AMD EPYC 7501 vs Intel Core i9-10920X Comparison

Intel Core i9-10920X and AMD EPYC 7501 represent two very different interpretations of high-core-count computing, one aimed at desktop enthusiasts and the other at server workloads. Despite the EPYC 7501 offering more than double the core count, the benchmark data shows the Intel part winning every single head-to-head test, albeit by narrow margins. This creates an interesting dynamic where architectural efficiency and clock speed overcome raw core quantity in the tested workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head benchmark results are unambiguous: the Intel Core i9-10920X wins all six tested comparisons. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, both for single-core and multi-core tests, the Intel processor holds a consistent 3.2% to 3.3% advantage over the AMD EPYC 7501. The multi-core Cinebench R23 score of 21861 for the i9-10920X versus 21186 for the EPYC 7501 illustrates that the Intel part's 12 cores and 24 threads outperform the EPYC's 32 cores and 64 threads in this rendering workload.

The EPYC 7501 does not win any of the six benchmark comparisons. Its strength lies elsewhere, specifically in platform capabilities rather than raw Cinebench performance. The EPYC 7501 supports eight-channel DDR4 memory with a specified bandwidth of 170.6 GB/s, compared to the i9-10920X's quad-channel configuration. It also supports ECC memory, which the Intel part does not. For server deployments where memory capacity, bandwidth, and error correction are critical, the EPYC 7501's platform advantages are substantial, even if they do not translate into wins in the provided CPU benchmarks.

The average benchmark scores reflect this split: the i9-10920X achieves an average score of 6347 across all its benchmarks, while the EPYC 7501 averages 6128. The Intel part sits at the 62nd percentile among all CPUs, while the EPYC sits at the 61st percentile. These are nearly identical overall standings, reinforcing that the two processors are closely matched in aggregate performance despite their different architectures.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i9-10920X uses the Cascade Lake architecture, specifically Cascade Lake-X, built on Intel's 14 nm process node. It features 12 cores and 24 threads with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The EPYC 7501 uses AMD's Zen architecture, codenamed Naples, also built on a 14 nm process but manufactured by GlobalFoundries. It packs 32 cores and 64 threads, with a much lower base clock of 2000.00 MHz and a boost clock of 3.00 GHz.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. The i9-10920X has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 19.25 MB of shared L3 cache. The EPYC 7501 has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a much larger 64 MB of shared L3 cache. The EPYC's larger L3 cache is typical of server processors designed to handle large working sets, while the Intel part's smaller but faster per-core cache configuration aligns with desktop workloads that favor lower latency.

The physical attributes also diverge. The EPYC 7501 uses 4,800 million transistors on a 213 mm² die, while the Intel part's transistor count and die size are not specified in the data. The EPYC 7501 fits into AMD Socket SP3, while the i9-10920X uses Intel Socket 2066. Both support PCIe Gen 3, and both have unlocked multipliers. The TDPs are close: 165 watts for the Intel part and 170 watts for the AMD part, though the EPYC delivers double the core count within that similar power envelope.

Memory architecture is where the EPYC 7501 clearly differentiates itself. It supports eight-channel DDR4 with a specified memory bandwidth of 170.6 GB/s and ECC memory support. The i9-10920X supports quad-channel DDR4 without ECC. For memory-intensive server workloads, the EPYC's memory subsystem is a significant advantage. The EPYC 7501 was released on 2017-06-28, while the i9-10920X came later on 2019-10-18, and both remain in active production status.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the Intel Core i9-10920X is the faster processor for the tested Cinebench workloads. It wins every single-core and multi-core test, with a consistent 3.2% margin in multi-core and 3.3% in single-core tests. The i9-10920X achieves this with 12 cores and 24 threads, less than half the core count of the EPYC 7501, indicating that its higher clock speeds and per-core efficiency are decisive in these benchmarks.

The AMD EPYC 7501, however, targets a different segment. With 32 cores and 64 threads, eight-channel memory support, ECC capability, and 170.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth, it is designed for server and workstation deployments where these platform features matter more than single-threaded performance. The EPYC 7501's 64 MB of shared L3 cache also provides a substantial advantage for workloads that benefit from large on-die caching.

For a desktop user running Cinebench-style rendering workloads, the Intel Core i9-10920X is the clear choice. It offers superior performance in all tested metrics and does so with a lower TDP of 165 watts compared to the EPYC's 170 watts. For a server administrator building a system that requires ECC memory, maximum memory bandwidth, and massive core counts for parallel workloads, the EPYC 7501 is the appropriate selection, even though it loses the specific benchmarks tested here.

The percentile rankings underscore how close these processors are overall. The i9-10920X sits at the 62nd percentile versus the EPYC's 61st percentile, a negligible difference. The nearest rivals for the i9-10920X include the AMD EPYC 7551 with an average score of 6391 and a delta of -0.7%, and the Intel Core i7-12800HE with a score of 6467 and a delta of -1.9%. For the EPYC 7501, the closest competitor is the Intel Core i9-7940X with a score of 6147 and a delta of -0.3%. These narrow deltas across multiple processors confirm that both CPUs occupy a similar performance tier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The AMD EPYC 7501 has 32 cores and 64 threads, while the Intel Core i9-10920X has 12 cores and 24 threads.

Q: Does the Intel Core i9-10920X beat the AMD EPYC 7501 in any benchmark?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i9-10920X wins all six head-to-head benchmark tests, including all Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 single-core and multi-core tests.

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

A: The AMD EPYC 7501 has eight-channel DDR4 memory support with 170.6 GB/s of bandwidth, while the Intel Core i9-10920X has quad-channel DDR4 memory support with no bandwidth figure specified.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No, only the AMD EPYC 7501 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i9-10920X does not support ECC.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i9-10920X has an average benchmark score of 6347, while the AMD EPYC 7501 has an average score of 6128. The Intel part ranks at the 62nd percentile, and the AMD part ranks at the 61st percentile.

Q: Which processor was released earlier?

A: The AMD EPYC 7501 was released on 2017-06-28, while the Intel Core i9-10920X was released later on 2019-10-18.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant Intel win comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the i9-10920X scores 21861 against the EPYC 7501's 21186, a 3.2% difference. This is notable because the EPYC 7501 has 32 cores and 64 threads, making its multi-core performance advantage in core count entirely negated by the Intel part's architectural efficiency and higher clock speeds. The Intel part's boost clock of 4.80 GHz versus the EPYC's 3.00 GHz likely plays a decisive role in this outcome.

In single-core tests, the Intel advantage is slightly larger at 3.3%. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3086 for the i9-10920X versus 2991 for the EPYC 7501 demonstrates that the Intel processor's per-core performance is superior. This pattern repeats across all three Cinebench versions: R15 single-core shows 311 versus 301, R20 single-core shows 1296 versus 1256, and R23 single-core shows 3086 versus 2991.

The multi-core results across all three Cinebench versions are remarkably consistent. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows 2203 versus 2135, a 3.2% delta. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 9181 versus 8898, also a 3.2% delta. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 21861 versus 21186, again a 3.2% delta. This consistency suggests that the performance relationship between the two processors is stable across different rendering workloads and does not scale with the complexity or duration of the test.

The EPYC 7501's best showing is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it comes closest to the Intel part in absolute terms, trailing by 675 points. Its worst relative performance is in single-core tests, where the 3.3% delta represents a slightly larger gap than the multi-core tests. This indicates that the EPYC's architecture is relatively better suited to multi-threaded workloads, even though it still loses those tests to the i9-10920X.

The Geekbench scores are only available for the Intel part, with a multi-core score of 11165 and a single-core score of 1673. No corresponding Geekbench data exists for the EPYC 7501 in the provided benchmarks. This absence of data means the comparison relies entirely on Cinebench results, which consistently favor the Intel processor. The overall benchmark landscape, including the nearest rival comparisons, shows both processors performing near the same tier, with the i9-10920X's closest rival being the AMD EPYC 7551 at a -0.7% delta and the EPYC 7501's closest rival being the Intel Core i9-7940X at a -0.3% delta.