AMD EPYC 4124P vs Intel Core i7-1270P Comparison

The AMD EPYC 4124P and the Intel Core i7-1270P occupy very different positions in the processor landscape, yet their benchmark scores place them in the same percentile tier. Both sit at the 76th percentile when compared against all CPUs in the database. The AMD part is a server and workstation chip built on the Zen 4 architecture, while the Intel part is a mobile processor from the Alder Lake-P family. Despite the difference in core counts and target platforms, the recorded data shows a clear split in workload strengths. The AMD EPYC 4124P wins 14 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the Intel Core i7-1270P takes 3. This guide breaks down where each processor wins, what the architectural differences mean for those results, and which user should choose which based strictly on the benchmark evidence.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 4124P dominates the Cinebench suite across the board. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 1538 against the Intel part's 1404, a lead of 9.5%. The same pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multicore, where the AMD chip records 6410 versus 5853, again a 9.5% advantage. Cinebench R23 multicore shows the AMD part at 15264 and the Intel part at 13938, another 9.5% gap. Single-core performance in Cinebench also favors AMD. The EPYC 4124P scores 216 in R15 single-core versus 198, 904 in R20 single-core versus 826, and 2154 in R23 single-core versus 1967. Each of those margins sits between 9.1% and 9.5%. So for pure rendering workloads as measured by Cinebench, the AMD processor is consistently and uniformly ahead.

The PassMark suite tells a more nuanced story. The AMD EPYC 4124P wins in data compression, scoring 204926 against 184917, a 10.8% margin. It also wins in data encryption, 11630 versus 11276, but by a much smaller 3.1%. The largest single win for AMD comes in extended instructions, where the EPYC 4124P scores 15049 against 10575, a massive 42.3% advantage. Prime number finding also goes to AMD, 89 versus 66, a 34.8% lead. Random string sorting favors AMD as well, 24259 versus 20546, an 18.1% margin. The PassMark multithread test goes to AMD at 18139 versus 16957, a 7% edge. Finally, the PassMark single-thread test shows AMD at 3897 versus 3354, a 16.2% lead.

The Intel Core i7-1270P wins the remaining three benchmarks, and they are concentrated in math-heavy workloads. Floating point math goes to Intel, 43168 versus 31518, a 27% advantage. Integer math also goes to Intel, 63016 versus 52855, a 16.1% margin. The physics test is the closest contest in the entire comparison, with Intel scoring 1120 against AMD's 1087, a narrow 2.9% edge. These results indicate that the Intel part has a distinct strength in raw arithmetic throughput, while the AMD part holds the advantage in instruction-level extensions, compression, encryption, sorting, and the Cinebench rendering suite.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures and process nodes. The AMD EPYC 4124P uses the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael, and is manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core i7-1270P uses the Alder Lake architecture, codenamed Alder Lake-P, and is manufactured on a 10 nm process at Intel. The AMD chip has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel chip has 12 cores and 16 threads. Despite having one third the core count, the AMD part still manages to win the majority of benchmarks, which points to a substantial per-core efficiency advantage.

The cache structures differ significantly. The AMD EPYC 4124P has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core i7-1270P has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and only 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger shared L3 on the AMD part likely contributes to its strong showing in compression and extended instruction workloads. The Intel part compensates with higher per-core L1 and L2 allocations, which may help its math throughput.

Memory support also diverges. The AMD EPYC 4124P supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus and reports a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The Intel Core i7-1270P supports both DDR4 and DDR5 on a dual-channel bus, but the database does not record a bandwidth figure for it. ECC memory is supported on the AMD part, which aligns with its server and workstation market segment, while the Intel part does not support ECC. PCI Express generation and lane counts also differ: the AMD chip offers Gen 5 with 28 lanes, while the Intel chip offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes.

The AMD EPYC 4124P includes integrated Radeon Graphics, while the Intel Core i7-1270P includes Iris Xe 96EU. The Intel part is a mobile processor on the Intel BGA 1744 socket with a 28 W TDP, while the AMD part is a server and workstation processor on the AMD Socket AM5 with a 65 W TDP. The AMD chip has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, while the Intel chip has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The AMD part was released on 2024-05-20, and the Intel part on 2022-02-22. The die size also differs greatly, with the AMD chip at 71 mm² and the Intel chip at 217 mm².

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD EPYC 4124P scores 15264 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the Intel Core i7-1270P scores 13938. The AMD part leads by 9.5%.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-1270P have any benchmark wins?

A: Yes. The Intel part wins in PassMark floating point math (43168 versus 31518, a 27% margin), PassMark integer math (63016 versus 52855, a 16.1% margin), and PassMark physics (1120 versus 1087, a 2.9% margin).

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The AMD EPYC 4124P has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i7-1270P has 12 cores and 16 threads. The Intel part has three times the core count but still loses the majority of benchmark comparisons.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin between the two?

A: The largest margin is in PassMark extended instructions, where the AMD EPYC 4124P scores 15049 against the Intel Core i7-1270P's 10575. That is a 42.3% advantage.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The AMD EPYC 4124P supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core i7-1270P does not.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD EPYC 4124P has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-1270P has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show clear differences in nearly every category. The AMD EPYC 4124P has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i7-1270P has 12 cores and 16 threads. The AMD base clock is 3.80 GHz versus 2.20 GHz, and the AMD boost clock is 5.10 GHz versus 4.80 GHz. TDP differs substantially: 65 W for the AMD part and 28 W for the Intel part. The AMD part uses the AMD Socket AM5, while the Intel part uses the Intel BGA 1744 socket.

The architecture and process node also differ. The AMD EPYC 4124P is Zen 4 on a 5 nm TSMC process, while the Intel Core i7-1270P is Alder Lake on a 10 nm Intel process. The AMD part has a die size of 71 mm², while the Intel part has a die size of 217 mm². The AMD part lists 6,570 million transistors, while the Intel part has no transistor count recorded.

Cache configurations differ as well. The AMD part has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. Memory support shows the AMD part limited to DDR5, while the Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD part reports 83.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth; the Intel part has no recorded bandwidth figure. ECC memory is supported only on the AMD part.

PCI Express capabilities differ in both generation and lane count. The AMD EPYC 4124P provides Gen 5 with 28 lanes, while the Intel Core i7-1270P provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics also differ: the AMD part has Radeon Graphics, while the Intel part has Iris Xe 96EU. The market segment is server and workstation for AMD and mobile for Intel. The AMD part was released on 2024-05-20 with a launch MSRP of $149, while the Intel part was released on 2022-02-22 with no recorded launch MSRP. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are remarkably consistent. Across all six Cinebench tests, the AMD EPYC 4124P wins by margins between 9.1% and 9.5%. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD part scores 1538 against 1404, a 9.5% lead. Cinebench R15 single-core shows 216 versus 198, a 9.1% margin. Cinebench R20 multicore shows 6410 versus 5853, a 9.5% margin. Cinebench R20 single-core shows 904 versus 826, a 9.4% margin. Cinebench R23 multicore shows 15264 versus 13938, a 9.5% margin. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 2154 versus 1967, a 9.5% margin. This uniformity suggests the AMD architecture delivers a consistent per-clock advantage in rendering workloads, regardless of thread count.

The PassMark suite breaks into two clusters. The AMD part wins the majority of PassMark tests, with the largest win in extended instructions at 42.3%. Data compression goes to AMD by 10.8%, and random string sorting goes to AMD by 18.1%. Prime number finding goes to AMD by 34.8%. Single-thread performance goes to AMD by 16.2%. Data encryption goes to AMD by a slim 3.1%. Multithread goes to AMD by 7%. The Intel part wins the math cluster, with floating point math at 27% and integer math at 16.1%. The physics test is the closest of the entire comparison, with Intel winning by only 2.9%.

The aggregate benchmark average reflects this split. The AMD EPYC 4124P has an average benchmark score of 23167, while the Intel Core i7-1270P has an average of 22502. The AMD part sits 0.2% below the Intel Core Ultra 9 288V in the nearest rivals list, and 0.4% below the Intel Core i9-11900F. The Intel Core i7-1270P, by comparison, sits 0.2% above the Intel Core i5-13500H and 0.5% below the Intel Core Ultra 5 135U. Both processors land in the same percentile tier, but the AMD part holds a higher average score.

The Verdict

The data points to two very different user profiles. The AMD EPYC 4124P is the stronger choice for anyone running Cinebench-style rendering workloads, data compression, encryption, extended instruction sets, prime number calculations, random string sorting, and general multithreaded tasks. It wins 14 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, including every Cinebench test and the majority of PassMark tests. Its 32 MB of shared L3 cache, Gen 5 PCIe support, and ECC memory capability align with its server and workstation market segment. The 5.10 GHz boost clock and 3.80 GHz base clock give it a clock speed advantage that shows up clearly in single-thread scores.

The Intel Core i7-1270P is the better option for arithmetic-heavy workloads. Its wins in floating point math, integer math, and physics point to a strength in raw computational throughput that the AMD part cannot match. The 12 cores and 16 threads give it a structural advantage in parallelism, even though that advantage does not translate into wins in most benchmarks. The 28 W TDP also makes it suitable for mobile platforms, as reflected in its Intel BGA 1744 socket and mobile market segment.

The choice depends entirely on the workload. Server and workstation users who need ECC memory, high PCIe bandwidth, and strong rendering performance should choose the AMD EPYC 4124P. Users who need maximum floating point and integer math throughput in a mobile form factor should choose the Intel Core i7-1270P. The benchmark evidence is unambiguous about the split: the AMD part leads in 14 tests, the Intel part in 3, and the margins in the AMD wins are often larger than the margins in the Intel wins. The AMD EPYC 4124P is the overall winner in this comparison, but the Intel Core i7-1270P holds a specific and measurable niche in math performance.