AMD EPYC 7401P vs AMD EPYC 7501 Comparison

The AMD EPYC 7501 and AMD EPYC 7401P are both 14 nm Naples parts built for the SP3 socket, but the benchmark data reveals a clear performance hierarchy between them. The 7401P wins every single head-to-head test, despite having fewer cores and threads. This is a case where the lower-core-count part delivers superior results across the board, making the choice between them more about workload characteristics than raw core counts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are remarkably consistent, with the AMD EPYC 7401P taking all six benchmark comparisons. In Cinebench R15, the 7401P scores 2384 in multi-core versus 2135 for the 7501, a 10.4% advantage. The single-core result follows the same pattern: 336 versus 301, again a 10.4% lead for the 7401P. Moving to Cinebench R20, the 7401P posts 9937 multi-core and 1402 single-core, while the 7501 manages 8898 and 1256 respectively, with a 10.5% delta in multi-core and 10.4% in single-core. The trend continues in Cinebench R23, where the 7401P reaches 23660 multi-core and 3340 single-core, against 21186 and 2991 for the 7501, maintaining the same 10.5% and 10.4% margins. There is no test where the 7501 comes out ahead, and the deltas are strikingly uniform across every generation of the Cinebench suite.

These numbers are surprising given the core disparity. The 7501 has 32 cores and 64 threads, while the 7401P has 24 cores and 48 threads. Yet the 7401P wins by roughly ten percent in every workload. This suggests the 7401P is either running at a more favorable boost behavior, has better binning, or the benchmark suite is not scaling with the additional cores of the 7501. The single-core results reinforce this: a 10.4% lead in single-core tests cannot be explained by core count at all, since both parts share a 2000 MHz base clock and a 3000 MHz boost clock. The 7401P simply executes instructions faster per thread in these tests.

Looking at broader context, the 7401P’s average benchmark score is 5814, placing it at the 61st percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rival is the Intel Xeon E-2388G, with an average score of 5805, meaning the 7401P is 0.2% ahead. The AMD EPYC 7501 has an average score of 6128, also at the 61st percentile, and sits just 0.3% behind the Intel Core i9-7940X’s 6147. The 7501’s higher average score is interesting because it is pulled from a different benchmark set, but the head-to-head data is unambiguous: the 7401P wins every direct comparison.

The Verdict

If the only data you consider is the head-to-head benchmarks, the AMD EPYC 7401P is the clear winner. It beats the 7501 in every Cinebench test by roughly 10.4% to 10.5%, whether single-core or multi-core. There is no workload in the provided data where the 7501 comes out ahead. For someone looking at raw performance, the 7401P is the better choice. However, the 7501 does have a higher average benchmark score (6128 versus 5814) when considering all of its benchmarks, though this is an apples-to-oranges comparison since the 7501 lacks Geekbench scores that the 7401P includes.

The verdict depends on what you prioritize. If you rely on Cinebench as a proxy for your workload, the 7401P is faster in every scenario. The 7501 offers more cores and threads, which could matter for highly parallel tasks that scale beyond the 24 cores of the 7401P, but the data shows no such advantage in the tested benchmarks. Both parts share the same 170W TDP, same eight-channel DDR4 memory support, and same 170.6 GB/s memory bandwidth, so platform-level costs are identical. The 7401P is the faster part in practice, and the 7501’s extra cores do not translate into wins here.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins in multi-core performance?

A: The AMD EPYC 7401P wins all multi-core tests. It scores 2384 in Cinebench R15, 9937 in R20, and 23660 in R23, versus 2135, 8898, and 21186 for the 7501. The margin is 10.4% to 10.5% across the board.

Q: Is the 7501 better in single-core despite having more cores?

A: No. The 7401P also wins single-core tests, scoring 336 in R15, 1402 in R20, and 3340 in R23, compared to 301, 1256, and 2991 for the 7501. The 7401P leads by 10.4% in each case.

Q: Do both CPUs have the same memory bandwidth?

A: Yes. Both support eight-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 170.6 GB/s. They also share the same 64 MB shared L3 cache, 512 KB L2 per core, and 96 KB L1 per core.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each?

A: The 7501 has an average benchmark score of 6128, while the 7401P has 5814. Both are at the 61st percentile among all CPUs. The 7501’s average is higher, but it does not include Geekbench results that the 7401P has.

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The 7501 has 32 cores and 64 threads. The 7401P has 24 cores and 48 threads. Despite this, the 7401P wins all head-to-head benchmarks.

Q: Are these CPUs the same architecture and process node?

A: Yes. Both are Zen architecture on the Naples codename, built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. They share the same die size of 213 mm² and 4,800 million transistors.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ primarily in core and thread counts. The 7501 offers 32 cores and 64 threads, while the 7401P provides 24 cores and 48 threads. Both have identical base clocks of 2000 MHz and boost clocks of 3000 MHz, so the clock speed is not a differentiator. The TDP is the same at 170W, and both use the AMD Socket SP3. The part numbers differ: PS7501BEVIHAF for the 7501 and PS740PBEVHCAF for the 7401P. Both have unlocked multipliers, meaning they can be overclocked if the platform allows. There is no launch MSRP provided for either, so no pricing comparison is possible. The cache configuration is identical: 96 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 64 MB shared L3. Memory support is also the same, with DDR4, eight-channel bus, and 170.6 GB/s bandwidth. Both support ECC memory and PCIe Gen 3. The production status is active for both, and they share the same release date of 2017-06-28.

Architecture Differences

Architecturally, the 7501 and 7401P are practically twins. Both are built on the Zen architecture with the codename Naples, part of the EPYC 7001 series. The process node is 14 nm at GlobalFoundries, with a die size of 213 mm² and 4,800 million transistors. The cache hierarchy is identical across both parts: 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3. There is no 3D V-Cache on either. The memory subsystem is also the same, with eight-channel DDR4 support and a bandwidth of 170.6 GB/s, plus ECC memory support. Both have no integrated graphics and target the Server/Workstation market segment. The only architectural difference that matters is the core and thread count, which is a product segmentation choice rather than a fundamental design difference. Since the 7401P wins all benchmarks despite fewer cores, the architectural similarity means the performance gap likely comes from clock behavior or binning, not a different design.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 7401P wins in every benchmark category provided. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, it takes both single-core and multi-core tests. The single-core wins are particularly notable because they show a 10.4% advantage in each case, indicating that the 7401P is more efficient per thread in these workloads. For multi-core, the 7401P maintains a 10.4% to 10.5% lead, which is substantial given the 7501 has 33% more cores. This suggests that for Cinebench-style rendering workloads, the 7401P is the better performer. The 7501 does not win any of the six head-to-head tests, so there is no benchmark-based use case where it outperforms the 7401P. However, the 7501’s higher average benchmark score (6128 versus 5814) indicates it performs well in other tests not in the head-to-head list, though those results are not detailed here. For anyone choosing between these two based on the provided data, the 7401P is the pick for Cinebench workloads, while the 7501 offers more cores for potential scalability in untested parallel applications, but that is speculation not supported by the benchmark results.