AMD EPYC 7272 vs Intel Xeon W-2170B Comparison

The AMD EPYC 7272 and Intel Xeon W-2170B are both workstation-class processors, but benchmark data shows a consistent, if narrow, victory for the AMD part across every tested workload. The EPYC 7272 wins all six head-to-head Cinebench comparisons, with margins ranging from 3.3% to 3.4%. While the Intel chip offers more cores and a higher boost clock, the AMD processor’s architectural efficiency delivers superior results in both single-threaded and multi-threaded tests. The data indicates a clear, though not overwhelming, performance advantage for the EPYC 7272, making it the stronger choice for compute-heavy tasks, despite the Xeon’s higher core count.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are unambiguous: the AMD EPYC 7272 outperforms the Intel Xeon W-2170B in every single test recorded. The largest margin of victory comes in Cinebench R15, where the EPYC 7272 scores 2155 against the Xeon’s 2085 in the multi-core test, a 3.4% advantage. The same 3.4% delta appears in the R15 single-core test, with scores of 304 and 294 respectively. This consistency suggests a fundamental performance advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

Moving to newer benchmarks, the pattern holds. In Cinebench R20, the EPYC 7272 achieves 8982 multi-core points versus 8691 for the Xeon, a 3.3% lead. The single-core R20 result shows 1267 for AMD and 1226 for Intel, again a 3.3% gap. The latest R23 benchmark reinforces this trend: the EPYC 7272 scores 21386 multi-core and 3019 single-core, while the Xeon W-2170B manages 20693 and 2921 respectively, with the same 3.3% and 3.4% deltas.

These numbers are particularly telling when considering the specifications. The Intel Xeon W-2170B has 14 cores and 28 threads, while the AMD EPYC 7272 has only 12 cores and 24 threads. Despite having two fewer cores and four fewer threads, the AMD chip still leads in multi-core performance. The Xeon’s higher boost clock of 4.30 GHz compared to the EPYC’s 3.20 GHz does not translate into a single-core victory either, as the EPYC 7272 leads in every single-core test. The data suggests that the EPYC 7272’s Zen 2 architecture extracts more work per clock and per core than the older Skylake design.

The average benchmark scores also reflect this dynamic. The EPYC 7272 has an average score of 6186, placing it in the 61st percentile of all CPUs. The Xeon W-2170B averages 5985, also in the 61st percentile. The EPYC 7272’s nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7501 (average 6128, 0.9% behind) and the Intel Core i9-7940X (average 6147, 0.6% ahead). The Xeon W-2170B’s closest competitor is the Intel Core i9-9920X (average 5917, 1.1% ahead of the Xeon). While both processors sit in the same percentile band, the EPYC 7272 sits closer to its more powerful rivals, while the Xeon trails its comparison group by a larger margin.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental architectural divide between these two processors explains their performance profiles. The AMD EPYC 7272 is built on the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Rome, and manufactured on a 7 nm process by TSMC. In contrast, the Intel Xeon W-2170B uses the Skylake architecture, codenamed Skylake-W, on Intel’s 14 nm process. This process node difference is significant, as the smaller 7 nm node allows the EPYC 7272 to pack 7,600 million transistors into two dies measuring 74 mm² each, while the Xeon uses a single large 484 mm² die.

Cache configurations also differ substantially. The EPYC 7272 provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of L3 per die, totaling 64 MB of L3 cache. The Xeon W-2170B offers the same 64 KB L1 per core but doubles the L2 to 1 MB per core, while its L3 is a shared 19.25 MB pool. The EPYC’s larger total L3 cache likely contributes to its performance advantage in multi-threaded workloads, as more data can be stored on-chip.

Memory support is another distinguishing factor. The EPYC 7272 features an eight-channel memory bus, while the Xeon W-2170B uses a quad-channel bus. Interestingly, both are rated for the same memory bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s. The EPYC also supports PCIe Gen 4 with 128 lanes (CPU only), whereas the Xeon is limited to PCIe Gen 3 with 48 lanes. This gives the AMD processor a substantial advantage in expandability and I/O throughput, which matters for workstation applications that rely on multiple high-speed devices.

Production status and release timing also differ. The EPYC 7272 was released on 2019-08-06 and remains in active production. The Xeon W-2170B, released on 2017-12-20, is now end-of-life. This suggests the AMD platform has a longer support horizon, while the Intel platform is at the end of its lifecycle. The EPYC 7272 also carries a launch MSRP of $625, while the Xeon’s launch MSRP is not listed in the data.

The Verdict

The data is clear: the AMD EPYC 7272 is the superior processor for raw compute performance. It wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, with every margin falling between 3.3% and 3.4%. This is a decisive result, especially considering the Xeon’s higher core count of 14 versus 12 and its higher boost clock of 4.30 GHz versus 3.20 GHz. The EPYC 7272 achieves this with a lower TDP of 120 watts compared to the Xeon’s 140 watts, indicating better performance-per-watt as well.

The Xeon W-2170B is not without merit. Its 14 cores and 28 threads provide a thread count advantage that could theoretically benefit heavily parallelized workloads, but the benchmark results show this does not translate into a win. The Xeon’s higher base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 4.30 GHz suggest it should excel in lightly threaded tasks, but the single-core benchmarks show the EPYC 7272 leading there too.

For anyone choosing between these two, the EPYC 7272 is the safer bet. It offers better performance across every measured metric, uses less power, supports more memory channels and PCIe lanes, and is still in active production. The Xeon W-2170B, being end-of-life, also carries platform longevity risks. The verdict is straightforward: the AMD EPYC 7272 wins on performance, efficiency, and platform features.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon W-2170B has more cores and threads, with 14 cores and 28 threads, compared to the AMD EPYC 7272’s 12 cores and 24 threads.

Q: What is the performance difference in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD EPYC 7272 scores 21386 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 3.3% higher than the Intel Xeon W-2170B’s score of 20693.

Q: Which CPU has a smaller manufacturing process node?

A: The AMD EPYC 7272 is manufactured on a 7 nm process by TSMC, while the Intel Xeon W-2170B uses Intel’s 14 nm process.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD EPYC 7272 and the Intel Xeon W-2170B support ECC memory.

Q: What is the memory bus width for each processor?

A: The AMD EPYC 7272 has an eight-channel memory bus, while the Intel Xeon W-2170B has a quad-channel memory bus. Both are rated for 85.3 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The Intel Xeon W-2170B has a higher boost clock of 4.30 GHz, compared to the AMD EPYC 7272’s boost clock of 3.20 GHz.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 7272 wins in every benchmark category recorded. In multi-core workloads, it leads by 3.3% to 3.4% across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. This makes it the better choice for rendering, simulation, and other heavily parallelized tasks that scale across cores. The EPYC 7272’s advantage in single-core tests, with margins of 3.3% to 3.4%, also makes it preferable for lightly threaded applications that rely on per-core performance.

The EPYC 7272’s architectural advantages extend beyond raw compute. Its eight-channel memory bus and PCIe Gen 4 support with 128 lanes make it superior for memory-intensive and I/O-heavy workloads, such as large dataset processing or multi-GPU configurations. The larger 64 MB L3 cache also benefits workloads with high cache reuse.

The Intel Xeon W-2170B’s only nominal advantages are its higher core count (14 vs 12) and higher boost clock (4.30 GHz vs 3.20 GHz). However, these do not translate into any benchmark wins. The Xeon’s 1 MB L2 cache per core is double the EPYC’s 512 KB, but this does not compensate for the overall performance deficit. For workloads that specifically require more physical cores or the highest possible clock speeds, the Xeon offers those specifications, but the data shows the EPYC 7272 still outperforms it in practice.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification. The AMD EPYC 7272 uses 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel Xeon W-2170B uses 14 cores and 28 threads. Base clocks are 2.90 GHz for AMD and 2.50 GHz for Intel, with boost clocks of 3.20 GHz and 4.30 GHz respectively. The EPYC 7272 has a TDP of 120 watts, while the Xeon W-2170B has a TDP of 140 watts.

Process technology is a major differentiator: the EPYC 7272 uses a 7 nm process from TSMC with 7,600 million transistors on two 74 mm² dies, while the Xeon W-2170B uses a 14 nm process from Intel on a single 484 mm² die. Cache layouts differ, with the EPYC 7272 offering 512 KB L2 per core and 64 MB total L3, while the Xeon provides 1 MB L2 per core and 19.25 MB of shared L3.

Memory and I/O capabilities also diverge significantly. The EPYC 7272 supports an eight-channel memory bus with PCIe Gen 4 and 128 lanes, whereas the Xeon W-2170B uses a quad-channel bus with PCIe Gen 3 and 48 lanes. Both support DDR4 memory and ECC, and both have the same rated memory bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s. The production statuses differ, with the EPYC 7272 active and the Xeon W-2170B end-of-life. The launch MSRP of the EPYC 7272 is $625, while the Xeon has no listed launch MSRP.