AMD EPYC 7402 vs AMD EPYC 7542 Comparison

The AMD EPYC 7402 and AMD EPYC 7542 are both 7 nm Zen 2 Rome parts on the AMD Socket SP3 platform, aimed at the same server and workstation segment. Despite the 7542 carrying more cores and a higher thermal envelope, the benchmark data consistently shows the 7402 pulling ahead in every recorded test, making this a comparison where the higher-core-count part does not translate into higher measured performance in the Cinebench suite.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data from the head-to-head comparison is unambiguous: the AMD EPYC 7402 wins all six benchmark tests, with deltas that are remarkably consistent. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the 7402 scores 3942 against the 7542’s 3886, a 1.4% advantage. The single-core result in the same test shows a similar pattern, with the 7402 scoring 556 versus 548, a 1.5% lead. This early consistency sets the tone for the entire comparison.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the 7402 again takes the lead in both tests. Its multicore score of 16426 edges out the 7542’s 16193, another 1.4% gap. In single-core, the 7402 scores 2318 while the 7542 manages 2286, again a 1.4% difference. The pattern holds through the most demanding workload in the pack, Cinebench R23. The 7402 posts 39110 in multicore, compared to the 7542’s 38555, and 5521 in single-core versus 5443. Every single delta in the head-to-head table is either 1.4% or 1.5%, with the sole exception being the R15 single-core test at 1.5%. The 7402’s sweep is complete, with a 6-0 win tally in the provided tests.

This narrow but consistent margin is interesting when placed in context. The 7402’s average benchmark score is 11312, placing it in the 66th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 73F3, scores 11334, a negligible -0.2% difference. The 7542, meanwhile, has an average score of 11152, also in the 66th percentile. Its closest competitor is the Intel Xeon Gold 6336Y at 11191, which the 7542 trails by -0.3%. In other words, both chips sit in the same performance tier, but the 7402 sits at the top of that tier while the 7542 sits near the bottom. The delta between the two is small, but it is real and it is consistent across every single benchmark iteration.

The single-core results are particularly telling for a server part. In R23 single-core, the 7402’s 5521 is 1.4% ahead of the 7542’s 5443. This advantage is not a fluke of one test; it repeats in R15 and R20 with nearly identical percentage gaps. This suggests the 7402 has a slight per-thread performance edge, likely related to its higher base clock of 2.80 GHz versus the 7542’s 2.90 GHz, though the boost clocks are closer at 3.35 GHz and 3.40 GHz respectively. The data does not support the 7542’s higher core count translating into a win anywhere.

The Verdict

From a pure performance standpoint, the data is clear: the AMD EPYC 7402 is the faster processor in every benchmark recorded. It wins all six Cinebench tests, and its average benchmark score of 11312 is higher than the 7542’s 11152. The 7402 achieves this despite having 24 cores and 48 threads, compared to the 7542’s 32 cores and 64 threads. This is a counterintuitive result—the chip with fewer cores and threads consistently outperforms the one with more.

Who should pick the 7402? Any workload that relies on single-threaded performance or lightly-threaded tasks will favor this part. The consistent ~1.4% lead in single-core tests across R15, R20, and R23 indicates that the 7402’s architecture is better tuned for per-core efficiency in this specific benchmark suite. The 7402 also carries a launch MSRP of $1783, which is a data point that can be stated once, but the performance advantage is the primary draw here.

Who should pick the 7542? The data does not offer a performance-based reason. The 7542 loses every head-to-head test and has a lower average benchmark score. Its only advantages are in its specification sheet—more cores, more threads, higher clocks—but these do not manifest in the measured Cinebench results. The 7542’s nearest rival list includes the AMD EPYC 9224, which scores 11118, a 0.3% difference, and the Intel Xeon Gold 6336Y, which scores 11191. The 7542 is essentially middle-of-the-pack in its percentile, while the 7402 is at the top of its own. If a workload specifically requires the maximum number of physical cores available, the 7542 has that, but the benchmark evidence suggests it will not be faster for the tests included here.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the most benchmark tests?

A: The AMD EPYC 7402 wins all six head-to-head tests, including all Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore and singlecore runs. The 7542 wins zero tests.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest gap is in Cinebench R15 singlecore, where the 7402’s 556 score beats the 7542’s 548 by 1.5%. All other tests show a 1.4% delta.

Q: Does the 7542’s higher core count help it in any benchmark?

A: No. Despite having 32 cores versus the 7402’s 24, the 7542 scores lower in every multicore test, including Cinebench R20 multicore where it scores 16193 against the 7402’s 16426.

Q: How do the two compare in average benchmark score?

A: The 7402 has an average benchmark score of 11312, while the 7542 scores 11152. Both sit in the 66th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Are these processors in the same performance tier?

A: Yes, both are in the 66th percentile, but the 7402 is closer to its top rival (AMD EPYC 73F3, -0.2%) while the 7542 trails its nearest rival (Intel Xeon Gold 6336Y, -0.3%).

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

A: The 7402 scores 5521 in Cinebench R23 singlecore, which is 1.4% ahead of the 7542’s 5443.

Specification Differences

The two processors share the same socket, architecture, and memory support, but differ in core configuration, clocks, thermal design, and physical characteristics. The 7402 has 24 cores and 48 threads, while the 7542 has 32 cores and 64 threads. The 7542 has a higher base clock of 2.90 GHz versus the 7402’s 2.80 GHz, and a higher boost clock of 3.40 GHz versus 3.35 GHz. The 7542’s thermal design power is 225 watts, compared to the 7402’s 180 watts.

The cache layouts differ significantly. The 7402 has 64 KB of L1 per core, while the 7542 has 96 KB per core. Both have 512 KB of L2 per core, but the L3 configuration is different: the 7402 lists 32 MB per die with a total L3 of 128 MB, while the 7542 lists 128 MB shared with no total L3 figure provided. The transistor counts also diverge, with the 7402 listing 15,200 million transistors across a 4x 74 mm² die setup, while the 7542 lists 3,800 million transistors on a single 74 mm² die.

Memory support is identical: both use DDR4 with an eight-channel bus and 204.8 GB/s bandwidth, and both support ECC memory. PCIe support is Gen 4 on both, though the 7402 specifies 128 lanes (CPU only) while the 7542 simply lists "Gen 4". The 7402 has a launch MSRP of $1783, while the 7542 does not have a launch MSRP provided. Neither has integrated graphics, neither has an unlocked multiplier, and both share the same release date of 2019-08-06.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on the same Zen 2 architecture with the Rome codename, manufactured on TSMC’s 7 nm process. The fundamental architecture is identical, but the physical implementation differs. The 7402 uses a multi-die design with 4x 74 mm² chiplets, while the 7542 appears to use a single 74 mm² die based on the listed die size. This explains the transistor count disparity: the 7402 lists 15,200 million transistors across its four dies, while the 7542 lists 3,800 million on its single die.

The cache hierarchy reveals an architectural difference in how L3 is organized. The 7402 specifies 32 MB per die, totaling 128 MB across its four dies, indicating a distributed L3 layout. The 7542, by contrast, lists 128 MB shared, suggesting a unified L3 pool. The L1 cache also differs, with the 7402 having 64 KB per core and the 7542 having 96 KB per core. These are the only architectural differences in the pack; the core microarchitecture, instruction set, and memory controller behavior are otherwise identical given the same Zen 2 architecture and codename.

The PCIe implementation is another differentiating factor. The 7402 explicitly states "Gen 4, 128 Lanes (CPU only)", while the 7542 only states "Gen 4". This may indicate a difference in available PCIe lanes, though the pack does not provide the exact lane count for the 7542. The 7542 compensates for its architectural differences with higher base and boost clocks, but as the benchmarks show, this does not translate into a performance win. The 7402’s multi-die design with distributed L3 appears to be the more effective configuration in the Cinebench workloads tested.