AMD EPYC 7261 vs Intel Core i7-5930K Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the core counts differ between the Intel Core i7-5930K and the AMD EPYC 7261?

A: The Intel Core i7-5930K has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD EPYC 7261 has 8 cores and 16 threads. That gives the EPYC a 33% advantage in raw thread count.

Q: Which processor has higher clock speeds?

A: The Intel Core i7-5930K runs at a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The AMD EPYC 7261 is lower on both counts, with a 2.50 GHz base and a 2.90 GHz boost.

Q: What memory bandwidth does each processor support?

A: The Intel Core i7-5930K supports quad-channel DDR4 memory, delivering 68.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD EPYC 7261 supports eight-channel DDR4 memory, delivering 170.6 GB/s — exactly 2.5 times the bandwidth.

Q: Does the AMD EPYC 7261 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD EPYC 7261 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-5930K does not.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-5930K has an average benchmark score of 2775, which is slightly higher than the AMD EPYC 7261's 2740. The difference is about 1.3%, placing the Intel part at the 51st percentile and the AMD part at the 50th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: How many benchmark wins does each processor have in the head-to-head tests?

A: The AMD EPYC 7261 wins all 6 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The Intel Core i7-5930K wins none.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies and eras. The Intel Core i7-5930K uses the Haswell-E architecture, built on a 22 nm process at Intel's own foundry. It packs 2,600 million transistors into a 356 mm² die. The AMD EPYC 7261 uses the Zen architecture (codenamed Naples), fabricated by GlobalFoundries on a 14 nm process. That chip contains 4,800 million transistors on a much smaller 213 mm² die — nearly double the transistor count in roughly 60% of the area.

Cache structures differ substantially. The Intel part provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 15 MB L3 cache. The AMD EPYC 7261 offers 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 32 MB L3 cache. In every cache tier, the AMD part has more capacity — a 50% larger L1, double the L2, and over double the L3.

Memory architecture is another clear differentiator. The Intel Core i7-5930K uses a quad-channel DDR4 controller with 68.3 GB/s of bandwidth and no ECC support. The AMD EPYC 7261 uses an eight-channel DDR4 controller with 170.6 GB/s of bandwidth and full ECC support. That 2.5x bandwidth advantage is characteristic of the EPYC's server-class design.

The Intel chip has 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU, while the AMD part lists PCIe Gen 3 support without a lane count in the data. The Intel part targets the desktop segment, while the AMD part is built for server/workstation duty. The Intel chip is end-of-life; the AMD part remains in active production.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 7261 wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, but the margins are consistent and modest rather than overwhelming. Across all six Cinebench tests — R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core — the AMD part leads by between 6.7% and 7.2%. That uniformity suggests a straightforward advantage from its two additional cores and somewhat higher per-core efficiency in these workloads.

The Intel Core i7-5930K's higher clock speeds (3.50/3.70 GHz versus 2.50/2.90 GHz) do not translate into a single victory. Even in single-core tests, where clock speed typically matters most, the EPYC 7261 wins by 6.7-7.2%. This indicates that the Zen architecture's IPC advantage at the time, combined with the larger cache hierarchy, overcomes the Intel part's clock-speed edge.

For use-case selection, the AMD EPYC 7261 is the clear choice for memory-bandwidth-intensive workloads, given its 170.6 GB/s versus 68.3 GB/s. Its ECC support and eight-channel memory make it suitable for reliability-focused server deployments. The Intel Core i7-5930K, with its unlocked multiplier, targets desktop enthusiasts who prioritize overclocking — a feature set the data confirms but does not benchmark.

In practical terms, the Intel part's advantage is its 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes for multi-GPU desktop builds, while the AMD part's advantage is raw throughput, memory bandwidth, and ECC support. Neither chip dominates the other in overall average score — 2775 versus 2740 — so the EPYC's benchmark wins come with a near-tie in aggregate performance.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-5930K | AMD EPYC 7261 |

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

| Cores | 6 | 8 |

| Threads | 12 | 16 |

| Base Clock | 3.50 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.70 GHz | 2.90 GHz |

| TDP | 140 W | 170 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 2011-3 | AMD Socket SP3 |

| Architecture | Haswell | Zen |

| Codename | Haswell-E | Naples |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | GlobalFoundries |

| Transistors | 2,600 million | 4,800 million |

| Die Size | 356 mm² | 213 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 96 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 15 MB (shared) | 32 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Quad-channel | Eight-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 68.3 GB/s | 170.6 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 40 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Server/Workstation |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2014-08-31 | 2018-06-13 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | Yes |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD EPYC 7261 sweeps the head-to-head comparison, but the margins tell a more nuanced story than a simple victory list. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the EPYC scores 954 against the Intel's 886, a 7.1% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows 134 versus 125, a 6.7% lead for AMD. Both results are consistent with the EPYC's additional two cores and its per-core performance edge.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the pattern holds. The EPYC 7261 scores 3979 multi-core versus the i7-5930K's 3692, again a 7.2% difference. In single-core R20, the EPYC leads 561 to 521, a 7.1% margin. The consistency of these deltas — all between 6.7% and 7.2% — suggests that the EPYC's advantage scales evenly across both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads.

Cinebench R23 confirms the trend. The EPYC 7261 scores 9476 multi-core versus 8791 for the Intel part, a 7.2% lead. In single-core R23, the EPYC scores 1337 against 1241, also a 7.2% margin. Notably, the Intel part's higher clock speeds — 3.70 GHz boost versus 2.90 GHz boost — do not help it close the gap in any single-core test. The EPYC's larger L3 cache (32 MB versus 15 MB) and newer Zen architecture likely compensate for its lower clock rate.

The two additional cores give the EPYC a structural advantage in multi-core tests, but the single-core wins are more telling. A 6.7-7.2% single-core lead for a chip with a 0.8 GHz lower boost clock indicates a significant IPC advantage for Zen over Haswell. This is not a case of a server part winning only on core count; the EPYC 7261 is genuinely faster per thread in Cinebench.

The overall average benchmark scores (2775 for Intel, 2740 for AMD) place the two chips within 1.3% of each other, and their nearest rivals reflect that proximity. The i7-5930K sits within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G, while the EPYC 7261 sits within 0.7% of the AMD Ryzen 7 4700U. Both processors occupy a similar performance tier, but the EPYC 7261 holds the edge in every measured Cinebench workload.