AMD EPYC 4565P vs Intel Xeon 6521P Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher overall average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Xeon 6521P records an average benchmark score of 105,845, placing it in the 97th percentile among all CPUs. The AMD EPYC 4565P scores 95,764 on average, which puts it in the 96th percentile. The Xeon holds a lead of roughly 10,000 points in aggregate performance.

Q: How do the two processors compare in single-threaded PassMark testing?

A: The AMD EPYC 4565P is the clear winner in the PassMark single-thread test, scoring 4,712 versus the Intel Xeon 6521P's 3,238. This represents a 31.3% advantage for the AMD part, a substantial margin in lightly threaded workloads.

Q: Which processor dominates in multi-core rendering benchmarks?

A: The Intel Xeon 6521P wins all three Cinebench multi-core tests. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 56,658 against the EPYC 4565P's 54,405, a 4.1% difference. The pattern holds in R15 and R20 multi-core, with identical 4.1% deltas favoring Intel.

Q: What is the difference in physical core and thread counts?

A: The Intel Xeon 6521P has 24 cores and 48 threads, while the AMD EPYC 4565P has 16 cores and 32 threads. Intel fields 50% more cores and threads, yet the benchmark deltas in multi-core tests are far smaller, which highlights the AMD chip's higher per-core efficiency.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Xeon 6521P and the AMD EPYC 4565P support ECC memory. Both also support DDR5 memory, but the Intel part uses an eight-channel memory bus with 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth, while the AMD part uses a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s.

Q: Which CPU has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Xeon 6521P has 144 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD EPYC 4565P has 64 MB of shared L3 cache. Intel's L3 is 2.25 times larger, which helps explain its strong showing in data compression and extended instruction workloads.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Xeon 6521P is built on Granite Rapids architecture, part of the Xeon 6 generation, and manufactured on Intel's 5 nm process node. The die size is listed at 598 mm², a large monolithic design. The AMD EPYC 4565P uses the Zen 5 architecture with the codename Grado, belongs to the EPYC 4005 series, and is fabricated on TSMC's 4 nm node. Its die configuration is two chiplets, each 70.6 mm², with a total transistor count of 16,630 million.

Core counts differ sharply. Intel provides 24 cores and 48 threads, while AMD provides 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel part also carries more cache per core: 112 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2 per core, versus AMD's 80 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2 per core. Shared L3 cache favors Intel as well, 144 MB versus 64 MB.

Clock speeds tell a different story. The AMD EPYC 4565P has a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.70 GHz. The Intel Xeon 6521P runs at 2.60 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost. AMD's clocks are substantially higher, which explains its single-thread dominance despite having fewer cores.

Memory architecture is another major split. Intel uses an eight-channel DDR5 memory bus with a rated bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s. AMD uses a dual-channel DDR5 bus with 89.6 GB/s. That bandwidth gap is massive and shows up in workloads that stream data. PCIe lane counts also differ: Intel offers 136 Gen 5 lanes (CPU only), while AMD offers 24 Gen 5 lanes.

Power envelopes differ as well. The Intel Xeon 6521P is rated at 225 W TDP, while the AMD EPYC 4565P is rated at 170 W TDP. The Intel part consumes more power but also delivers more aggregate throughput across most tests.

Integrated graphics also separate the two. The AMD EPYC 4565P includes Radeon Graphics, while the Intel Xeon 6521P has no integrated graphics (listed as N/A). This makes AMD the only option for headless systems that still want a basic display output without a discrete GPU.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark record shows a decisive overall win for the Intel Xeon 6521P, which takes 14 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests. The AMD EPYC 4565P wins only 3, but two of those wins are significant.

Starting with the Cinebench suite, Intel wins every single test. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, Intel scores 5,711 against AMD's 5,484, a 4.1% edge. The single-core R15 test follows the same pattern: 806 versus 774, also 4.1%. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 23,796 versus 22,850 (4.1%), and R20 single-core shows 3,359 versus 3,225 (4.2%). Cinebench R23 multi-core has Intel at 56,658 versus AMD's 54,405 (4.1%), and R23 single-core has Intel at 7,998 versus 7,680 (4.1%). These consistent 4% margins across all Cinebench iterations indicate a steady architectural advantage for Intel in rendering workloads, regardless of thread count.

The PassMark suite reveals where each chip excels. Intel dominates data compression with a score of 967,721 versus AMD's 860,786, a 12.4% margin. Data encryption goes to Intel at 51,221 versus 48,268, a 6.1% win. Extended instructions favor Intel even more: 72,820 versus 64,345, a 13.2% gap. The largest Intel win in the entire suite is in find prime numbers, where Intel scores 560 against AMD's 294, a 90.5% advantage. Floating point math also goes to Intel, 178,828 versus 152,003, a 17.6% margin. Random string sorting is another Intel win, 104,517 versus 81,318, a 28.5% gap. Multi-threaded PassMark shows Intel at 66,657 versus 63,474, a 5% lead. Physics testing is the most lopsided result: Intel scores 5,972 while AMD scores 2,976, giving Intel a 100.7% advantage, meaning it doubles AMD's score.

AMD's wins are concentrated in two areas. Integer math goes to AMD, 250,683 versus 246,263, a 1.8% margin. The single-thread PassMark test goes to AMD by a wide margin: 4,712 versus 3,238, a 31.3% advantage. This single-thread result is the clearest signal of AMD's higher clock speeds and per-core efficiency.

The overall pattern is straightforward. Intel wins on raw throughput, memory bandwidth sensitivity, and physics simulation. AMD wins on integer math and single-thread responsiveness. The data compression and extended instruction tests suggest Intel's larger cache and wider memory bus are decisive in data-heavy tasks.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon 6521P | AMD EPYC 4565P |

| --- | --- | --- |

| Cores | 24 | 16 |

| Threads | 48 | 32 |

| Base Clock | 2.60 GHz | 4.30 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.10 GHz | 5.70 GHz |

| TDP | 225 W | 170 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 4710 | AMD Socket AM5 |

| Architecture | Granite Rapids | Zen 5 |

| Codename | Granite Rapids | Grado |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 4 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Die Size | 598 mm² | 2x 70.6 mm² |

| Transistors | Not listed | 16,630 million |

| L1 Cache | 112 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 1 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 144 MB (shared) | 64 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Eight-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 409.6 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

| PCIe Lanes | Gen 5, 136 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 24 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | N/A | Radeon Graphics |

| Launch MSRP | $1250 | $589 |

| Release Date | 2025-02-23 | 2025-05-12 |

| Part Number | SRVNS | 100-000001559 |

The Verdict

The recorded data points to a clear conclusion: the Intel Xeon 6521P is the stronger processor for most server and workstation workloads. It wins 14 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, including every Cinebench test, every memory-sensitive PassMark test, and the physics simulation test by a factor of two. Its average benchmark score of 105,845 and 97th percentile ranking place it above the AMD EPYC 4565P, which sits at 95,764 and the 96th percentile.

The AMD EPYC 4565P is not without merit. It wins the PassMark single-thread test by 31.3%, which is a decisive margin. It also wins integer math. Its higher base and boost clocks (4.30 GHz and 5.70 GHz versus 2.60 GHz and 4.10 GHz) are reflected in that single-thread performance. For workloads that are strictly single-threaded or integer-bound, AMD has the edge.

However, the breadth of Intel's wins is hard to ignore. The 90.5% advantage in prime number finding and the 100.7% advantage in physics are not marginal differences; they indicate architectural strengths in specific compute patterns. The 12.4% data compression win and 13.2% extended instructions win show that Intel's larger L3 cache and eight-channel memory bus provide tangible benefits in data processing.

The launch MSRP difference is notable, but the performance profile does not favor the lower-priced AMD part in most metrics. The Intel Xeon 6521P is the recommended choice for multi-threaded rendering, physics simulation, data compression, and encryption tasks. The AMD EPYC 4565P is the recommended choice for single-threaded responsiveness and integer math, and it carries the advantage of integrated graphics and a lower TDP.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Xeon 6521P wins in:

• Rendering and multi-core compute: all three Cinebench multi-core tests, with consistent 4.1% margins over AMD.
• Data compression: 12.4% ahead, benefiting from 144 MB L3 cache and 409.6 GB/s memory bandwidth.
• Data encryption: 6.1% ahead, indicating strong cryptographic instruction throughput.
• Extended instruction workloads: 13.2% ahead, useful for SIMD-heavy code.
• Prime number computation: 90.5% ahead, a major win for number-theoretic algorithms.
• Floating point math: 17.6% ahead, relevant for scientific computing.
• Physics simulation: 100.7% ahead, doubling AMD's score.
• Random string sorting: 28.5% ahead, useful for database and text processing.
• Multi-threaded PassMark: 5% ahead, confirming overall thread scaling.

AMD EPYC 4565P wins in:

• Single-thread PassMark: 31.3% ahead, driven by 5.70 GHz boost clock.
• Integer math: 1.8% ahead, a narrow but real advantage.
• Power envelope: lower TDP at 170 W versus 225 W, and it includes integrated graphics.
• Lightweight single-thread server tasks where response time matters more than throughput.

The data supports a split decision based on workload type. For batch processing, rendering farms, and data-heavy server tasks, the Intel Xeon 6521P is the stronger choice. For interactive single-threaded applications or integer-centric processing, the AMD EPYC 4565P holds the advantage. The Intel part also offers far more PCIe lanes (136 versus 24) and much higher memory bandwidth, making it the better fit for systems with many NVMe drives or high-speed network cards.