AMD EPYC 4584PX vs Intel Xeon 6520P Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark comparisons in the database?

A: The Intel Xeon 6520P wins 14 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the AMD EPYC 4584PX wins 3. This is a decisive margin in favor of the Intel part across the recorded test suite.

Q: What is the single largest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark physics, where the Intel Xeon 6520P scores 7209 versus 4574 for the AMD EPYC 4584PX, a 57.6% advantage. The second largest is in floating point math, where Intel leads by 34.1% (162862 versus 121460).

Q: Does the AMD EPYC 4584PX win any benchmark categories?

A: Yes. The AMD EPYC 4584PX wins in PassMark single-thread performance (3795 versus 3356, an 11.6% advantage) and in PassMark data encryption (45902 versus 45188, a 1.6% advantage). It also wins the duplicate single-thread entry by the same margin.

Q: How do the two processors compare in Cinebench multi-core tests?

A: The Intel Xeon 6520P leads in all three Cinebench multi-core tests by a consistent 3.8%. Specifically, Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 53495 for Intel versus 51524 for AMD, and Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 22467 versus 21640.

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

A: The Intel Xeon 6520P has 24 cores and 48 threads. The AMD EPYC 4584PX has 16 cores and 32 threads. Intel also has a larger shared L3 cache at 144 MB versus 128 MB for AMD.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock speed?

A: The AMD EPYC 4584PX has a higher boost clock at 5.70 GHz compared to 4.00 GHz for the Intel Xeon 6520P. AMD also has a higher base clock at 4.20 GHz versus 2.40 GHz for Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The data splits the workload landscape into two clear territories. For single-threaded responsiveness and encryption tasks, the AMD EPYC 4584PX takes the lead. The PassMark single-thread score of 3795 versus 3356 represents an 11.6% advantage, which is meaningful for latency-sensitive applications that depend on one or a few fast cores. The encryption result, while narrow at 1.6%, still favors AMD (45902 versus 45188), suggesting a slight edge in cryptographic throughput per thread.

For everything else in the recorded benchmarks, the Intel Xeon 6520P dominates. The Intel part wins all six Cinebench tests (both single and multi-core variants) by a uniform 3.8%, indicating a consistent architectural advantage across rendering workloads. The gap widens substantially in PassMark's compute-heavy tests: floating point math shows a 34.1% lead (162862 versus 121460), physics shows a 57.6% lead (7209 versus 4574), and extended instructions show a 20.1% lead (64557 versus 53774). Even integer math, where the gap is smallest at 6.1%, still goes to Intel.

The use-case split is therefore straightforward. The AMD EPYC 4584PX is the better choice for single-threaded performance and encryption duties. The Intel Xeon 6520P is the better choice for multi-threaded rendering, floating point computation, physics simulation, and general throughput. The PassMark multithread score reinforces this: Intel leads 62936 versus 58117, an 8.3% advantage, and the data compression test shows Intel ahead by 13.5% (841518 versus 741648).

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Xeon 6520P is built on the Granite Rapids architecture, part of the Xeon 6 generation (Granite Rapids-SP), fabricated on a 5 nm process at Intel. The AMD EPYC 4584PX uses the Zen 4 architecture with the Raphael codename, part of the EPYC 4004 series, also on a 5 nm process but fabricated at TSMC.

The core counts differ substantially: Intel provides 24 cores with 48 threads, while AMD provides 16 cores with 32 threads. This 50% advantage in core count for Intel is a primary driver of its multi-threaded wins. The cache hierarchies also differ. Intel allocates 112 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 144 MB of shared L3. AMD allocates 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 128 MB of shared L3, plus a 1x 64MB 3D V-Cache slice. The V-Cache is a notable feature: it adds a dedicated 64 MB slice on top of the base L3, which can benefit certain data-intensive workloads, though the recorded benchmarks show Intel winning the cache-sensitive tests like data compression.

The memory subsystem is another major divergence. Intel supports eight-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s, while AMD supports dual-channel DDR5 with a bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. This massive bandwidth difference favors Intel for memory-bound workloads. PCIe connectivity also differs: Intel offers Gen 5 with 88 lanes (CPU only), while AMD offers Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only). Intel's die size is 598 mm², while AMD uses two smaller dies at 2x 71 mm², with AMD listing 17,840 million transistors.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon 6520P | AMD EPYC 4584PX |

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

| Cores | 24 | 16 |

| Threads | 48 | 32 |

| Base Clock | 2.40 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.00 GHz | 5.70 GHz |

| TDP | 210 W | 120 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 4710 | AMD Socket AM5 |

| Architecture | Granite Rapids | Zen 4 (Raphael) |

| Process Node | 5 nm (Intel) | 5 nm (TSMC) |

| L1 Cache (per core) | 112 KB | 64 KB |

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

| L3 Cache (shared) | 144 MB | 128 MB |

| 3D V-Cache | None | 1x 64MB Slice |

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

| Memory Bandwidth | 409.6 GB/s | 83.2 GB/s |

| PCIe Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 88 Lanes | Gen 5, 28 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | N/A | Radeon Graphics |

| Release Date | 2025-02-23 | 2024-05-20 |

| Launch MSRP | $1295 | $699 |

The specification table shows a clear trade-off. AMD offers higher clock speeds (4.20 GHz base, 5.70 GHz boost) and a lower TDP of 120 W, making it a more power-efficient part on paper. Intel counters with more cores, more threads, a much larger L3 cache, and a vastly wider memory bus. The launch MSRP is $1295 for Intel and $699 for AMD, though the database does not evaluate price-to-performance.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data tells a consistent story across most tests, with Intel winning by varying margins. In the Cinebench suite, Intel's advantage is exactly 3.8% across all six tests. For example, Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 53495 versus 51524, and Cinebench R23 single-core shows 7552 versus 7274. The uniformity of this margin suggests a consistent per-core architectural efficiency difference in rendering workloads, independent of clock speed.

The PassMark results show more variance. The largest Intel win is in physics, where the score is 7209 versus 4574, a 57.6% advantage. This is a massive gap that likely reflects Intel's higher core count and thread count in a test that scales well with parallelism. Floating point math follows closely: 162862 versus 121460, a 34.1% lead. Extended instructions show a 20.1% lead (64557 versus 53774), and prime number finding shows a 19.3% lead (526 versus 441). Data compression favors Intel by 13.5% (841518 versus 741648), and random string sorting favors Intel by 9.2% (95736 versus 87690). Multithread overall shows Intel ahead by 8.3% (62936 versus 58117), and integer math shows a narrower 6.1% lead (214288 versus 201919).

The AMD wins are concentrated in two areas. The PassMark single-thread test shows AMD ahead at 3795 versus 3356, an 11.6% advantage. This is a significant single-threaded win, consistent with AMD's higher boost clock of 5.70 GHz versus 4.00 GHz. The data encryption test shows AMD ahead by a slim 1.6% (45902 versus 45188), indicating a slight edge in encryption throughput.

The Verdict

The Intel Xeon 6520P is the clear winner in the database's benchmark suite, taking 14 of 17 comparisons. Its advantages are most pronounced in physics (57.6%), floating point math (34.1%), and extended instructions (20.1%), making it the stronger choice for compute-intensive, multi-threaded workloads such as rendering, scientific simulation, and data processing. The eight-channel memory bus with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth further supports memory-heavy applications.

The AMD EPYC 4584PX is the better choice for single-threaded performance, as evidenced by its 11.6% lead in PassMark single-thread. It also edges out Intel in data encryption. Users running latency-sensitive, single-threaded applications, or those who prioritize encryption throughput, should favor AMD. The lower TDP of 120 W versus 210 W also makes it a more power-efficient option, though the database does not quantify energy costs.

For most server and workstation workloads that scale across cores, the data points decisively to the Intel Xeon 6520P. Its consistent wins across Cinebench and the majority of PassMark tests, combined with a 50% core count advantage and a larger L3 cache, deliver superior throughput. The AMD EPYC 4584PX remains a viable alternative only for specific single-threaded or encryption-focused use cases. The verdict from the recorded measurements is clear: choose Intel for raw multi-core performance, choose AMD for single-thread responsiveness and encryption.