AMD EPYC 7413 vs Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a dominant overall win count: Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus takes 13 of 17 benchmark comparisons, with AMD EPYC 7413 winning 4. The margin of victory, however, is not uniform. The Intel part's most extraordinary result comes in PassMark single-thread, where it scores 4823 against 2400, a 101% lead. That is a doubling of performance in a single-threaded workload, and it sets the tone for the entire comparison: the Intel chip is fundamentally faster when the workload is lightly threaded.

The Cinebench suite reinforces this pattern with remarkable consistency. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, the Intel part wins both single-core and multi-core by exactly 20.2% or 20.3% in every instance. For example, Cinebench R23 multi-core shows Intel at 51731 versus AMD at 43044, a 20.2% advantage. The single-core R23 result is 7303 versus 6076, also 20.2%. This consistency across generations of the Cinebench test suggests a systematic architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

The largest single delta in the entire dataset belongs to PassMark floating point math, where Intel scores 214760 against AMD's 118881, a massive 80.7% lead. This is not a marginal win; it is a category where the Intel processor nearly doubles the AMD server chip's output. Similarly, PassMark find prime numbers shows Intel at 503 versus 397, a 26.7% advantage. Data encryption also favors Intel, 52563 versus 48492, a more modest 8.4% lead. Extended instructions go to Intel as well, 52338 versus 45696, a 14.5% margin.

The AMD EPYC 7413, however, is not without its own victories, and they are not trivial. The biggest win for AMD is PassMark physics, where it scores 4708 against Intel's 3315, a 29.6% lead. This is a substantial reversal in a compute-heavy test. PassMark integer math also goes to AMD decisively: 215629 versus 166194, a 22.9% advantage. These two wins suggest that AMD's Zen 3 architecture retains a strong edge in certain scalar or integer-heavy workloads.

The other two AMD wins are narrower. Data compression goes to AMD at 715616 versus 698346, a 2.4% margin. Random string sorting is even closer: 81134 versus 79744, a 1.7% lead for AMD. These are real, but they are not the kind of margins that change a purchasing decision for most users. The overall average benchmark score reflects the broader trend: Intel sits at 84003, while AMD sits at 80041. That is a 4.7% gap in the aggregate, which is meaningful but not overwhelming.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is built on a 3 nm process node from TSMC, while the AMD EPYC 7413 uses a 7 nm node from the same foundry. This process advantage is significant, and it helps explain the Intel part's efficiency and clock speed headroom. Intel's die is a single 243 mm² piece containing 17,800 million transistors. AMD's EPYC 7413 spreads its 16,600 million transistors across four dies, each 81 mm², for a total of 324 mm² of silicon.

The core configurations are superficially similar but diverge on threading. Both have 24 physical cores. Intel runs 24 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. AMD runs 48 threads, meaning each core supports two threads. This is a critical difference: AMD can process more concurrent threads, but Intel's individual threads are much faster. The base clock tells the story: Intel runs at 3.70 GHz with a 5.80 GHz boost, while AMD runs at 2.65 GHz with a 3.60 GHz boost. Intel's boost clock is more than 2 GHz higher, which explains the single-thread dominance.

Cache hierarchies are also divergent. Intel provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. AMD provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a much larger 128 MB of shared L3. The larger L3 on AMD is a classic server feature, useful for database workloads and large working sets. The per-core L2 on Intel is larger, which benefits single-thread performance.

Memory support is a major separator. Intel uses dual-channel DDR5 with a theoretical bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. AMD uses eight-channel DDR4 with a theoretical bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s. That is a 78% higher memory bandwidth for the AMD part, which is a typical server advantage. Both support ECC memory. Intel provides 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, while AMD provides 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes. The lane count difference is enormous and speaks to the intended use cases: Intel for a desktop with a discrete GPU and a few NVMe drives, AMD for a server with many expansion cards, storage controllers, and network adapters.

Intel includes integrated graphics, specifically Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. AMD has no integrated graphics at all. Intel's multiplier is unlocked, while AMD's is locked. Intel's TDP is 125 watts, while AMD's is 180 watts. Intel is on Socket 1851, AMD on Socket SP3. Intel's market segment is Desktop; AMD's is Server/Workstation. The AMD part has a launch MSRP of $1825. The Intel part has no recorded launch MSRP.

The Verdict

The data points to two very different tools for two very different jobs. If the workload is single-threaded or lightly threaded, the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is the clear choice. The 101% lead in single-thread performance is not incremental; it is transformative for applications that rely on high clock speeds. The 80.7% lead in floating point math and 26.7% lead in prime number finding further cement the Intel part's position for scientific and engineering workloads that are not massively parallel.

If the workload is heavily threaded integer math or physics simulation, the AMD EPYC 7413 has a legitimate claim. The 29.6% lead in physics and 22.9% lead in integer math are significant for users who run those specific tests. The 48 threads versus 24 threads means AMD can handle more concurrent tasks, even if each individual thread is slower. For server environments where memory bandwidth is a bottleneck, AMD's 204.8 GB/s versus Intel's 115.2 GB/s is a decisive advantage. The eight-channel memory controller is designed for high-density server memory configurations.

The average benchmark score favors Intel, 84003 versus 80041, and Intel holds a 96th percentile versus AMD's 95th percentile among all CPUs in the database. But the nearest rival data tells a more nuanced story. Intel's closest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K at a 0.2% delta and the AMD EPYC 4584PX at 1.1% delta. AMD's closest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus at 0.6% delta and the Intel Core i9-14900KF at 0.8% delta. Neither chip is operating in a vacuum; both are tightly grouped with their peers.

For a desktop user who wants the fastest possible response in everyday applications, gaming, or single-threaded productivity, the Intel part is the one the data supports. For a server administrator running virtual machines, databases, or high-throughput integer workloads with massive memory needs, the AMD part offers capabilities the Intel chip simply does not have, particularly in memory bandwidth and PCIe lane count. The choice is not about which is "better" in an absolute sense; it is about which architecture matches the workload.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has higher single-thread performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus. In PassMark single-thread, it scores 4823 versus AMD's 2400, a 101% advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 7303 versus 6076, a 20.2% lead.

Q: Does the AMD EPYC 7413 win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins 4 of 17 comparisons. The most significant wins are PassMark physics (4708 versus 3315, a 29.6% lead) and PassMark integer math (215629 versus 166194, a 22.9% lead). It also wins data compression and random string sorting by narrow margins.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: Both have 24 physical cores. Intel supports 24 threads (no SMT), while AMD supports 48 threads (SMT enabled). This gives AMD the ability to handle more concurrent threads, but each Intel thread runs at a higher clock speed.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: Intel uses dual-channel DDR5 with 115.2 GB/s theoretical bandwidth. AMD uses eight-channel DDR4 with 204.8 GB/s theoretical bandwidth. AMD's memory bandwidth is 78% higher.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: Intel's average benchmark score is 84003, compared to AMD's 80041. Intel also holds a 96th percentile rank versus AMD's 95th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: Does the Intel processor have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. The AMD EPYC 7413 has no integrated graphics.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus wins in: single-threaded workloads, floating point math, data encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, and every Cinebench test. The 101% single-thread advantage makes it the obvious pick for desktop responsiveness, legacy software that does not scale across cores, and any application where clock speed is king. The 80.7% lead in floating point math makes it suited for scientific computing, financial modeling, and 3D rendering tasks that rely on FPU throughput. The 5.80 GHz boost clock versus 3.60 GHz is the underlying reason for these wins.

AMD EPYC 7413 wins in: physics simulation, integer math, data compression, and random string sorting. The 29.6% physics win suggests a strong FPU for certain simulation workloads, while the 22.9% integer math win points to database, file server, and general server-side processing tasks. The 128 MB of L3 cache and 204.8 GB/s memory bandwidth give it an edge in workloads that repeatedly access large datasets. The 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes allow for massive expansion: many NVMe drives, GPU accelerators, or network cards. The 48 threads enable more concurrent virtual machines or containers on a single socket.

The split is clean: Intel for the desktop, AMD for the rack. The data shows Intel winning the aggregate average score, but AMD winning the server-relevant metrics of memory bandwidth, PCIe capacity, and thread count. For a user who needs one fast CPU for interactive work, Intel is the choice. For a user who needs a single CPU to serve many users or many virtual machines, AMD's architecture is more appropriate. The PassMark multithread score, however, goes to Intel (60860 versus 50641, a 20.2% lead), which complicates the simple narrative: even in a multithreaded test, Intel's higher clocks and newer process node overcome AMD's thread advantage. The AMD chip's wins are narrower and more specialized, while Intel's wins are broader and often larger. The data does not suggest a clear overall loser, but it does suggest that the Intel part is the more balanced performer, while the AMD part is the more specialized one.