AMD EPYC 7473X vs Intel Xeon 6756E Comparison

The AMD EPYC 7473X and the Intel Xeon 6756E represent two very different approaches to server processing. The EPYC 7473X is a 24-core, 48-thread processor built on AMD’s Zen 3 architecture with a massive L3 cache, while the Xeon 6756E is a 128-core, 128-thread processor built on Intel’s Sierra Forest architecture. The recorded benchmark data shows a stark contrast in performance characteristics, with one processor dominating in single-threaded and multi-threaded Cinebench tests, while the other offers a different set of trade-offs. This analysis focuses strictly on the measured scores, architectural differences, and what those mean for specific workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite results are unambiguous. In every recorded test, the AMD EPYC 7473X outperforms the Intel Xeon 6756E by a substantial margin. The largest gap appears in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the EPYC scores 5,078 compared to the Xeon’s 980. This translates to a 418.2% advantage for the AMD part. The same pattern holds in single-core testing, with the EPYC 7473X scoring 716 against the Xeon’s 138, a 418.8% lead.

The results are nearly identical across the newer Cinebench versions. In Cinebench R20, the EPYC 7473X scores 21,162 in multi-core and 2,987 in single-core, while the Xeon 6756E manages only 4,085 and 576 respectively. That is a 418% advantage in multi-core and a 418.6% advantage in single-core. Cinebench R23 follows the same trend: the EPYC 7473X records 50,388 in multi-core and 7,113 in single-core, compared to the Xeon’s 9,728 and 1,373. The delta here is 418% for multi-core and 418.1% for single-core.

Out of six total head-to-head benchmark entries, the AMD EPYC 7473X wins all six. The Intel Xeon 6756E has no recorded wins in these tests. This is not a close contest. Every Cinebench test shows the EPYC 7473X scoring roughly five times higher than the Xeon 6756E, which indicates a fundamental per-core performance disparity rather than a minor tweak in clock speed or cache.

Notably, the Xeon 6756E has additional benchmark data from PassMark, but those results are not part of the head-to-head comparison. The PassMark scores for the Xeon 6756E include a multi-thread score of 11,445 and a single-thread score of 1,646. However, since the EPYC 7473X does not have corresponding PassMark scores in the database, these cannot be directly compared side-by-side. For the tests that do have shared data, the EPYC 7473X is the clear winner across the board.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded data, the AMD EPYC 7473X is the winner in every measured category. This includes both single-core and multi-core Cinebench tests. The EPYC 7473X achieves a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7,113, which is 418.1% higher than the Xeon’s 1,373. This suggests that the EPYC 7473X has far superior per-thread performance, likely due to its higher base and boost clocks. The EPYC 7473X runs at a base clock of 2.80 GHz and boosts to 3.70 GHz, while the Xeon 6756E operates at a base of 1.80 GHz and boosts to 2.60 GHz.

For multi-threaded workloads, the EPYC 7473X also leads. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 50,388 is 418% higher than the Xeon’s 9,728. This is surprising given that the Xeon 6756E has 128 cores and 128 threads, while the EPYC 7473X has only 24 cores and 48 threads. The EPYC’s advantage is so large that it overcomes the Xeon’s higher core count.

Where might the Intel Xeon 6756E have an advantage? The data shows that it has a significantly higher memory bandwidth, listed at 409.6 GB/s compared to the EPYC’s 204.8 GB/s. It also supports DDR5 memory, while the EPYC 7473X uses DDR4. The Xeon also has more PCIe lanes with Gen 5 support, offering 88 lanes compared to the EPYC’s 128 lanes of Gen 4. However, these advantages are not reflected in the Cinebench scores, which are the only head-to-head metrics available.

The Xeon 6756E also has a larger die size at 578 mm², compared to the EPYC’s 8x 81 mm² chiplets. The Xeon’s L3 cache is 96 MB shared, while the EPYC 7473X has a massive 768 MB shared L3 cache. The larger L3 cache on the EPYC likely contributes to its dominance in Cinebench, which is a rendering workload that benefits from large caches to store working sets.

For workloads outside Cinebench, the Xeon 6756E has PassMark data. Its data compression score is 123,443, and its float-point math score is 22,451. Integer math scores 30,806, and extended instructions score 6,596. These are not directly comparable to the EPYC 7473X since no such data exists, but they show that the Xeon 6756E can handle certain tasks. Still, in the measured head-to-head, the EPYC 7473X wins every test.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural lineages. The AMD EPYC 7473X is based on Zen 3, codenamed Milan-X, and is part of the EPYC 7003 series. It was released in March 2022 and uses a 7 nm process from TSMC. The processor is built with 33,200 million transistors and consists of eight chiplets, each measuring 81 mm² in die size. It fits into AMD Socket SP3.

The Intel Xeon 6756E is based on Sierra Forest, part of the Xeon 6 generation. It was released in June 2024, which is over two years later than the EPYC. It uses a 5 nm process fabricated by Intel. The die size is 578 mm², which is a single large die rather than multiple chiplets. The socket is Intel Socket 4710.

The core counts differ drastically. The EPYC 7473X has 24 cores and 48 threads, meaning it supports simultaneous multithreading. The Xeon 6756E has 128 cores and 128 threads, with no hyperthreading. This means each core on the Xeon handles a single thread only. The EPYC’s base clock is 2.80 GHz and boost is 3.70 GHz, while the Xeon’s base is 1.80 GHz and boost is 2.60 GHz. Lower clocks on the Xeon likely contribute to its lower single-core scores.

Cache hierarchy is another major difference. The EPYC 7473X has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and an enormous 768 MB of shared L3 cache. The Xeon 6756E has 96 KB of L1 per core, 4 MB of L2 per module, and 96 MB of shared L3 cache. The EPYC’s L3 cache is eight times larger, which is critical for workloads that fit within that cache. The Xeon’s L2 cache is larger per module, but the total L3 is much smaller.

Memory support also differs. The EPYC 7473X supports DDR4 memory with an eight-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s. The Xeon 6756E supports DDR5 memory with an eight-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s. The Xeon has double the memory bandwidth and newer memory technology, which could be beneficial for memory-bound tasks.

PCIe connectivity: the EPYC 7473X offers Gen 4 with 128 lanes (CPU only), while the Xeon 6756E offers Gen 5 with 88 lanes. The EPYC has more lanes, but the Xeon has faster lanes per lane. Both support ECC memory, which is standard for server processors.

Power consumption is listed as 240 watts TDP for the EPYC and 225 watts for the Xeon. The EPYC consumes slightly more power but delivers far higher performance in Cinebench. The Xeon’s lower TDP is noteworthy, though.

Production status is active for both. The EPYC 7473X has a launch MSRP of $3900, while the Xeon 6756E has a launch MSRP of $8428. The EPYC is significantly cheaper, but the Xeon offers more cores and more memory bandwidth.

FAQ

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

The AMD EPYC 7473X has a much higher single-core score of 7,113, compared to the Intel Xeon 6756E’s 1,373. This is a 418.1% difference in favor of the EPYC.

Q: Does the Intel Xeon 6756E have more cores than the AMD EPYC 7473X?

Yes, the Xeon 6756E has 128 cores and 128 threads, while the EPYC 7473X has 24 cores and 48 threads. However, in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the EPYC scores 50,388 versus 9,728 for the Xeon.

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

The Intel Xeon 6756E supports eight-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s. The AMD EPYC 7473X supports eight-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

The AMD EPYC 7473X has a shared L3 cache of 768 MB, while the Intel Xeon 6756E has a shared L3 cache of 96 MB. This is a major difference in cache capacity.

Q: What are the release dates for these processors?

The AMD EPYC 7473X was released on March 21, 2022, and the Intel Xeon 6756E was released on June 2, 2024. The EPYC is over two years older.

Q: How do the TDP figures compare?

The AMD EPYC 7473X has a TDP of 240 watts, and the Intel Xeon 6756E has a TDP of 225 watts. The Xeon consumes 15 watts less, but the EPYC delivers higher benchmark scores.

The Verdict

The database is clear: the AMD EPYC 7473X is the stronger processor by virtually every measured metric. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, both multi-core and single-core, the EPYC 7473X outperforms the Intel Xeon 6756E by approximately 418%. This is an enormous gap, and it is consistent across all tests. The EPYC’s 24 cores and 48 threads are more effective than the Xeon’s 128 cores and 128 threads in these workloads, thanks to higher clocks and a far larger L3 cache.

The Intel Xeon 6756E is not without merit. It has double the memory bandwidth (409.6 GB/s versus 204.8 GB/s) and supports DDR5, which is newer and faster. It also has a lower TDP (225 watts versus 240 watts) and a larger die size (578 mm² versus 8x 81 mm²). Its 128 cores could be valuable for workloads that scale linearly with core count, such as certain data compression tasks. The PassMark data shows a data compression score of 123,443 for the Xeon, which suggests strong performance in that area.

However, based on the head-to-head Cinebench data, the EPYC 7473X is the clear winner. The percentile ranking also supports this: the EPYC 7473X is in the 69th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Xeon 6756E is in the 68th percentile. These are very close percentile ranks, but the average benchmark scores show the EPYC at 14,574 and the Xeon at 14,163.

For users who prioritize raw Cinebench rendering performance, the AMD EPYC 7473X is the choice. For users who need maximum core counts and memory bandwidth, the Intel Xeon 6756E might be worth considering, but the recorded data does not show a single benchmark where it wins. The EPYC 7473X is the stronger processor according to the database.