AMD EPYC 7303 vs AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and the AMD EPYC 7303 represent two fundamentally different approaches to x86 computing, yet they land within 0.2% of each other in average benchmark score. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, a 12-core mobile processor built on Zen 5, edges out the 16-core Zen 3-based EPYC 7303 server chip in overall average score (46030 vs 45960), but the data reveals a stark divide in workload suitability. The mobile part wins 8 of 15 head-to-head tests, while the server chip takes 7, making this a genuine split decision that hinges entirely on whether the task favors raw single-thread responsiveness or sustained multi-thread throughput.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 dominates in single-threaded and latency-sensitive workloads with a decisive margin. Its PassMark single-thread score of 3867 is 164.9% higher than the EPYC 7303's 1460, a gap that dwarfs every other benchmark delta in this comparison. This advantage extends to integer math (121754 vs 113422, a 7.3% win) and floating-point math (75153 vs 64940, a 15.7% win), indicating that the Ryzen part's Zen 5 cores are simply far more efficient at executing per-thread instructions. The mobile chip also wins the PassMark multithread test (32916 vs 28572, a 15.2% advantage) despite having fewer cores and threads, suggesting its architectural efficiency can overcome the EPYC's raw core count in certain parallel workloads. Physics simulation (1819 vs 1792, a 1.5% win) and random string sorting (44552 vs 42259, a 5.4% win) round out the Ryzen's wins.

The AMD EPYC 7303 counters with wins in the Cinebench suite, where its extra cores provide a measurable advantage. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the EPYC scores 24286 versus the Ryzen's 21812, a 10.2% lead, while in single-core R23 it wins decisively with 3428 against 1988, a 42% margin. The server chip also excels in data compression (428319 vs 404918, a 5.5% win), data encryption (25167 vs 20802, a 17.3% win), extended instructions (31603 vs 29269, a 7.4% win), and prime number finding (180 vs 122, a 32.2% win). The EPYC also takes Cinebench R15 single-core (345 vs 301, a 12.8% win), though it loses R15 multi-core by a 36.2% margin.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are separated by two full generations of core design and vastly different platform philosophies. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 uses the Zen 5 architecture on TSMC's 4 nm process node, with a die size of 233 mm², while the EPYC 7303 uses the older Zen 3 architecture on a 7 nm node with a dual-chiplet design totaling 2x 81 mm² and 8,300 million transistors. The Ryzen's cache hierarchy is larger per core, with 80 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2 per core, but its total L3 cache is just 16 MB. The EPYC 7303 has 64 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, yet its shared L3 cache is 64 MB — four times the Ryzen's capacity. This larger L3 likely contributes to the EPYC's wins in data-heavy workloads like compression and encryption.

Memory architecture further separates these parts. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC support. The EPYC 7303 uses DDR4 over an eight-channel memory bus with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth and full ECC support, making it suited for memory-intensive server tasks. The Ryzen integrates a Radeon 890M GPU, while the EPYC has no integrated graphics. PCIe connectivity also differs dramatically: the Ryzen offers Gen 4 with 16 lanes, while the EPYC provides Gen 4 with 128 lanes. The Ryzen is a mobile part on AMD Socket FP8 with a 28 W TDP, while the EPYC is a server/workstation chip on Socket SP3 with a 130 W TDP. The Ryzen was released in 2024, while the EPYC launched in 2023, and the EPYC carries a launch MSRP of $604.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single-thread passmark results are the most striking data point in this comparison. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 375's score of 3867 is 164.9% higher than the EPYC 7303's 1460, representing the largest delta of any test. This result aligns with the Ryzen's 5.10 GHz boost clock versus the EPYC's 3.40 GHz, though clock speed alone does not explain the full magnitude of the gap. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the EPYC actually wins with 3428 against the Ryzen's 1988, a 42% margin, which is oddly contradictory to the PassMark result. This suggests that the two benchmark suites stress different aspects of single-thread performance, with the EPYC's Zen 3 cores performing well in Cinebench's rendering workload while the Ryzen's Zen 5 cores excel in PassMark's synthetic tests.

In multi-threaded workloads, the results are similarly mixed. The EPYC wins Cinebench R23 multi-core with 24286 versus 21812 (a 10.2% advantage), but the Ryzen wins PassMark multithread with 32916 versus 28572 (a 15.2% advantage). The Ryzen's Cinebench R15 multi-core win is enormous: 3334 versus 2448, a 36.2% margin. These conflicting results indicate that workload characteristics matter more than raw core counts. The EPYC's 16-core/32-thread configuration should theoretically dominate multi-thread tests, but the Ryzen's 12-core/24-thread setup with Zen 5 cores can outperform it in specific parallel workloads, particularly those that benefit from higher per-core throughput.

Data compression and encryption heavily favor the EPYC. Compression scores are 428319 versus 404918 (5.5% delta), while encryption shows a 17.3% advantage for the EPYC (25167 vs 20802). Extended instructions also go to the EPYC (31603 vs 29269, a 7.4% delta), as does prime number finding (180 vs 122, a 32.2% delta). Conversely, the Ryzen wins floating-point math by 15.7% (75153 vs 64940), integer math by 7.3% (121754 vs 113422), physics by 1.5% (1819 vs 1792), and random string sorting by 5.4% (44552 vs 42259). The pattern is clear: the EPYC favors memory-bandwidth-hungry and cache-sensitive tasks, while the Ryzen excels at compute-heavy arithmetic.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ significantly across nearly every specification field. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the EPYC 7303 has 16 cores and 32 threads. Base clocks are 2.00 GHz for the Ryzen and 2.40 GHz for the EPYC, but boost clocks reverse the order: 5.10 GHz versus 3.40 GHz. TDP is a major differentiator, with the mobile chip drawing 28 W versus the server chip's 130 W. The Ryzen uses Zen 5 on a 4 nm process, while the EPYC uses Zen 3 on a 7 nm process. Die size is 233 mm² for the Ryzen versus dual 81 mm² dies for the EPYC.

Cache configurations differ in capacity and organization. The Ryzen has 80 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, with 16 MB total L3, while the EPYC has 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core, with 64 MB shared L3. Memory support is DDR5/LPDDR5X for the Ryzen and DDR4 for the EPYC, with memory buses of dual-channel versus eight-channel and bandwidths of 89.6 GB/s versus 204.8 GB/s. ECC memory is absent on the Ryzen but present on the EPYC. PCIe lanes are 16 for the Ryzen versus 128 for the EPYC, both Gen 4. The Ryzen includes integrated Radeon 890M graphics, while the EPYC has none. The Ryzen targets the mobile segment on Socket FP8, while the EPYC targets server/workstation on Socket SP3. The Ryzen released in 2024, the EPYC in 2023, and only the EPYC has a launch MSRP of $604.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-thread score in PassMark?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 scores 3867 in PassMark single-thread, which is 164.9% higher than the AMD EPYC 7303's score of 1460.

Q: How do the two chips compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD EPYC 7303 wins with a score of 24286, beating the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375's 21812 by a margin of 10.2%.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD EPYC 7303 has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 has 12 cores and 24 threads.

Q: Does the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 support ECC memory?

A: No, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 does not support ECC memory. The EPYC 7303 does support ECC memory, along with an eight-channel DDR4 memory bus.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 has a TDP of 28 W, while the EPYC 7303 has a TDP of 130 W, a 102 W difference that reflects their mobile versus server positioning.

Q: Which chip wins the most head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 wins 8 of the 15 head-to-head tests, while the EPYC 7303 wins 7, resulting in an overall average benchmark score that is only 0.2% apart.