CPU Comparison

The AMD EPYC 7451 and AMD EPYC 7F32 are both server-class processors built for the SP3 socket, but they represent two very different generations of AMD’s EPYC lineage. The 7451 is a 24-core Naples part from the first-generation Zen architecture, while the 7F32 is an 8-core Rome chip built on Zen 2. Benchmark results show a consistent, though narrow, advantage for the older 24-core part across every tested workload, despite the 7F32’s newer design and much higher clock speeds.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data is unambiguous: the EPYC 7451 wins all six Cinebench comparisons, but by a surprisingly slim margin given the core count disparity. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the 7451 scores 2061 against the 7F32’s 1987, a 3.7% lead. The single-core R15 result is closer in percentage terms, with the 7451 at 290 versus 280 for the 7F32, a 3.6% edge. This pattern repeats in R20, where the 7451 posts 8589 multicore and 1212 single-core, compared to 8281 and 1168 for the 7F32, deltas of 3.7% and 3.8%, respectively.

The R23 results follow the same script. The 7451 delivers 20450 multicore and 2887 single-core, while the 7F32 manages 19718 and 2783, again a 3.7% gap in both tests. Across all six benchmarks, the 7451’s advantage ranges from 3.6% to 3.8%, with no single test showing a larger or smaller delta. This consistency suggests the 7451’s 24-core/48-thread configuration provides a fundamental throughput advantage that the 7F32’s higher clocks cannot fully offset, even though the 7F32 runs at 3.70 GHz base and 3.90 GHz boost versus the 7451’s 2.30 GHz base and 3.20 GHz boost.

Context from the nearest-rival data reinforces where these chips sit. The 7451’s average benchmark score is 5915, which places it essentially level with the Intel Core i9-9920X at 5917 (0% delta) and just 1.2% behind the Intel Xeon W-2170B at 5985. It also edges out the AMD EPYC 7401P by 1.7% and the Intel Xeon E-2388G by 1.9%. The 7F32’s average score of 5703 puts it in a slightly lower tier, trailing the AMD EPYC 7351 by 0.1%, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X by 0.5%, and the Intel Xeon W-2175 by 1.2%, while leading the Intel Core i9-7920X by 0.5%. Both CPUs land at the 61st percentile among all tested processors, indicating they occupy similar overall performance tiers despite the head-to-head results favoring the 7451.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from entirely different architectural eras. The EPYC 7451 uses the original Zen architecture with the codename Naples, built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It integrates 4,800 million transistors on a 213 mm² die. The EPYC 7F32, by contrast, uses Zen 2 with the codename Rome, manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It packs 15,200 million transistors across four 74 mm² dies, a chiplet design that is fundamentally different from the monolithic Naples die.

Cache configurations diverge sharply. The 7451 offers 96 KB of L1 per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, with a shared 64 MB L3 cache. The 7F32 has a smaller 64 KB L1 per core but the same 512 KB L2 per core, and its L3 is organized as 32 MB per die, totaling 128 MB across the four dies. This means the 7F32 has double the total L3 capacity, which partly compensates for its lower core count in cache-sensitive workloads.

Memory support is similar in breadth but different in bandwidth. Both support DDR4 with eight-channel memory buses and ECC. However, the 7F32 achieves 204.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth versus the 7451’s 170.6 GB/s, a 20% improvement that reflects the newer memory controller design. PCIe capabilities also differ: the 7451 uses Gen 3, while the 7F32 supports Gen 4 with 128 lanes from the CPU alone.

The 7F32 is a higher-clocked part by a wide margin, with a 3.70 GHz base and 3.90 GHz boost compared to the 7451’s 2.30 GHz base and 3.20 GHz boost. Both carry a 180 W TDP, meaning the 7F32 delivers far more performance per watt per core, but the 7451 leverages its extra 16 cores to win overall throughput. The 7451 has an unlocked multiplier, while the 7F32 does not, and the 7F32 carries a launch MSRP of $2100.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD EPYC 7451 has 24 cores and 48 threads, while the AMD EPYC 7F32 has 8 cores and 16 threads. The 7451 offers triple the cores and threads of the 7F32.

Q: Why does the 24-core 7451 only beat the 8-core 7F32 by about 3.7% in multicore tests?

A: The 7F32 compensates for its lower core count with substantially higher clock speeds, 3.70 GHz base and 3.90 GHz boost versus 2.30 GHz and 3.20 GHz for the 7451. The 7F32 also has a newer Zen 2 architecture, a 7 nm process, and 128 MB of total L3 cache, all of which narrow the multicore gap to the observed 3.7% range.

Q: How do the two chips compare in single-core performance?

A: The 7451 wins every single-core test by a margin of 3.6% to 3.8%. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 290 versus 280; in R20, 1212 versus 1168; and in R23, 2887 versus 2783. Despite the 7F32’s higher clocks, the 7451’s older architecture posts higher single-thread scores in this benchmark suite.

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

A: The 7F32 provides 204.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the 7451 provides 170.6 GB/s. Both use eight-channel DDR4 with ECC support, but the 7F32’s newer memory controller delivers a 20% bandwidth advantage.

Q: Do both CPUs support the same PCIe generation?

A: No. The 7451 supports PCIe Gen 3, while the 7F32 supports PCIe Gen 4 with 128 lanes from the CPU only. This makes the 7F32 more suitable for workloads requiring newer, higher-bandwidth I/O.

Q: How does each chip compare to its nearest rivals in average score?

A: The 7451’s average score of 5915 is effectively tied with the Intel Core i9-9920X at 5917 and trails the Intel Xeon W-2170B by 1.2%. The 7F32’s average of 5703 is 0.1% behind the AMD EPYC 7351 and 0.5% behind the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X, while leading the Intel Core i9-7920X by 0.5%.

The Verdict

The data makes a clear case for the EPYC 7451 if raw Cinebench throughput is the priority. It wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, with margins ranging from 3.6% to 3.8%, and its average score of 5915 sits above the 7F32’s 5703. The 7451 also matches or beats a set of Intel rivals including the Core i9-9920X and Xeon W-2170B, while the 7F32 trails the EPYC 7351 and Threadripper 2920X in its own comparison group. For workloads that scale across many cores, the 7451’s 24-core/48-thread configuration is the stronger pick.

The 7F32 is not without merits, but they appear in different dimensions. It offers double the L3 cache at 128 MB versus 64 MB, a 20% memory bandwidth advantage at 204.8 GB/s versus 170.6 GB/s, and PCIe Gen 4 support versus Gen 3. Its 7 nm process and TSMC fabrication represent a newer manufacturing era, and its 3.90 GHz boost clock is far higher than the 7451’s 3.20 GHz. However, none of these advantages translate into a benchmark win in the Cinebench suite tested. The 7F32 also has a launch MSRP of $2100, which is a notable data point, but the benchmark results do not show a performance justification for choosing it over the 7451 in CPU-bound rendering tasks.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD EPYC 7451 | AMD EPYC 7F32 |

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

| Cores | 24 | 8 |

| Threads | 48 | 16 |

| Base Clock | 2.30 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.20 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| Architecture | Zen | Zen 2 |

| Codename | Naples | Rome |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 4,800 million | 15,200 million |

| Die Size | 213 mm² | 4x 74 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 96 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

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

| L3 Cache | 64 MB (shared) | 32 MB (per die), 128 MB total |

| Memory Bandwidth | 170.6 GB/s | 204.8 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3 | Gen 4, 128 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Launch MSRP | None | $2100 |

| Release Date | 2017-06-28 | 2020-04-13 |

| Part Number | PS7451BDVHCAF | 100-000000139 |