AMD EPYC 7F72 vs AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D and AMD EPYC 7F72 occupy different corners of the processor market, yet their aggregate benchmark scores sit within 1.6% of each other. The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D averages 86,437 points across the benchmark suite and ranks in the 98th percentile of all CPUs, while the EPYC 7F72 averages 85,072 points and ranks in the 97th percentile. That near-tie in overall average conceals a starkly different set of strengths, as the head-to-head results show a 13-4 split in test wins.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D dominates the Cinebench suite, winning all six Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests by exactly 17.1% in both single-core and multi-core. Its R23 multi-core score of 52,475 versus 44,829 for the EPYC 7F72, and its R23 single-core of 7,408 versus 6,328, reflect a per-thread advantage that carries across the entire workload. The single-thread Passmark result is even more lopsided: the Ryzen scores 4,492 to the EPYC's 2,384, an 88.4% advantage. That is the largest delta in the entire comparison.

The Ryzen also leads in floating-point math (140,559 vs 108,437, a 29.6% gap), extended instructions (60,405 vs 46,936, +28.7%), integer math (219,084 vs 181,103, +21%), and the Passmark multi-thread test (61,403 vs 52,740, +16.4%). Even the find-prime-numbers test goes to the Ryzen, albeit narrowly: 521 vs 498, a 4.6% margin.

The EPYC 7F72, however, wins the four tests that favor its higher core count and server-oriented memory subsystem. Data encryption is its biggest win: 56,261 vs 38,516, meaning the Ryzen trails by 31.5%. Physics simulation also goes to the EPYC by 28% (6,459 vs 4,653), random string sorting by 20.3% (102,436 vs 81,627), and data compression by 5.7% (808,795 vs 762,606). These results indicate that the EPYC's 24 cores and eight-channel DDR4 memory give it a decisive edge in workloads that scale with memory bandwidth and parallel integer throughput, even though its per-core performance is far lower.

Notably, the Ryzen wins 13 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks despite having 16 cores and 32 threads versus the EPYC's 24 cores and 48 threads. The average benchmark score for the Ryzen is 86,437, which is 1.6% higher than the EPYC's 85,072. The nearest rival list confirms the closeness: the EPYC 7F72 is within 1.6% of the Ryzen, while the Ryzen is 1.6% ahead of the EPYC.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear division of labor. The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is the superior processor for any workload that rewards high single-thread performance, modern instruction efficiency, or raw floating-point throughput. Its 88.4% lead in Passmark single-thread and 17.1% lead across all Cinebench iterations make it the obvious choice for interactive, latency-sensitive, or lightly threaded applications. The 55W TDP also indicates far lower power draw than the EPYC's 240W, though the benchmark scores do not directly measure power efficiency.

The AMD EPYC 7F72, conversely, wins in encryption, compression, physics, and random string sorting — tasks that often rely on high memory bandwidth and many cores. Its 204.8 GB/s memory bandwidth, enabled by eight-channel DDR4, is more than double the Ryzen's 89.6 GB/s, and that bandwidth advantage likely explains its dominance in data compression and sorting. The EPYC's 192 MB of shared L3 cache also exceeds the Ryzen's 128 MB, though the Ryzen's newer Zen 5 architecture compensates in most other tests.

For a buyer choosing strictly from benchmark results, the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is the better all-round performer: it wins the majority of tests and achieves a higher average score. The EPYC 7F72 should only be selected if the specific workload matches its strengths — namely, heavy encryption, compression, or physics simulation — or if the server platform (Socket SP3) and eight-channel memory are requirements. The Ryzen's 98th percentile ranking versus the EPYC's 97th reinforces that the Ryzen sits marginally higher in the global CPU performance distribution.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and design philosophies. The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D uses the Zen 5 architecture on a 4 nm TSMC process, with a die size of 2x 70.6 mm² and 16,630 million transistors. The EPYC 7F72 uses Zen 2 on a 7 nm TSMC process, with a single 74 mm² die and 3,800 million transistors. The Ryzen is built for mobile (Socket FL1) and features an integrated Radeon 610M GPU, while the EPYC is a server/workstation part (Socket SP3) with no integrated graphics.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The Ryzen has 80 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, plus 128 MB of shared L3. The EPYC has 96 KB L1 per core and 512 KB L2 per core, but a much larger 192 MB shared L3. The Ryzen's L3 is smaller but its Zen 5 cores are far more efficient per clock, as evidenced by the benchmark results. The EPYC's larger L3 and higher core count (24 vs 16) help in bandwidth-heavy workloads, but its lower boost clock (3.70 GHz vs 5.40 GHz) and older architecture limit its single-thread performance.

Memory support also diverges. The Ryzen uses DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth; the EPYC uses DDR4 with an eight-channel bus and 204.8 GB/s. Both support ECC memory. The Ryzen offers PCIe Gen 5 with 28 CPU lanes, while the EPYC provides PCIe Gen 4 without a lane count specified in the data. The Ryzen's multiplier is unlocked, the EPYC's is not.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two parts, based on the data provided:

• Cores: 16 (Ryzen) vs 24 (EPYC)
• Threads: 32 vs 48
• Base clock: 2.50 GHz vs 3.20 GHz
• Boost clock: 5.40 GHz vs 3.70 GHz
• TDP: 55 W vs 240 W
• Socket: AMD Socket FL1 vs AMD Socket SP3
• Architecture: Zen 5 vs Zen 2
• Codename: Fire Range vs Rome
• Process node: 4 nm vs 7 nm
• Transistors: 16,630 million vs 3,800 million
• Die size: 2x 70.6 mm² vs 74 mm²
• L1 cache per core: 80 KB vs 96 KB
• L2 cache per core: 1 MB vs 512 KB
• L3 cache (shared): 128 MB vs 192 MB
• Memory support: DDR5 vs DDR4
• Memory bus: Dual-channel vs Eight-channel
• Memory bandwidth: 89.6 GB/s vs 204.8 GB/s
• PCIe: Gen 5, 28 lanes (CPU only) vs Gen 4
• Integrated graphics: Radeon 610M vs none
• Market segment: Mobile vs Server/Workstation
• Multiplier unlocked: Yes vs No
• Part number: 100-000001030 vs 100-000000141100-000000141WOF

These differences explain the performance profile: the Ryzen's higher boost clock and modern architecture give it a massive single-thread lead, while the EPYC's higher core count and memory bandwidth give it wins in specific parallel tasks.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D scores 4,492 in Passmark single-thread, 88.4% higher than the EPYC 7F72's 2,384. It also leads in Cinebench R23 single-core by 17.1% (7,408 vs 6,328).

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The EPYC 7F72 has 192 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D has 128 MB.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The EPYC 7F72 has 204.8 GB/s via eight-channel DDR4, more than double the Ryzen's 89.6 GB/s via dual-channel DDR5.

Q: Which processor wins in data encryption?

A: The EPYC 7F72 wins by 31.5%, scoring 56,261 vs 38,516 in Passmark data encryption.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The EPYC 7F72 has 24 cores and 48 threads, while the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D has 16 cores and 32 threads.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D averages 86,437, which is 1.6% higher than the EPYC 7F72's 85,072.