AMD EPYC 7443 vs AMD EPYC 7552 Comparison
AMD EPYC 7443
EPYC 7552
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: AMD EPYC 7443 vs AMD EPYC 7552
The AMD EPYC 7552 and AMD EPYC 7443 are both 200 W server processors on the AMD Socket SP3 platform, but benchmark results reveal a clear, consistent winner across every tested workload. The EPYC 7552, a 48-core Zen 2 Rome part, outperforms the 24-core Zen 3 Milan EPYC 7443 in all six Cinebench tests, with a uniform delta of 1.3% in its favor. Despite having half the cores, the EPYC 7443’s higher boost clock and newer architecture nearly close the gap, but the data does not show a single benchmark where the EPYC 7443 comes out ahead. For workloads that scale across cores, the EPYC 7552 is the definitive choice; for single-threaded tasks, the EPYC 7443 is competitive but still trails by the same 1.3% margin.
The Verdict
The data is unambiguous: choose the AMD EPYC 7552. It wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, capturing a 1.3% lead in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, in both multi-core and single-core tests. The EPYC 7443, despite its architectural advantages, never posts a higher score. The EPYC 7552’s 48 cores and 96 threads provide a substantial core-count advantage that the EPYC 7443’s 24 cores and 48 threads cannot overcome, even with a higher boost clock. The average benchmark score reinforces this: the EPYC 7552 averages 14115, while the EPYC 7443 averages 13936, a difference of roughly 1.3%. Both CPUs sit at the 68th percentile among all CPUs, but the EPYC 7552’s nearest rival is the Intel Xeon 6756E (delta -0.3%), showing it is a top-tier performer in its class. The EPYC 7443, by contrast, sits near the Intel Core i5-10400 (delta -0.7%) in the aggregate rankings, a surprising position for a server chip. If you prioritize raw multi-threaded throughput, the EPYC 7552 is the only rational pick, as it delivers more cores and higher scores across the board.
Architecture Differences
The two processors represent different generations of AMD’s EPYC line. The EPYC 7552 is part of the EPYC 7002 series, built on the Zen 2 architecture with the codename Rome, while the EPYC 7443 belongs to the EPYC 7003 series, using the Zen 3 architecture with the codename Milan. Both are fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC, but the transistor counts differ dramatically: the EPYC 7552 has 3,800 million transistors on a 74 mm² die, whereas the EPYC 7443 packs 16,600 million transistors across four 81 mm² dies. This reflects Zen 3’s more complex design, which integrates more transistors per core. The cache hierarchies also differ: the EPYC 7552 offers 96 KB of L1 cache per core and a massive 192 MB of shared L3 cache, while the EPYC 7443 has a smaller 64 KB L1 per core and 128 MB of shared L3. Both feature 512 KB of L2 cache per core. Clock speeds favor the EPYC 7443, with a base clock of 2.85 GHz and boost clock of 4.00 GHz, compared to the EPYC 7552’s 2.20 GHz base and 3.30 GHz boost. Memory support is identical: both use DDR4 with an eight-channel memory bus and 204.8 GB/s bandwidth, and both support ECC memory. PCIe capabilities match as well, with Gen 4 and 128 lanes (CPU only). The EPYC 7443’s higher clocks and newer architecture are its key advantages, but the EPYC 7552 counters with double the cores and 50% more L3 cache.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The head-to-head results are remarkably consistent. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the EPYC 7552 scores 4919 against the EPYC 7443’s 4856, a 1.3% win. The single-core R15 test shows a similar pattern: 694 for the EPYC 7552 versus 685 for the EPYC 7443, again a 1.3% margin. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core scores are 20496 for the EPYC 7552 and 20236 for the EPYC 7443, with the same 1.3% delta. Single-core R20 yields 2893 versus 2856, once more a 1.3% lead for the EPYC 7552. In the most demanding test, Cinebench R23 multi-core, the EPYC 7552 posts 48801, while the EPYC 7443 reaches 48183, a 1.3% difference. The single-core R23 test closes the gap slightly in absolute terms: 6889 versus 6802, but the delta remains 1.3%. Across all six tests, the EPYC 7552 wins by exactly 1.3%, indicating that the performance advantage is consistent regardless of workload type. This uniformity suggests that the EPYC 7552’s core-count advantage is the dominant factor, as the EPYC 7443’s higher clock speeds (4.00 GHz boost versus 3.30 GHz) are not enough to flip even a single test. The margin is narrow in absolute points — just 63 points in R15 multi-core and 618 points in R23 multi-core — but it is a win nonetheless, and the data shows no scenario where the EPYC 7443 pulls ahead.
FAQ
Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?
A: The AMD EPYC 7552 has 48 cores and 96 threads, while the AMD EPYC 7443 has 24 cores and 48 threads.
Q: Does the EPYC 7443 ever outperform the EPYC 7552 in benchmarks?
A: No. In all six head-to-head Cinebench tests (R15, R20, R23, multi-core and single-core), the EPYC 7552 wins with a 1.3% delta in each case.
Q: What are the clock speed differences between the two?
A: The EPYC 7443 has a base clock of 2.85 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, while the EPYC 7552 has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.30 GHz.
Q: How do their L3 cache sizes compare?
A: The EPYC 7552 has 192 MB of shared L3 cache, whereas the EPYC 7443 has 128 MB of shared L3 cache.
Q: Are both processors on the same socket and process node?
A: Yes, both use AMD Socket SP3 and are fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC.
Q: What is the average benchmark score for each?
A: The EPYC 7552 has an average benchmark score of 14115, and the EPYC 7443 has an average of 13936, a difference of about 1.3%.
Where Each One Wins
The EPYC 7552 wins every benchmark, so the choice is clear for most workloads. Its 48 cores and 96 threads make it superior for multi-threaded applications like Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 48801 versus 48183. The larger 192 MB L3 cache also benefits data-heavy workloads that can utilize the extra cache capacity. The EPYC 7552’s nearest rival is the Intel Xeon 6756E (delta -0.3%), placing it in strong company for server-tier performance. The EPYC 7443, while losing all tests, is not without merit. Its higher boost clock (4.00 GHz versus 3.30 GHz) and newer Zen 3 architecture make it a more efficient per-core performer, as evidenced by the narrow 1.3% gaps despite having half the cores. In single-threaded tasks, the EPYC 7443 comes close, scoring 6802 in R23 single-core versus 6889 for the EPYC 7552. For workloads that are lightly threaded or where per-core performance is more critical than raw core count, the EPYC 7443 is a viable alternative, though it still loses on paper. The EPYC 7443’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-8750H (delta 0.5%), which is a mobile chip, highlighting that the EPYC 7443’s aggregate performance is more modest. Ultimately, the EPYC 7552 is the winner for any workload that scales with cores or benefits from large cache, while the EPYC 7443 is only a reasonable pick for scenarios where the higher clock speed might reduce latency in specific single-threaded applications, despite losing the benchmark.
Specification Differences
The two CPUs differ in several key specifications. Core and thread counts are the most significant: the EPYC 7552 offers 48 cores and 96 threads, while the EPYC 7443 offers 24 cores and 48 threads. Clock speeds differ, with the EPYC 7443 having a higher base clock (2.85 GHz versus 2.20 GHz) and boost clock (4.00 GHz versus 3.30 GHz). The architecture generation and codename differ, with the EPYC 7552 using Zen 2 (Rome) and the EPYC 7443 using Zen 3 (Milan). Transistor count and die size also vary: the EPYC 7552 has 3,800 million transistors on a 74 mm² die, while the EPYC 7443 has 16,600 million transistors across four 81 mm² dies. Cache specifications differ in L1 and L3: the EPYC 7552 has 96 KB of L1 per core and 192 MB of L3, while the EPYC 7443 has 64 KB of L1 per core and 128 MB of L3. Both have 512 KB of L2 per core. The release dates differ, with the EPYC 7552 launching in 2019-08-06 and the EPYC 7443 in 2021-03-14. The launch MSRP differs, with the EPYC 7552 at $4025 and the EPYC 7443 at $2010. The part numbers also differ, with the EPYC 7552 using 100-000000076 and the EPYC 7443 using 100-000000340100-100000340WOF. All other specifications — socket, process node, foundry, memory support, memory bus, memory bandwidth, ECC support, PCIe lanes, integrated graphics (none), market segment, production status, and unlocked multiplier (false for both) — are identical between the two.