AMD EPYC 7262 vs Intel Core i7-11700B Comparison

The Intel Core i7-11700B and AMD EPYC 7262 are both 8-core, 16-thread processors, but they serve fundamentally different markets. Benchmark results show the Intel part wins every recorded Cinebench test, from a 2.4% margin in single-core R15 to a 2.6% margin in all other tests. However, the EPYC 7262 counters with a server-class platform: eight-channel memory, 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, ECC support, and a 128 MB L3 cache. The data indicates a clear split: the i7-11700B is the faster compute part in these workloads, while the EPYC 7262 is the platform play for memory bandwidth and I/O expansion.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-11700B wins every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 1826 against 1780, a 2.6% lead. The single-core R15 result is 257 versus 251, a 2.4% advantage. The pattern holds across R20 and R23, with the Intel part leading by 2.6% in both multicore and single-core tests. For users running Cinebench-style rendering workloads, the i7-11700B is the faster processor in every recorded scenario.

The AMD EPYC 7262 wins in platform capability, not raw Cinebench scores. It offers 204.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth versus 51.2 GB/s for the Intel part, a fourfold difference. It supports 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes compared to 20 on the i7-11700B. It also supports ECC memory, which the Intel part does not. The EPYC 7262 is an active production part, while the i7-11700B is end-of-life. For server and workstation deployments where memory capacity, I/O expansion, and error-correcting memory matter more than single-thread speed, the EPYC 7262 is the appropriate choice.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-11700B wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests. It leads by 2.6% in R15 multicore, R20 multicore, R20 single-core, R23 multicore, and R23 single-core, and by 2.4% in R15 single-core.

Q: Does the AMD EPYC 7262 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the EPYC 7262 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-11700B does not support ECC memory.

Q: How do the memory bandwidth figures compare?

A: The EPYC 7262 has 204.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth through its eight-channel memory bus. The i7-11700B has 51.2 GB/s through its dual-channel bus.

Q: Which processor has more PCIe lanes?

A: The EPYC 7262 has 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes. The i7-11700B has 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes.

Q: What is the production status of each processor?

A: The Intel Core i7-11700B is end-of-life. The AMD EPYC 7262 is active in production.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the EPYC 7262?

A: The launch MSRP of the AMD EPYC 7262 is $575. The i7-11700B has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-11700B wins all six recorded Cinebench tests. The largest margin is 2.6%, which appears in five of the six tests. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7-11700B scores 1826 against 1780 for the EPYC 7262. In R15 single-core, the margin narrows to 2.4%, with scores of 257 and 251.

The R20 results follow the same pattern. The i7-11700B scores 7609 in multicore, while the EPYC 7262 scores 7418. In single-core R20, the Intel part scores 1074 against 1047. The R23 multicore test shows 18119 for the i7-11700B and 17662 for the EPYC 7262. The R23 single-core test completes the sweep with 2558 versus 2493.

The consistency of the 2.6% delta across R15, R20, and R23 multicore tests suggests a stable performance advantage rather than a workload-specific anomaly. The single-core margins are similar, at 2.4% for R15 and 2.6% for R20 and R23. The average benchmark score in the database reflects this: the i7-11700B averages 5241, while the EPYC 7262 averages 5109. Both processors sit at the 60th percentile of all CPUs in the database.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every platform-level specification. The i7-11700B has a TDP of 65 watts, while the EPYC 7262 has a TDP of 155 watts. The Intel part uses the Intel BGA 1787 socket, while the AMD part uses the AMD Socket SP3. The i7-11700B is a mobile-market part, while the EPYC 7262 targets the server and workstation segment.

Memory support differs substantially. Both support DDR4, but the i7-11700B uses a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the EPYC 7262 uses an eight-channel bus with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth. The EPYC 7262 supports ECC memory; the i7-11700B does not. PCIe connectivity also diverges: the i7-11700B provides 20 Gen 4 lanes, while the EPYC 7262 provides 128 Gen 4 lanes.

The i7-11700B includes integrated UHD Graphics (Xe-LP), while the EPYC 7262 has no integrated graphics. The Intel part is end-of-life and was released on 2021-05-10. The EPYC 7262 is active and was released on 2019-08-06. The EPYC 7262 has a launch MSRP of $575; the i7-11700B has no recorded launch MSRP.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split is stark. The i7-11700B uses Intel's Tiger Lake architecture on a 10 nm process, with a die size of 190 mm². The EPYC 7262 uses AMD's Zen 2 architecture on a 7 nm process from TSMC, with a transistor count of 15,200 million spread across four dies of 74 mm² each.

Cache layouts differ significantly. The i7-11700B has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The EPYC 7262 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of L3 per die, totaling 128 MB of L3. The EPYC 7262's total L3 cache is more than five times larger than the i7-11700B's shared L3.

The base clocks are identical at 3.20 GHz for both processors. The boost clocks differ: the i7-11700B boosts to 4.80 GHz, while the EPYC 7262 boosts to 3.40 GHz. The Intel part's higher boost clock aligns with its single-core benchmark wins. The EPYC 7262 compensates with its massive L3 cache and eight-channel memory architecture, which are not directly measured in the Cinebench tests but matter for server workloads.

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward conclusion. The Intel Core i7-11700B is the faster processor in all recorded Cinebench tests, with a consistent 2.6% lead in most cases and a 2.4% lead in R15 single-core. Its higher boost clock of 4.80 GHz and 24 MB of shared L3 cache contribute to this result. For users prioritizing raw rendering performance in Cinebench-style workloads, the i7-11700B is the better choice.

The AMD EPYC 7262 is the better choice for server and workstation deployments that require platform features the Intel part lacks. Its 204.8 GB/s memory bandwidth, 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, ECC memory support, and 128 MB total L3 cache make it suitable for memory-intensive and I/O-heavy workloads. Its active production status also means it remains available for new systems, while the i7-11700B is end-of-life.

The choice depends on the workload. The i7-11700B wins every benchmark in this comparison, but the EPYC 7262 wins on platform capability. The 2.6% performance delta in Cinebench is real but modest; the platform differences are far larger. A system builder targeting maximum memory bandwidth, ECC reliability, or PCIe expansion should select the EPYC 7262. A user focused purely on the recorded Cinebench scores should select the i7-11700B.