A packet data processing method, apparatus, and system. The method is executed by a first processing apparatus, and includes: acquiring packet data that needs to be processed, where the packet data that needs to be processed includes first packet data information and second packet data, and the first packet data information includes a header of the packet data that needs to be processed and a storage address of the packet data that needs to be processed in the first processing apparatus; sending the first packet data information to a second processing apparatus; and receiving first packet data information (includes an updated header after being processed and the storage address) processed by the second processing apparatus, and generating finished packet data using the first packet data information processed by the second processing apparatus and the second packet data.