), 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 safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

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 9684X Benchmark Check

EPYC 9734 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 9684X	EPYC 9734
1080p
low	169 FPS	163 FPS
medium	140 FPS	134 FPS
high	120 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	147 FPS	143 FPS
medium	119 FPS	114 FPS
high	95 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	68 FPS
medium	59 FPS	58 FPS
high	46 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	37 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open EPYC 9734

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 9684X	EPYC 9734
1080p
low	506 FPS	238 FPS
medium	442 FPS	211 FPS
high	353 FPS	174 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	138 FPS
1440p
low	416 FPS	195 FPS
medium	372 FPS	177 FPS
high	306 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	116 FPS
4K
low	256 FPS	121 FPS
medium	233 FPS	112 FPS
high	204 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	79 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open EPYC 9734

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 9684X	EPYC 9734
1080p
low	668 FPS	650 FPS
medium	558 FPS	541 FPS
high	519 FPS	481 FPS
ultra	452 FPS	422 FPS
1440p
low	509 FPS	503 FPS
medium	423 FPS	418 FPS
high	388 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	318 FPS
4K
low	374 FPS	371 FPS
medium	292 FPS	289 FPS
high	261 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	199 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open EPYC 9734

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 9684X	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	721 FPS	692 FPS
medium	628 FPS	600 FPS
high	538 FPS	511 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	430 FPS
4K
low	517 FPS	493 FPS
medium	462 FPS	439 FPS
high	405 FPS	384 FPS
ultra	348 FPS	327 FPS

Open EPYC 9684X Open EPYC 9734

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 9684X and EPYC 9734

EPYC 9684X

The EPYC 9684X 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 96 cores and 192 threads. Base frequency is 2.55 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 1152 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 400 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 122,017 points. Launch price was $14,756.

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 9684X 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 9684X versus 3 GHz on the EPYC 9734 — a 20.9% clock advantage for the EPYC 9684X (base: 2.55 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The EPYC 9684X uses the Genoa-X (2023) architecture (5 nm), while the EPYC 9734 uses Bergamo (2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9684X scores 122,017 against the EPYC 9734's 102,286 — a 17.6% lead for the EPYC 9684X. L3 cache: 1152 MB (total) on the EPYC 9684X vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9734.

Feature	EPYC 9684X	EPYC 9734
Cores / Threads	96 / 192	112 / 224+17%
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+23%	3 GHz
Base Clock	2.55 GHz+16%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	1152 MB (total)+350%	256 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm	5 nm
Architecture	Genoa-X (2023)	Bergamo (2023)
PassMark	122,017+19%	102,286

🧠

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 9684X) and SP5 (EPYC 9734).

Feature	EPYC 9684X	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 9684X targets HPC / Cache Sensitive Workloads, EPYC 9734 targets Data Center / High Density. Direct competitor: EPYC 9684X rivals Xeon 6979P; EPYC 9734 rivals Xeon 6780E.

Feature	EPYC 9684X	EPYC 9734
Integrated GPU	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use	HPC / Cache Sensitive Workloads	Data Center / High Density

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 9684X launched at $14756 MSRP, while the EPYC 9734 debuted at $9600. On MSRP ($14756 vs $9600), the EPYC 9734 is $5156 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 9684X delivers 8.3 pts/$ vs 10.7 pts/$ for the EPYC 9734 — making the EPYC 9734 the 25.2% better value option.