AMD EPYC 4585PX vs Intel Xeon 6520P Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD EPYC 4585PX boosts to 5.70 GHz, while the Intel Xeon 6520P reaches 4.00 GHz. The AMD part also starts from a higher base clock of 4.30 GHz versus 2.40 GHz on the Intel.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The Intel Xeon 6520P has 24 cores and 48 threads, while the AMD EPYC 4585PX has 16 cores and 32 threads. Despite having 8 fewer cores, the AMD wins 14 of 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Xeon 6520P has 144 MB of shared L3 cache, compared to 128 MB on the AMD EPYC 4585PX. The AMD part compensates with a smaller L2 cache per core (1 MB versus 2 MB on Intel).

Q: What are the memory bandwidth differences?

A: The Intel Xeon 6520P has an eight-channel memory bus delivering 409.6 GB/s bandwidth, versus a dual-channel bus on the AMD EPYC 4585PX with 89.6 GB/s. This is a major architectural separation between the two.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores rank?

A: The AMD EPYC 4585PX has an average benchmark score of 99324, placing it in the 97th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Xeon 6520P averages 93786, landing in the 96th percentile — a 5.9% gap in average score.

Q: Which chip has a better single-thread performance margin?

A: The AMD EPYC 4585PX leads by a wide margin in PassMark single-thread testing, scoring 4538 versus 3356 on the Intel — a 35.2% advantage. The Cinebench R23 single-core result shows a 13% lead for AMD as well.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 4585PX dominates the vast majority of workloads, winning 14 out of 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. Its biggest wins come in integer math (16% ahead), multithreaded performance (9.5% ahead), and extended instructions (7.6% ahead). The data compression test shows a 5.1% edge, while data encryption comes in at 4.5% ahead. The Cinebench suites are uniformly favorable to AMD, with all six Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests showing a consistent 13% advantage.

The Intel Xeon 6520P only takes three wins, but they are notable in specific domains. Floating-point math is the most significant Intel victory, with a 5.9% lead (162862 versus 153219). The physics workload also favors Intel by 8.3% (7209 versus 6612). The third win is in random string sorting, though the margin is razor-thin at 0.5% (95736 versus 95210).

The split suggests AMD is stronger in general compute, integer-heavy tasks, and encryption, while Intel retains advantages in floating-point throughput and physics simulations. For workloads that stress FPU pipelines or physics calculations, the Intel part holds a clear edge; for almost everything else, the AMD processor delivers superior results despite fewer cores.

Architecture Differences

The AMD EPYC 4585PX is built on Zen 5 architecture using a 4 nm process at TSMC, with the codename "Grado" and a die size of 2x 70.6 mm². The transistor count is listed at 16,630 million. This is a dual-chiplet design, which explains the relatively small individual die size. The processor uses AMD Socket AM5 and includes integrated Radeon Graphics — a notable feature for a server/workstation part.

The Intel Xeon 6520P uses Granite Rapids architecture on a 5 nm process at Intel, with a much larger monolithic die of 598 mm². No transistor count is listed. It uses Intel Socket 4710 and has no integrated graphics.

The L1 and L2 cache configurations differ per core: AMD provides 80 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, while Intel provides 112 KB L1 and 2 MB L2 per core. The L3 cache totals 128 MB on AMD versus 144 MB shared on Intel. The memory controllers are fundamentally different — dual-channel on AMD versus eight-channel on Intel — which directly explains the 4.6x difference in peak memory bandwidth.

PCIe connectivity also diverges sharply: AMD offers 24 Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, while Intel offers 88 Gen 5 lanes. Both support DDR5 memory and ECC, making them suitable for server environments.

Specification Differences

The core count is the most obvious differentiator: 16 cores on AMD versus 24 on Intel, with thread counts of 32 and 48 respectively. Clock speeds show a substantial gap — AMD's base clock of 4.30 GHz and boost of 5.70 GHz dwarf Intel's 2.40 GHz base and 4.00 GHz boost. Thermal design power also differs: 170 W for AMD versus 210 W for Intel, meaning the higher-clocked AMD part actually carries a lower TDP.

Memory bandwidth is the largest single specification gap: 89.6 GB/s for AMD versus 409.6 GB/s for Intel. This stems from the dual-channel versus eight-channel memory bus. PCIe lane counts follow a similar pattern, with Intel offering 88 lanes versus AMD's 24.

The cache hierarchy differs in both per-core and shared allocations. AMD uses 80 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core; Intel uses 112 KB L1 and 2 MB L2 per core. Total L3 is 128 MB on AMD versus 144 MB shared on Intel.

Process technology separates them at 4 nm (TSMC) versus 5 nm (Intel). The AMD part has a launch MSRP of $699, while the Intel part has a launch MSRP of $1295. Both are active production parts with locked multipliers. The AMD EPYC 4585PX released on 2025-05-12, while the Intel Xeon 6520P released earlier on 2025-02-23.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single-thread performance gap is the most dramatic finding. In PassMark single-thread testing, the AMD EPYC 4585PX scores 4538 against 3356 for the Intel Xeon 6520P — a 35.2% advantage. This is the largest delta in the entire comparison. The Cinebench R23 single-core test shows a smaller but still significant 13% lead (8534 versus 7552).

Multithreaded workloads tell a similar story. Cinebench R23 multicore shows AMD at 60451 versus Intel at 53495, again a 13% delta. The PassMark multithread test shows AMD leading 68908 versus 62936, a 9.5% advantage. These results are notable because the Intel part has 50% more cores and threads, yet still loses in heavily threaded benchmarks.

Integer math is another strong AMD domain, with 248563 versus 214288 — a 16% advantage. Extended instructions follow at 7.6% (69457 versus 64557). Data compression shows 884774 versus 841518, a 5.1% edge, and data encryption comes in at 47224 versus 45188, a 4.5% lead. Prime number finding shows a modest 4% advantage (547 versus 526).

The Intel Xeon 6520P's wins are concentrated in floating-point and physics. The floating-point math test shows Intel at 162862 versus AMD at 153219, a 5.9% margin. Physics is even better for Intel: 7209 versus 6612, an 8.3% advantage. Random string sorting barely goes Intel's way at 95736 versus 95210, a 0.5% difference that is essentially noise.

All six Cinebench tests (R15, R20, R23, each in single and multicore) show a consistent 13% delta in AMD's favor. This uniformity suggests the AMD architecture has a fundamental per-clock efficiency advantage that Intel's additional cores cannot overcome in these rendering workloads.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear overall winner: the AMD EPYC 4585PX beats the Intel Xeon 6520P in 14 of 17 benchmarks, including all Cinebench tests and most PassMark workloads. The average benchmark score of 99324 versus 93786 reinforces this conclusion, as does the higher percentile ranking (97th versus 96th).

The AMD part achieves this with 16 cores versus 24, a lower TDP (170 W versus 210 W), and a substantially lower launch MSRP ($699 versus $1295). The only areas where the Intel Xeon 6520P claims victory are floating-point math, physics, and random string sorting — the first two being meaningful for specific scientific or simulation workloads.

For general server and workstation duties — database work, encryption, compression, integer-heavy code, and rendering — the AMD EPYC 4585PX is the superior choice based on benchmark results. The 35.2% single-thread advantage makes it particularly strong for latency-sensitive tasks.

The Intel Xeon 6520P should be considered only when floating-point throughput or physics simulation is the primary workload, or when the eight-channel memory bus (409.6 GB/s) is a hard requirement. The 88 PCIe lanes also make it attractive for I/O-heavy configurations. But for raw computational performance across the benchmark suite, the AMD EPYC 4585PX is the clear winner.