AMD EPYC 7302 vs Intel Core i7-8550U Comparison

The Verdict

The data presents an unambiguous outcome: the AMD EPYC 7302 wins every single head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database, claiming 6 out of 6 possible wins. The Intel Core i7-8550U does not win a single recorded test. The deltas are consistent and severe, with the EPYC 7302 leading by approximately 82.5% across all Cinebench tests, both single-core and multi-core. This is not a close contest; it is a categorical performance gap.

The verdict depends entirely on the use case. For any workload that benefits from raw processing power, the EPYC 7302 is the only logical choice from this data. Its 16 cores and 32 threads, paired with a 3.00 GHz base clock and 3.30 GHz boost clock, produce scores that dwarf the i7-8550U. The i7-8550U, with 4 cores and 8 threads, is a mobile processor designed for efficiency, and the benchmark results reflect that positioning. The data shows no scenario where the i7-8550U outperforms the EPYC 7302 in the recorded tests.

However, the i7-8550U is not without merit. It carries a 15 W TDP, making it suitable for thin-and-light laptops, whereas the EPYC 7302 consumes 155 W and targets server racks. The i7-8550U also has integrated UHD 620 graphics, while the EPYC 7302 has none. So, the verdict for the i7-8550U is not about winning benchmarks; it is about fitting a specific form factor and power envelope. The EPYC 7302 wins on performance, the i7-8550U wins on mobility and integration. The database shows the EPYC 7302 is the performance king, but the i7-8550U is the only one of the two that can operate without a discrete GPU.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies and manufacturing eras. The Intel Core i7-8550U is built on Intel's 14 nm process, while the AMD EPYC 7302 uses TSMC's 7 nm node. This process difference is significant, as the EPYC 7302 packs 15,200 million transistors across four dies, each measuring 74 mm², for a total die size of 4x 74 mm². The i7-8550U has a single die of 123 mm². The EPYC 7302's architecture is Zen 2, codenamed Rome, while the i7-8550U uses Kaby Lake, specifically Kaby Lake-R.

The cache hierarchies also diverge sharply. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache differs: the i7-8550U has 256 KB per core, while the EPYC 7302 has 512 KB per core. The L3 cache is a major differentiator. The i7-8550U has 8 MB shared L3, while the EPYC 7302 has 32 MB per die, totaling 128 MB. The EPYC 7302 also supports eight-channel memory with a bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s, whereas the i7-8550U has no recorded memory bus width or bandwidth in the database. Both support DDR4 memory, but only the EPYC 7302 supports ECC memory.

The EPYC 7302 features PCIe Gen 4 with 128 lanes (CPU only), while the i7-8550U has no PCIe information recorded. The EPYC 7302 is a server/workstation part on AMD Socket SP3, whereas the i7-8550U is a mobile part on Intel BGA 1356. The i7-8550U has integrated UHD 620 graphics; the EPYC 7302 has none. The EPYC 7302's TDP is 155 W, over ten times the i7-8550U's 15 W. The release dates also differ: the i7-8550U launched on 2017-08-20, and the EPYC 7302 on 2019-08-06.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are the only head-to-head tests recorded, and they paint a uniform picture of EPYC 7302 dominance. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-8550U scores 496, while the EPYC 7302 scores 2836, a delta of -82.5% from the i7's perspective. In R15 single-core, the i7 scores 69 versus the EPYC's 400, a delta of -82.7%. The R20 multi-core test shows the i7 at 2068 and the EPYC at 11818, again -82.5%. R20 single-core has the i7 at 291 and the EPYC at 1668, a -82.6% delta.

Cinebench R23 continues the trend. Multi-core: i7 scores 4926, EPYC scores 28140, delta -82.5%. Single-core: i7 scores 695, EPYC scores 3972, delta -82.5%. The consistency of the delta across all tests is striking. It suggests that the performance gap is structural, not workload-dependent. The EPYC 7302 does not just win; it wins by a nearly identical margin in every test. This implies that the architectural advantages, more cores, more cache, higher clocks, translate into a proportional performance advantage regardless of the specific rendering workload.

The i7-8550U's best recorded scores come from PassMark tests not present in the head-to-head set. For reference, the i7-8550U scores 74223 in data compression, 1944 in data encryption, 4665 in extended instructions, 22 in find prime numbers, 12523 in floating point math, 20770 in integer math, 5835 in multithread, 451 in physics, 9902 in random string sorting, and 2021 in single-thread. The EPYC 7302 has no recorded PassMark scores in the database, so these benchmarks cannot be compared directly. The only comparisons available are the six Cinebench tests, and those all favor the EPYC 7302.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD EPYC 7302 has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core i7-8550U has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i7-8550U has a TDP of 15 W, while the AMD EPYC 7302 has a TDP of 155 W.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-8550U have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes UHD 620 integrated graphics. The AMD EPYC 7302 has no integrated graphics.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: The Intel Core i7-8550U has 8 MB shared L3 cache. The AMD EPYC 7302 has 32 MB per die, totaling 128 MB.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD EPYC 7302 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-8550U does not.

Q: In the head-to-head Cinebench tests, what is the average delta?

A: The AMD EPYC 7302 wins all six tests with deltas ranging from -82.5% to -82.7% relative to the Intel Core i7-8550U.

Where Each One Wins

The EPYC 7302 wins every recorded benchmark category. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core, the EPYC 7302 is ahead by roughly 82.5%. This means for any rendering, 3D modeling, or CPU-intensive compute task that relies on Cinebench-style workloads, the EPYC 7302 is the superior choice. The data shows no benchmark where the i7-8550U takes the lead.

The i7-8550U's wins are not in performance but in platform characteristics. It has a 15 W TDP, which allows for fanless or low-power designs in ultraportable laptops. It has integrated UHD 620 graphics, making it a complete package for a basic laptop without a discrete GPU. It is also an active production part from 2017, while the EPYC 7302 is from 2019. The i7-8550U is a mobile segment chip, so its natural habitat is a thin laptop, not a server room.

For a server or workstation, the EPYC 7302's 16 cores, 32 threads, 128 MB L3 cache, eight-channel memory, and 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes make it a data-center powerhouse. Its launch MSRP was $978. The i7-8550U has no recorded launch MSRP. The EPYC 7302 also supports ECC memory, which is critical for data integrity in server environments. The i7-8550U cannot be used for ECC workloads. So, the use-case split is clean: EPYC for compute, i7 for mobility.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in almost every specification field. The Intel Core i7-8550U has 4 cores and 8 threads; the AMD EPYC 7302 has 16 cores and 32 threads. The i7's base clock is 1800.00 MHz with a boost of 4.00 GHz. The EPYC's base clock is 3.00 GHz with a boost of 3.30 GHz. The TDP is 15 W versus 155 W. The i7 uses Intel BGA 1356, the EPYC uses AMD Socket SP3.

The architecture is Kaby Lake versus Zen 2. The process node is 14 nm (Intel) versus 7 nm (TSMC). The die size is 123 mm² for the i7, while the EPYC has 4x 74 mm². The i7 has 256 KB L2 per core and 8 MB shared L3. The EPYC has 512 KB L2 per core and 32 MB L3 per die, totaling 128 MB. The i7 has no ECC support; the EPYC supports ECC. The i7 has no recorded memory bus, the EPYC has eight-channel memory. The i7 has no recorded memory bandwidth, the EPYC has 204.8 GB/s. The i7 has no recorded PCIe support, the EPYC has PCIe Gen 4 with 128 lanes. The i7 has integrated UHD 620 graphics, the EPYC has none.

The market segment is Mobile for the i7 and Server/Workstation for the EPYC. The release date is 2017-08-20 for the i7 and 2019-08-06 for the EPYC. The i7 has no launch MSRP, the EPYC has a launch MSRP of $978. The part numbers are SR3LC for the i7 and 100-000000043 for the EPYC. Both are active production parts and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The i7-8550U has a percentile of 64 among all CPUs, and the EPYC 7302 also has a percentile of 64. Their average benchmark scores are 8407 for the i7 and 8139 for the EPYC, but this includes different benchmark sets. The nearest rivals for the i7 include the Intel Xeon Gold 5318N (delta -0.3%), Intel Core i5-10210U (delta 0.7%), Intel Xeon Gold 5320T (delta 1.1%), and Intel Xeon Platinum 8268 (delta 1.1%). The EPYC's nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon Gold 5318Y (delta -0.1%), Intel Core i3-8100 (delta 0.2%), Intel Xeon Platinum 8180M (delta 0.4%), and Intel Xeon Gold 6326 (delta 0.8%).