AMD EPYC 7413 vs Intel Core i9-14900K Comparison

The AMD EPYC 7413 and Intel Core i9-14900K are both 24-core processors, but they target completely different segments of the market. The EPYC 7413 is a server/workstation part built for sustained throughput, while the Core i9-14900K is a desktop flagship aimed at maximum responsiveness. Benchmark data shows they land within 0.3% of each other in average score, with the EPYC at 80041 and the Intel at 79824. That near-tie in overall averages masks a very wide split in where each chip excels, and the head-to-head results reveal a clear division of labor based on workload type.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-14900K dominates the multi-threaded rendering and compression workloads that benefit from high clock speeds and a wide core count. It wins 12 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks, including every Cinebench test. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Intel scores 49872 against the EPYC’s 43044, a 13.7% advantage. That pattern repeats across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core, with the same 13.7% delta favoring Intel every time. The i9-14900K also takes PassMark’s multithread test with 58674 versus 50641, again a 13.7% margin. Floating-point math is another Intel stronghold, where it scores 152975 against 118881, a 22.3% lead. Data compression and random string sorting also go to Intel, with 792694 versus 715616 (9.7% ahead) and 86971 versus 81134 (6.7% ahead), respectively.

The AMD EPYC 7413 wins the other five benchmarks, and those wins are not marginal. The biggest is PassMark’s find prime numbers test, where the EPYC scores 397 against the Intel’s 231, a massive 71.9% advantage. Physics simulation also goes decisively to AMD, with 4708 versus 3140, a 49.9% lead. Data encryption is an AMD win at 48492 versus 46813, a 3.6% margin. Extended instructions go to the EPYC by 1.2% (45696 versus 45154), and integer math is a narrow 2.4% AMD win (215629 versus 210622). The EPYC’s wins cluster around integer-heavy, encryption, and prime-finding workloads, while Intel takes rendering, compression, and floating-point tasks.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The EPYC 7413 uses AMD’s Zen 3 architecture on the Milan codename, built on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It packs 24 cores and 48 threads, with a base clock of 2.65 GHz and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz. The Intel i9-14900K uses Raptor Lake architecture (Raptor Lake-R codename) on Intel’s 10 nm process, with 24 cores but only 32 threads. Its clocks are dramatically higher, with a 3.20 GHz base and a 6.00 GHz boost. The Intel chip has an unlocked multiplier, while the EPYC is locked.

Cache layouts differ sharply. The EPYC allocates 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a massive 128 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part has 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. That 128 MB L3 gives the EPYC a huge cache footprint for server-style workloads that repeatedly access large datasets. The Intel chip compensates with much higher clock speeds and a smaller, faster cache hierarchy.

Memory and I/O also diverge. The EPYC supports DDR4 memory over an eight-channel bus, with a rated memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s. The Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5, but only over a dual-channel bus, and its memory bandwidth figure is not listed in the data. The EPYC provides PCIe Gen 4 with 128 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Both support ECC memory. The EPYC has no integrated graphics, while the Intel includes UHD Graphics 770. The EPYC uses AMD Socket SP3, the Intel uses Intel Socket 1700. The EPYC’s die size is listed as 4x 81 mm², while the Intel’s is 257 mm².

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the head-to-head data is the uniformity of Intel’s Cinebench wins. Across all six Cinebench tests — R15, R20, and R23, each in single-core and multi-core variants — the delta is exactly 13.7% in Intel’s favor. The single-core gaps are particularly telling: R15 single-core shows 709 versus 612, R20 single-core shows 2956 versus 2551, and R23 single-core shows 7040 versus 6076. That consistent 13.7% margin suggests a clock-speed-driven advantage that applies evenly across the Cinebench suite.

The PassMark single-thread test shows an even larger Intel lead. The i9-14900K scores 4697, while the EPYC scores 2400, a 48.9% difference. That is the second-largest delta in the entire comparison, and it reflects the fundamental clock gap: Intel boosts to 6.00 GHz, while the EPYC tops out at 3.60 GHz. For any workload that is latency-bound or lightly threaded, the Intel chip has an enormous head start.

The EPYC’s wins are more specialized. The find prime numbers result is the standout: 397 versus 231, a 71.9% edge. That is the largest single delta in either direction. Physics simulation is similarly lopsided, with the EPYC ahead by 49.9%. These are integer-heavy, branch-heavy workloads where the EPYC’s larger cache and higher thread count (48 versus 32) appear to pay off. The EPYC also wins data encryption by 3.6%, extended instructions by 1.2%, and integer math by 2.4% — all modest but consistent margins.

The multithread PassMark score is a good summary of the overall balance. Intel wins it with 58674 versus 50641, a 13.7% margin. But the EPYC is only about 14% behind in a test that heavily favors high-frequency multicore performance, while being nearly 72% ahead in prime-finding. The average benchmark scores tell the same story: 80041 for the EPYC versus 79824 for the Intel, a 0.3% difference. These are effectively equal chips in aggregate, but they achieve that parity through completely opposite strengths.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear choice based on workload. For rendering, compression, floating-point math, and any single-threaded or lightly threaded task, the Intel Core i9-14900K is the stronger part. It wins every Cinebench test by 13.7%, wins PassMark multithread by 13.7%, and crushes the EPYC in PassMark single-thread by 48.9%. Its 6.00 GHz boost clock is the obvious driver of these results. If the workload is Cinebench, video encoding, or general desktop responsiveness, the Intel chip is the one to pick.

For server-style integer workloads, the AMD EPYC 7413 is the better option. Its 71.9% win in find prime numbers, 49.9% win in physics, and additional wins in encryption, extended instructions, and integer math point to sustained throughput in non-floating-point tasks. The 48 threads versus 32 threads, combined with 128 MB of L3 cache, gives it a real edge in parallel integer processing. The EPYC also offers eight-channel DDR4 memory with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth and 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, which makes it the practical choice for systems that need massive memory bandwidth and I/O expansion.

The production status of both is Active, and both sit at the 97th percentile among all CPUs. The launch MSRP for the EPYC 7413 is $1825, while the Core i9-14900K has a launch MSRP of $589 — but this analysis sticks to performance data. The EPYC is a server part that happens to trade blows with a desktop flagship in some tests; the Intel is a desktop part that cannot match the EPYC’s platform-level capabilities. Choose the EPYC for server/workstation builds with memory-bandwidth-hungry or integer-heavy loads. Choose the Intel for desktop systems where single-thread speed and rendering performance matter most.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900K scores 49872 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the AMD EPYC 7413 scores 43044. Intel wins by 13.7%.

Q: How big is the single-thread performance gap?

A: In PassMark single-thread, the Intel Core i9-14900K scores 4697 versus the EPYC 7413’s 2400, giving Intel a 48.9% lead.

Q: Which processor handles encryption workloads better?

A: The AMD EPYC 7413 wins PassMark data encryption with a score of 48492, compared to the Intel Core i9-14900K’s 46813, a 3.6% margin.

Q: What is the largest benchmark win for either chip?

A: The AMD EPYC 7413 wins PassMark find prime numbers by 71.9%, scoring 397 versus the Intel’s 231. That is the biggest delta in either direction.

Q: Do both CPUs have the same number of cores?

A: Yes, both have 24 cores. However, the AMD EPYC 7413 has 48 threads, while the Intel Core i9-14900K has 32 threads.

Q: Which chip has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD EPYC 7413 has 128 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core i9-14900K has 36 MB of shared L3 cache.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD EPYC 7413 | Intel Core i9-14900K |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 24 | 24 |

| Threads | 48 | 32 |

| Base Clock | 2.65 GHz | 3.20 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.60 GHz | 6.00 GHz |

| TDP | 180 W | 125 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket SP3 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Zen 3 | Raptor Lake |

| Codename | Milan | Raptor Lake-R |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Die Size | 4x 81 mm² | 257 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 128 MB (shared) | 36 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bus | Eight-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 204.8 GB/s | Not listed |

| ECC Memory | Yes | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 128 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | None | UHD Graphics 770 |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Desktop |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |

| Launch MSRP | $1825 | $589 |