AMD EPYC 7452 vs Intel Core i7-7700 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The data splits cleanly along workload lines. The AMD EPYC 7452 wins every recorded head-to-head benchmark, and the margins are decisive. The Intel Core i7-7700 does not win a single comparison among the six Cinebench tests, making the use-case split less about which processor is better and more about which is appropriate for the task.

The EPYC 7452 is the obvious choice for any multi-core workload. Its Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 3930 dwarfs the i7-7700's 740, and its R20 multi-core result of 16377 is more than five times the Intel part's 3084. The R23 multi-core run shows the same story: 38993 versus 7344. These are not close calls, they are category-defining differences. The EPYC's 32 cores and 64 threads simply overwhelm the i7-7700's 4 cores and 8 threads in heavily parallelized rendering tasks.

Surprisingly, the EPYC 7452 also wins the single-core tests. The Intel chip runs at a higher base clock (3.60 GHz versus 2.20 GHz) and a higher boost clock (4.20 GHz versus 3.35 GHz), yet it still loses every single-threaded Cinebench test. The EPYC's R15 single-core score of 554 beats the i7-7700's 104, its R20 score of 2312 beats 435, and its R23 score of 5505 beats 1036. The delta is consistently 81.2% in the EPYC's favor across every Cinebench test, which suggests the Zen 2 architecture's per-core efficiency overcomes the raw clock disadvantage.

For a desktop user running everyday applications, the Intel part is not a disaster, but it is clearly a legacy design. The i7-7700's percentile rank of 67 among all CPUs in the database places it in the upper third of tested processors, and its average benchmark score of 11914 is actually slightly higher than the EPYC 7452's 11279. That average includes PassMark tests where the Intel chip has recorded data and the EPYC does not, so the aggregate comparison flatters the smaller processor.

The EPYC 7452 sits at the 66th percentile, which is a reminder that percentile ranks reflect the entire database population, not just this pairing. The EPYC's enormous multi-core scores are offset by the fact that it is competing in a database full of high-end server parts, while the i7-7700 benefits from being compared against a wider field that includes many weaker desktop chips.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. Intel's Core i7-7700 is built on the Kaby Lake architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process at Intel's own foundries. It is a desktop part with 4 cores, 8 threads, a 65 W TDP, and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The cache layout is modest: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. Memory support is dual-channel DDR4 with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, and ECC is not supported. The chip carries Intel HD 630 integrated graphics and 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU.

AMD's EPYC 7452 is a server/workstation processor from the EPYC 7002 series, codenamed Rome. It uses the Zen 2 architecture on a 7 nm process fabricated by TSMC. The chip has 32 cores and 64 threads, a 155 W TDP, and lower clocks: 2.20 GHz base and 3.35 GHz boost. The cache hierarchy is substantially larger, with 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a massive 128 MB of shared L3. It supports eight-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s, and ECC is supported. There is no integrated graphics, and the PCIe interface is Gen 4. The EPYC's transistor count is listed at 3,800 million with a die size of 74 mm².

The process node difference is significant. The 7 nm TSMC process gives the EPYC a density advantage that Intel's 14 nm Kaby Lake cannot match, and the Zen 2 microarchitecture extracts more performance per clock than the older Kaby Lake design. The EPYC also has a massive memory bandwidth advantage, with 204.8 GB/s versus 38.4 GB/s, which matters for data-heavy server workloads.

The i7-7700 is locked (multiplier not unlocked), uses Socket 1151, and was released in January 2017. The EPYC 7452 uses Socket SP3, was released in August 2019, and is also locked. Both parts are still listed as active in production, which is notable for the Intel part given its age.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data contains six Cinebench tests, and the EPYC 7452 wins all six with an identical delta of 81.2% in its favor. The consistency of that margin across both single-core and multi-core tests is striking.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the EPYC scores 3930 against the i7-7700's 740. That is an 81.2% deficit for the Intel chip, meaning the EPYC delivers roughly five times the multi-threaded rendering performance. The R20 multi-core test shows 16377 versus 3084, and R23 multi-core shows 38993 versus 7344. The multi-core gap does not narrow as the workload gets heavier, it stays proportionally identical.

The single-core results are more surprising. Cinebench R15 single-core has the EPYC at 554 and the i7-7700 at 104. R20 single-core is 2312 versus 435, and R23 single-core is 5505 versus 1036. The Intel chip's higher clocks do not translate into a win, and the 81.2% margin appears again. This indicates that the Zen 2 core is substantially stronger per clock, and the EPYC's lower boost frequency is not a handicap in these tests.

The database's nearest rival comparisons put these numbers in context. The i7-7700's average benchmark score of 11914 places it within 0.9% of the Intel Xeon Gold 6314U (12026) and within 0.7% of the AMD Ryzen 5 3500X (12000). It is essentially tied with the AMD EPYC 7453, which scores 11912 with a delta of 0%. The EPYC 7452's average score of 11279 is a near tie with the Intel Core i5-1145G7 (11279, 0% delta) and within 0.7% of the Intel Core i3-1305U (11200). It sits 0.3% behind the AMD EPYC 7402 (11312) and 0.5% behind the AMD EPYC 73F3 (11334).

These rival comparisons show that the i7-7700's average score is actually higher than the EPYC 7452's, despite losing every head-to-head Cinebench test. The explanation is the benchmark mix. The i7-7700 has PassMark results for data compression, encryption, extended instructions, prime numbers, floating point math, integer math, multithread, physics, random string sorting, and single-thread tests. The EPYC 7452 has only Cinebench results in the database. Averaging a wider set of tests against a narrow Cinebench-only set inflates the Intel part's aggregate position.

The Verdict

The data does not leave much room for interpretation. The AMD EPYC 7452 is the superior processor in every measured Cinebench test, with an identical 81.2% advantage across all six benchmarks. It has 32 cores versus 4, 64 threads versus 8, eight-channel memory versus dual-channel, ECC support versus none, PCIe Gen 4 versus Gen 3, and a larger cache hierarchy. The EPYC is designed for server and workstation loads, and the benchmarks reflect that.

The Intel Core i7-7700 is a desktop processor from 2017. It has a higher clock speed, a lower TDP of 65 W versus 155 W, integrated graphics, and a much smaller physical footprint in terms of core count. Its average benchmark score is higher in the database because it has more recorded tests, but that is a data artifact, not a performance advantage. Users choosing between these two parts should base the decision on the workload. For multi-core rendering, virtualization, database work, or any heavily threaded server task, the EPYC 7452 is the only rational pick. For a legacy desktop build where integrated graphics matter, the i7-7700 has a role, but it is not a competitive one against a 32-core EPYC.

The verdict is straightforward: if the workload is multi-threaded, the EPYC 7452 wins by a landslide. If the workload is single-threaded, the EPYC still wins, which removes the i7-7700's main argument. The Intel chip's higher clocks do not overcome the Zen 2 architecture's efficiency.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores?

A: The AMD EPYC 7452 has 32 cores and 64 threads, while the Intel Core i7-7700 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-7700 win any benchmark?

A: No. In the recorded head-to-head Cinebench tests, the AMD EPYC 7452 wins all six, with an 81.2% delta in each.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD EPYC 7452 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-7700 does not.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD EPYC 7452 has 204.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth with an eight-channel bus. The Intel Core i7-7700 has 38.4 GB/s with a dual-channel bus.

Q: Which CPU has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i7-7700 has HD 630 integrated graphics. The AMD EPYC 7452 has no integrated graphics.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i7-7700 has an average benchmark score of 11914, and the AMD EPYC 7452 has an average of 11279. The i7-7700's score is higher because it has more recorded benchmark tests, not because it performs better in the shared Cinebench tests.