AMD EPYC 4124P vs AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U and the AMD EPYC 4124P represent two distinct interpretations of the Zen 4 architecture, one aimed at efficient mobile computing and the other at entry-level server workloads. Despite the Ryzen 5 PRO’s higher core count, the benchmark data reveals a surprisingly close contest, with the mobile part securing 13 wins against the EPYC’s 4. The most decisive victory for the Ryzen 5 PRO comes in PassMark’s data encryption test, where it scores 12,319 against 11,630, a 5.9% advantage. The margin is even larger in floating-point math, with the Ryzen 5 PRO posting 34,865 versus 31,518, a 10.6% lead. Integer math also favors the Ryzen 5 PRO, which scores 56,738 compared to 52,855, a 7.3% difference.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite shows consistent, albeit narrow, wins for the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U across every iteration. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ryzen 5 PRO scores 15,456 against the EPYC 4124P’s 15,264, a 1.3% margin. Single-core performance follows the same pattern, with the Ryzen 5 PRO scoring 2,182 versus 2,154 in R23, also a 1.3% delta. The R20 and R15 tests mirror this trend, with the Ryzen 5 PRO leading by 1.3% and 1.2% in multi-core respectively, and by 1.3% and 1.4% in single-core. These results indicate that the Ryzen 5 PRO’s two additional cores and four additional threads provide a slight throughput advantage that is consistent across render workloads.

The EPYC 4124P’s wins are concentrated in specific PassMark tests. Its most significant victory is in the find prime numbers test, where it scores 89 against the Ryzen 5 PRO’s 66, a substantial 25.8% advantage. This is a clear indicator of the EPYC’s strength in integer-heavy, latency-sensitive workloads. The EPYC also wins in the physics test, scoring 1,087 versus 983, a 9.6% lead. In single-threaded PassMark tests, the EPYC’s higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz yields a score of 3,897 versus 3,563, an 8.6% advantage, a result that is consistent across both the `passmark_single_thread` and `passmark_singlethread` entries.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is the clear winner in general computational throughput. Its wins in data compression (205,703 vs 204,926), extended instructions (15,410 vs 15,049), and random string sorting (24,797 vs 24,259) show that it handles a broad mix of everyday server and productivity tasks with greater efficiency. The 7.3% lead in integer math and 10.6% lead in floating-point math further solidify its position as the better all-around processor for mixed workloads. The Ryzen 5 PRO’s 13 wins out of 17 benchmark comparisons, including all six Cinebench tests, demonstrate that its additional cores translate to real-world performance gains in threaded applications.

The EPYC 4124P, despite having fewer cores, excels in workloads that prioritize raw single-thread speed and specific algorithmic efficiency. Its 25.8% win in find prime numbers is a textbook example of a workload where higher clock speed and architecture tuning matter more than core count. The 9.6% win in physics suggests it has an edge in simulation or physics-based calculations. The 8.6% lead in PassMark’s single-thread test indicates that for legacy or lightly-threaded applications, the EPYC 4124P will feel snappier, despite its lower benchmark scores in multi-threaded tests.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on the Zen 4 architecture, but they come from different manufacturing nodes and chip designs. The Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is fabricated on a 4nm process at TSMC, while the EPYC 4124P uses a 5nm process, also at TSMC. This difference in process node is reflected in the transistor counts, with the Ryzen 5 PRO packing 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die, compared to the EPYC 4124P’s 6,570 million transistors on a much smaller 71 mm² die. The Ryzen 5 PRO uses the “Hawk Point” codename and is a mobile part, whereas the EPYC 4124P uses the “Raphael” codename and is a server/workstation part.

The cache hierarchies are identical in structure, with each core having 64 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2 cache. The key difference lies in the shared L3 cache, where the Ryzen 5 PRO has 16 MB shared, while the EPYC 4124P has 32 MB shared. This doubling of L3 cache gives the EPYC a significant advantage in scenarios where data fits within the cache, potentially explaining its strong performance in the find prime numbers test. Both processors support DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus, but the Ryzen 5 PRO has a slightly higher memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s compared to the EPYC’s 83.2 GB/s. Both support ECC memory, which is critical for server reliability.

Specification Differences

The most obvious specification difference is the core and thread count. The Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the EPYC 4124P has 4 cores and 8 threads. Clock speeds also differ, with the Ryzen 5 PRO having a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, while the EPYC 4124P has a higher base clock of 3.80 GHz and a higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The thermal design power (TDP) is dramatically different, with the Ryzen 5 PRO rated at 28 watts and the EPYC 4124P at 65 watts, reflecting their respective mobile and server design goals.

The socket and platform requirements are entirely different. The Ryzen 5 PRO uses AMD Socket FP7, while the EPYC 4124P uses AMD Socket AM5. This means they are not interchangeable in any system. PCIe support also differs, with the Ryzen 5 PRO offering Gen 4 with 14 lanes (CPU only), while the EPYC 4124P offers Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only), giving the server part double the lane count and a newer generation. Integrated graphics also differ, with the Ryzen 5 PRO featuring a Radeon 740M, while the EPYC 4124P features a generic Radeon Graphics solution. The Ryzen 5 PRO launched on 2024-04-15, while the EPYC 4124P launched slightly later on 2024-05-20. The EPYC 4124P has a launch MSRP of $149. Both processors are production-active and have locked multipliers.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U wins all multi-core Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 15,456 versus the EPYC 4124P’s 15,264, a 1.3% advantage. The margin is consistent at 1.3% in R20 and 1.2% in R15.

Q: Where does the EPYC 4124P show its biggest advantage?

A: The EPYC 4124P’s largest win is in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where it scores 89 versus the Ryzen 5 PRO’s 66, a 25.8% lead. It also wins PassMark physics (1,087 vs 983) and single-thread tests (3,897 vs 3,563).

Q: How do the cache sizes compare between the two?

A: Both have the same per-core L1 (64 KB) and L2 (1 MB) cache sizes. However, the EPYC 4124P has 32 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U has only 16 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U has 6 cores and 12 threads. The EPYC 4124P has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The EPYC 4124P has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, which is higher than the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U’s 4.90 GHz. The EPYC also has a higher base clock at 3.80 GHz versus 3.20 GHz.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U has a higher memory bandwidth at 89.6 GB/s, while the EPYC 4124P has a bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. Both support dual-channel DDR5 memory.