AMD EPYC 74F3 vs AMD Ryzen 5 3501U Comparison

The Verdict

The AMD EPYC 74F3 and AMD Ryzen 5 3501U occupy entirely different corners of the processor market, and the data reflects that separation clearly. The EPYC 74F3 is a server-grade Zen 3 part with 24 cores and 48 threads, built for sustained multi-threaded workloads, while the Ryzen 5 3501U is a 4-core, 4-thread mobile chip from the older Zen+ architecture. The benchmark records show the EPYC 74F3 dominating in every measured compute metric, but that does not make the Ryzen 5 3501U irrelevant. The Ryzen 5 3501U integrates Radeon Vega 8 graphics, a feature the EPYC 74F3 lacks entirely, which makes it the sensible choice for compact, power-conscious systems that need display output without a discrete GPU. The EPYC 74F3 targets servers and workstations with its 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes and eight-channel DDR4 memory, while the Ryzen 5 3501U targets mobile platforms with a 15 W envelope and dual-channel memory. For anyone building a high-throughput compute node, the EPYC 74F3 is the obvious pick. For a thin-and-light laptop or an embedded-style build, the Ryzen 5 3501U is the only realistic option between these two. The verdict is not about which is "better" in absolute terms; it is about matching the silicon to the workload and platform constraints.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD EPYC 74F3 has 24 cores and 48 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The EPYC 74F3 supports ECC memory, while the Ryzen 5 3501U does not list ECC support in its specifications.

Q: Which chip includes integrated graphics?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U includes integrated graphics, specifically Radeon Vega 8. The EPYC 74F3 has no integrated graphics listed.

Q: How do their memory buses differ?

A: The EPYC 74F3 uses an eight-channel memory bus with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth. The Ryzen 5 3501U uses a dual-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What is the process node difference?

A: The EPYC 74F3 is built on TSMC's 7 nm process, while the Ryzen 5 3501U uses GlobalFoundries' 12 nm process.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The EPYC 74F3 boosts to 4.00 GHz, which is higher than the Ryzen 5 3501U's 3.70 GHz boost clock.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two parts is substantial. The EPYC 74F3 uses the Zen 3 architecture under the Milan codename, while the Ryzen 5 3501U is based on the older Zen+ architecture with the Picasso codename. The EPYC 74F3 is manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC, whereas the Ryzen 5 3501U is built on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The transistor counts reflect the scale difference: the EPYC 74F3 packs 33,200 million transistors across a 4x 81 mm² die configuration, while the Ryzen 5 3501U contains 4,940 million transistors on a single 210 mm² die.

Cache hierarchies also diverge sharply. The EPYC 74F3 provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a massive 256 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ryzen 5 3501U offers 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, but only 4 MB of shared L3. The 256 MB L3 on the EPYC 74F3 is a defining feature for server workloads, enabling large working sets to stay on-die. The Ryzen 5 3501U's smaller cache is typical for a mobile part with a 15 W power target. The EPYC 74F3 also supports PCIe Gen 4 with 128 lanes (CPU only), while the Ryzen 5 3501U is limited to PCIe Gen 3. The EPYC 74F3's market segment is Server/Workstation, and its socket is AMD Socket SP3, while the Ryzen 5 3501U is a Mobile segment part on AMD Socket FP5.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every specification field in the database. The EPYC 74F3 has 24 cores and 48 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks are 2.80 GHz for the EPYC 74F3 and 2.10 GHz for the Ryzen 5 3501U; boost clocks are 4.00 GHz versus 3.70 GHz. Thermal design power is a major separator: the EPYC 74F3 is rated at 240 W, while the Ryzen 5 3501U is rated at just 15 W. The EPYC 74F3 uses eight-channel DDR4 memory with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the Ryzen 5 3501U uses dual-channel DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The EPYC 74F3 supports ECC memory; the Ryzen 5 3501U does not. PCIe support differs as well: the EPYC 74F3 offers Gen 4 with 128 lanes (CPU only), while the Ryzen 5 3501U offers Gen 3 without a lane count specified in the records. The EPYC 74F3 has no integrated graphics, whereas the Ryzen 5 3501U includes Radeon Vega 8. The EPYC 74F3's release date is recorded as 2021-03-14, while the Ryzen 5 3501U's release date is recorded as 2026-05-31. The EPYC 74F3 has a launch MSRP of $2900, while the Ryzen 5 3501U has no launch MSRP listed. The EPYC 74F3's part number is 100-000000317100-100000317WOF, and the Ryzen 5 3501U's part number is YM3501C4T4MFG. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database does not include direct head-to-head benchmark results between the EPYC 74F3 and the Ryzen 5 3501U, so the comparison relies on their individual benchmark records and average scores. The EPYC 74F3's average benchmark score is 14915, while the Ryzen 5 3501U's average is 14320. That puts the EPYC 74F3 roughly 4% ahead on average, a modest margin that reflects the different benchmark suites recorded for each chip. The EPYC 74F3's scores come from Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests, while the Ryzen 5 3501U's scores come from PassMark tests covering data compression, encryption, integer math, and other workloads.

In Cinebench R23, the EPYC 74F3 scores 51566 in multicore and 7279 in single-core. In Cinebench R20, it scores 21657 multicore and 3057 single-core, and in Cinebench R15, it scores 5197 multicore and 733 single-core. These numbers show a processor with enormous multi-threaded throughput, consistent with its 48 threads and 256 MB L3 cache. The Ryzen 5 3501U, by contrast, scores 7071 in PassMark multithread and 2136 in PassMark single-thread. Its best PassMark results include 87380 in data compression, 26321 in integer math, 12707 in floating-point math, 10414 in random string sorting, 5580 in data encryption, 3274 in extended instructions, and 483 in physics. The Ryzen 5 3501U also records a score of 21 in find prime numbers, a weak result that underscores its limited integer-heavy compute capability compared to the EPYC 74F3.

Both processors sit at the 69th percentile among all CPUs in the database, which is a striking result given their different market positions. The EPYC 74F3's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-9750H with an average score of 14886 and a delta of 0.2%, the Intel Core i3-10320 at 14852 with a delta of 0.4%, the Intel Core i3-1315U at 15022 with a delta of -0.7%, and the AMD EPYC 7702P at 15130 with a delta of -1.4%. The Ryzen 5 3501U's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 at 14336 with a delta of -0.1%, the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C at 14277 with a delta of 0.3%, the Intel Core 7 160UL at 14232 with a delta of 0.6%, and the Intel Core i5-10400F at 14185 with a delta of 1%. These rival comparisons show that the EPYC 74F3 trades blows with mobile and desktop parts in the database's average scoring, while the Ryzen 5 3501U sits close to embedded and low-power chips.

The real story in the benchmark data is not the average score gap but the workload profile. The EPYC 74F3's Cinebench results, particularly the R23 multicore score of 51566, demonstrate extreme sustained multi-threaded performance. The Ryzen 5 3501U's PassMark scores show a more balanced but far less capable compute profile, with data compression being its strongest area at 87380. The EPYC 74F3's 240 W TDP and eight-channel memory support make it suitable for servers and workstations where throughput is paramount. The Ryzen 5 3501U's 15 W TDP, dual-channel memory, and integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics make it suitable for mobile devices where power efficiency and graphics output matter more than raw compute. The absence of direct head-to-head benchmark entries means the EPYC 74F3 and Ryzen 5 3501U are recorded as having zero wins each in the database, but the individual scores make the performance hierarchy clear: the EPYC 74F3 is the dominant compute part, while the Ryzen 5 3501U offers integrated graphics and a fraction of the power draw.