AMD EPYC 9965 vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X Comparison

The AMD EPYC 9965 and AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X represent two very different philosophies for high-end computing. The EPYC 9965 is a 192-core server monster built for maximum throughput, while the Threadripper 9980X is a 64-core desktop part focused on high clock speeds. The benchmark data shows a clear split: the EPYC dominates nearly every multi-threaded and compute-heavy test, but the Threadripper takes the single-thread crown. Here is how the numbers break down.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The EPYC 9965 wins 15 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons, and it often wins by a massive margin. In the Cinebench suite, the EPYC takes both single-core and multi-core tests, but the margins are surprisingly slim. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the EPYC scores 136,661 against the Threadripper's 130,529, a 4.7% advantage. The same 4.7% delta appears across all Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests, both single and multi-core. This suggests that in lightly-threaded rendering tasks, the EPYC's architectural efficiency gives it a slight edge despite its much lower boost clock of 3.70 GHz versus the Threadripper's 5.40 GHz.

The real separation happens in the Passmark workloads. Data compression shows the EPYC scoring 5,679,990 versus 2,974,534, a 91% lead. Data encryption is even more lopsided: 348,449 versus 157,137, a 121.7% difference. The floating-point math test shows the EPYC at 1,153,453 against 559,003, a 106.3% advantage, and integer math follows a similar pattern with a 120.9% lead (1,926,069 vs 872,071). The physics test is the largest single gap, with the EPYC at 18,707 versus 8,001, a 133.8% delta. Random string sorting also shows a 116.7% advantage for the EPYC, and extended instructions come in at a 67.4% lead.

The Threadripper 9980X wins only two tests, both of which are the same Passmark single-thread benchmark. It scores 4,537 versus the EPYC's 3,176, which represents a 30% advantage. This is a significant win for the Threadripper, showing that its higher boost clock and lower core count allow it to run dramatically faster on a single thread. The multi-thread Passmark test, however, still goes to the EPYC, with a score of 160,542 versus 141,641, a 13.3% lead. This is a much smaller margin than the other multi-threaded workloads, suggesting that the Threadripper's higher clocks help it close the gap when the workload is less purely parallel.

The Verdict

The data points to a simple conclusion: the EPYC 9965 is the superior processor for almost all compute-heavy tasks. Its 192 cores and 384 threads give it an insurmountable lead in parallel workloads, as shown by the 91% to 133.8% deltas in Passmark tests. The Threadripper 9980X is only the better choice if your primary workload is single-threaded and you need the absolute fastest per-core performance. The 30% single-thread win is real, but it does not translate to wins in any other benchmark in this dataset. The EPYC also holds a 100th percentile ranking among all CPUs, while the Threadripper sits at the 99th percentile. The EPYC's average benchmark score of 620,487 is nearly double the Threadripper's 321,753, and its nearest rival, the EPYC 9845, is 18.5% behind, while the Threadripper's closest competitor, the Threadripper PRO 9985WX, is only 0.3% behind. This means the EPYC is in a class of its own, while the Threadripper is tightly grouped with other high-end parts.

Where Each One Wins

The EPYC 9965 wins in every category except for pure single-thread speed. For data compression, encryption, extended instruction workloads, prime number finding, floating-point math, integer math, physics simulations, and random string sorting, the EPYC is the clear winner. The largest margins are in physics (133.8%), encryption (121.7%), and integer math (120.9%), indicating that the EPYC is particularly strong in scientific computing, cryptography, and data processing. The smaller 13.3% win in Passmark multithread suggests that even in general multi-threaded tasks, the EPYC holds an advantage, but not always a dominant one. In Cinebench rendering, the EPYC wins by a consistent 4.7%, which is a modest but reliable margin.

The Threadripper 9980X wins only in the Passmark single-thread test. This makes it the better choice for legacy applications that do not scale across cores, or for any workload where a single thread is the bottleneck. The 30% delta is substantial, and it is the only benchmark where the Threadripper is not just competitive but clearly ahead. Its 5.40 GHz boost clock and 64-core architecture, while still massive, allow for much higher per-core frequencies than the EPYC's 3.70 GHz boost. If your software relies on one or two threads, the Threadripper will feel noticeably faster.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core benchmarks?

A: The AMD EPYC 9965 wins every multi-core benchmark in this comparison. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 136,661 versus the Threadripper's 130,529, a 4.7% lead. In Passmark multithread, it scores 160,542 versus 141,641, a 13.3% lead.

Q: How much faster is the Threadripper in single-threaded tasks?

A: The Threadripper 9980X scores 4,537 in Passmark single-thread, while the EPYC 9965 scores 3,176. This gives the Threadripper a 30% advantage in this specific test.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest gap is in the Passmark physics test, where the EPYC 9965 scores 18,707 versus the Threadripper's 8,001, a 133.8% difference. The data encryption test also shows a large gap at 121.7%.

Q: Does the Threadripper win any benchmark besides single-thread?

A: No. The Threadripper 9980X wins only the Passmark single-thread test (listed twice as "passmark_single_thread" and "passmark_singlethread"). The EPYC 9965 wins all other 15 head-to-head benchmarks.

Q: How do their overall benchmark averages compare?

A: The EPYC 9965 has an average benchmark score of 620,487, while the Threadripper 9980X has an average of 321,753. This means the EPYC's average score is roughly 93% higher.

Q: Which CPU has a higher percentile ranking?

A: The EPYC 9965 is in the 100th percentile of all CPUs, while the Threadripper 9980X is in the 99th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs share the Zen 5 architecture but are built for different markets. The EPYC 9965 is codenamed "Turin" and is part of the EPYC 9005 series, built on a 3 nm process node at TSMC. It uses 192 cores and 384 threads, with a base clock of 2.25 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The Threadripper 9980X is codenamed "Shimada Peak" and belongs to the Ryzen Threadripper 9000 series, built on a 4 nm process node, also at TSMC. It has 64 cores and 128 threads, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The EPYC is a server/workstation part on AMD Socket SP5, while the Threadripper is a desktop part on AMD Socket sTR5. The EPYC uses Zen 5c cores, while the Threadripper uses standard Zen 5 cores. The Threadripper has 66,520 million transistors across eight 70.6 mm² dies, while the EPYC's transistor count and die size are not listed in the data.

Specification Differences

The most obvious difference is core count: the EPYC 9965 has 192 cores and 384 threads, triple the Threadripper's 64 cores and 128 threads. Clock speeds also differ significantly, with the Threadripper's 5.40 GHz boost clock being much higher than the EPYC's 3.70 GHz. The TDP reflects this: the EPYC is rated at 500 watts, while the Threadripper is at 350 watts. Cache configurations differ as well. The EPYC has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with a shared 384 MB of L3 cache. The Threadripper has 64 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with 256 MB of L3 cache. Memory support also varies: the EPYC uses twelve-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 576.0 GB/s, while the Threadripper uses quad-channel DDR5 with a bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s. Both support ECC memory. PCIe lanes are another differentiator: the EPYC offers 128 Gen 5 lanes, while the Threadripper offers 80 Gen 5 lanes. The EPYC has a locked multiplier, while the Threadripper is multiplier-unlocked. The launch MSRP for the EPYC 9965 is $14813, and for the Threadripper 9980X it is $4999. The EPYC was released on 2024-10-09, while the Threadripper was released on 2025-07-29.