AMD EPYC 7443 vs AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data presents a clear and decisive split between these two AMD processors. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U wins none of the head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the AMD EPYC 7443 wins all four recorded tests. This is not a subtle distinction; the EPYC 7443 dominates every workload category where both chips were measured.

The Ryzen 5 5500U is a mobile processor designed for thin-and-light laptops. Its 15 W TDP and integrated Radeon Graphics with 448 stream processors point to a focus on balanced everyday computing rather than raw throughput. The benchmark suite includes 3DMark tests where the 5500U scores 3741 in the 16-thread test and 684 in single-thread, along with Geekbench scores of 4965 multi-core and 1292 single-core. It also shows PassMark results across integer math, floating point math, encryption, and compression workloads. These results indicate a capable processor for mainstream productivity, light content creation, and general multitasking.

The EPYC 7443, by contrast, is a server and workstation part. Its 24 cores, 48 threads, 200 W TDP, and eight-channel DDR4 memory support with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth are hallmarks of a processor built for heavy parallel workloads. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 48183 versus the 5500U's 7186 tells the story: the EPYC is engineered for sustained multi-threaded execution in data centers, virtualization, scientific computing, and other enterprise environments.

The use-case split is straightforward. If the workload is mobile computing, battery-conscious operation, and integrated graphics, the Ryzen 5 5500U is the relevant part. If the workload is server-side processing, high-core-count parallelism, or memory-bandwidth-intensive tasks, the EPYC 7443 is the clear choice. The data shows no overlap in their intended roles.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD EPYC 7443 scores 6802 in Cinebench R23 single-core, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U scores 1172. The EPYC 7443 leads by 82.8% in this test.

Q: How do the two processors compare in multi-threaded Cinebench R15?

A: The EPYC 7443 scores 4856 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, versus 1247 for the Ryzen 5 5500U. The EPYC 7443 is ahead by 74.3% in this benchmark.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500U supports dual-channel DDR4 with a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The EPYC 7443 supports eight-channel DDR4 with a memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The EPYC 7443 supports ECC memory, while the Ryzen 5 5500U does not.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500U has 6 cores and 12 threads. The EPYC 7443 has 24 cores and 48 threads.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500U includes Radeon Graphics with 448 stream processors. The EPYC 7443 has no integrated graphics.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark table contains four entries, and the EPYC 7443 wins all of them. The largest margin is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the EPYC 7443 scores 48183 against the 5500U's 7186, a delta of 85.1%. This is the most pronounced difference in the entire comparison, reflecting the massive core-count and cache advantages of the server processor.

Cinebench R23 single-core shows a similar pattern, though with a slightly smaller margin. The EPYC 7443 scores 6802, while the Ryzen 5 5500U scores 1172, a delta of 82.8%. This result is notable because single-threaded performance is often considered a mobile processor's strength. The EPYC 7443's Zen 3 architecture and higher base clock of 2.85 GHz versus 2.10 GHz for the 5500U contribute to this outcome.

Cinebench R15 multi-core and single-core follow the same trend. In R15 multi-core, the EPYC 7443 scores 4856 against 1247 for the 5500U, a delta of 74.3%. In R15 single-core, the EPYC 7443 scores 685 against 177 for the 5500U, a delta of 74.2%. Both deltas are nearly identical, suggesting that the performance gap is consistent across the two Cinebench generations.

The data shows that the EPYC 7443 does not merely win; it wins by overwhelming margins. Even in single-core tests, where one might expect a low-power mobile chip to be competitive, the server processor is roughly four times faster. The smallest delta in the head-to-head set is 74.2%, which still represents a dominant victory.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification category. The Ryzen 5 5500U has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the EPYC 7443 has 24 cores and 48 threads. Base clocks are 2.10 GHz for the 5500U and 2.85 GHz for the EPYC 7443, though both share the same 4.00 GHz boost clock.

The TDP figures could not be more different. The Ryzen 5 5500U is rated at 15 W, a typical mobile power envelope. The EPYC 7443 is rated at 200 W, reflecting its server-class design. The socket types also differ entirely: the 5500U uses AMD Socket FP6, while the EPYC 7443 uses AMD Socket SP3.

Memory support shows a major divergence. The 5500U uses dual-channel DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC support. The EPYC 7443 uses eight-channel DDR4 with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth and supports ECC memory. PCIe capabilities also differ, with the 5500U offering Gen 3 with 12 lanes, while the EPYC 7443 offers Gen 4 with 128 lanes.

The Ryzen 5 5500U includes integrated Radeon Graphics with 448 stream processors, whereas the EPYC 7443 has no integrated graphics. The market segments are likewise distinct: mobile for the 5500U, server and workstation for the EPYC 7443. The release dates are close, with the 5500U launching on 2021-01-11 and the EPYC 7443 on 2021-03-14. The EPYC 7443 has a launch MSRP of $2010.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two processors is substantial. The Ryzen 5 5500U is built on Zen 2 architecture with the codename Lucienne, while the EPYC 7443 uses Zen 3 architecture with the codename Milan. Both are manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC, but the similarities end there.

The transistor counts differ significantly. The Ryzen 5 5500U contains 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die. The EPYC 7443 contains 16,600 million transistors across four 81 mm² dies. This multi-die design is typical for server processors and explains the EPYC's ability to scale to 24 cores while maintaining high memory bandwidth.

Cache hierarchies show a clear difference. Both processors have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache, however, is where the gap widens: the 5500U has 8 MB shared L3 cache, while the EPYC 7443 has 128 MB shared L3 cache. This 16x difference in L3 capacity is a major factor in the EPYC's server workload performance, particularly for data-intensive applications that benefit from large on-chip caches.

The architecture differences also extend to feature support. ECC memory is present on the EPYC 7443 but absent on the 5500U. PCIe generation is newer on the server part, with Gen 4 support on the EPYC 7443 versus Gen 3 on the 5500U. The memory controller configuration is also different, with the EPYC 7443 supporting eight channels versus two channels on the 5500U.

The production status for both processors is active, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The part numbers differ, and the EPYC 7443 includes a WOF designation (without fan) in its part number, consistent with server processor packaging. The Ryzen 5 5500U's integrated graphics are a unique architectural feature not present on the EPYC 7443, reinforcing the mobile versus server design split.