AMD EPYC 7502 vs Intel Core i7-7700K Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD EPYC 7502 has 32 cores and 64 threads, while the Intel Core i7-7700K has only 4 cores and 8 threads. The EPYC 7502 offers eight times the core count and eight times the thread count.

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

A: The EPYC 7502 features eight-channel memory support with a bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s, while the i7-7700K uses dual-channel memory with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The EPYC 7502 provides over five times the memory bandwidth.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: The AMD EPYC 7502 supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core i7-7700K does not. This makes the EPYC 7502 suited for error-sensitive server workloads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-7700K has a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, compared to the EPYC 7502's boost clock of 3.35 GHz. The i7-7700K is clocked substantially higher.

Q: What is the process node difference?

A: The Intel Core i7-7700K is built on Intel's 14 nm process, while the AMD EPYC 7502 is built on TSMC's 7 nm process. The EPYC 7502 uses a more advanced manufacturing node.

Q: Which processor won more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The AMD EPYC 7502 won all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons, including both multi-core and single-core tests. The Intel Core i7-7700K won none of the recorded head-to-head benchmarks.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two processors is fundamental. The Intel Core i7-7700K is a desktop part built on the Kaby Lake architecture, a refinement of Intel's 14 nm process. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The EPYC 7502 is a server/workstation processor from AMD's EPYC 7002 series, using the Zen 2 architecture under the codename Rome, manufactured on TSMC's 7 nm process. It packs 32 cores and 64 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.35 GHz.

The cache hierarchies are dramatically different. The i7-7700K has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The EPYC 7502 has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a massive 128 MB of shared L3 cache. The EPYC 7502's L3 cache is 16 times larger than the i7-7700K's, which reflects its design for data-heavy server workloads.

Memory support also diverges sharply. Both support DDR4, but the i7-7700K has a dual-channel memory bus with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The EPYC 7502 uses an eight-channel memory bus with 204.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The EPYC 7502 also supports ECC memory, whereas the i7-7700K does not. The PCIe implementation differs as well: the i7-7700K provides 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU, while the EPYC 7502 supports PCIe Gen 4.

Other notable differences include integrated graphics. The i7-7700K includes an HD 630 integrated GPU, while the EPYC 7502 has no integrated graphics at all. The i7-7700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, while the EPYC 7502's multiplier is locked. The i7-7700K is a desktop part, the EPYC 7502 is a server/workstation part. The i7-7700K is built by Intel, while the EPYC 7502 uses 3,800 million transistors on a 74 mm² die, produced by TSMC.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD EPYC 7502 wins every recorded comparison, and the deltas are consistently large. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-7700K scores 825 while the EPYC 7502 scores 4428. That is an 81.4% deficit for the Intel part. In single-core R15, the gap is identical in relative terms: 116 for the i7-7700K versus 625 for the EPYC 7502, again an 81.4% difference. The fact that the single-core delta matches the multi-core delta exactly is striking.

Cinebench R20 follows the same pattern. The i7-7700K scores 3439 in multi-core, while the EPYC 7502 scores 18454, an 81.4% difference. In single-core R20, the i7-7700K scores 485 and the EPYC 7502 scores 2605, also an 81.4% difference. Cinebench R23 repeats the story: multi-core scores are 8189 for the i7-7700K and 43940 for the EPYC 7502, with single-core scores of 1156 and 6203 respectively. Every single head-to-head test shows the EPYC 7502 ahead by exactly 81.4%.

This consistency suggests the performance gap is structural rather than workload-specific. The EPYC 7502's advantage in single-core tests is notable because the i7-7700K has a much higher boost clock (4.50 GHz versus 3.35 GHz). Yet the EPYC 7502 still wins single-core by the same margin. The database's average benchmark scores reflect a similar situation: the i7-7700K has an average score of 13291, while the EPYC 7502 has an average score of 12709. The i7-7700K actually edges out the EPYC 7502 on average score, but the EPYC 7502 dominates in the specific Cinebench tests recorded in the head-to-head comparison.

Specification Differences

Comparing the two processors field by field shows how far apart they are:

• Cores: 4 (i7-7700K) versus 32 (EPYC 7502)
• Threads: 8 versus 64
• Base Clock: 4.20 GHz versus 2.50 GHz
• Boost Clock: 4.50 GHz versus 3.35 GHz
• TDP: 91 W versus 180 W
• Socket: Intel Socket 1151 versus AMD Socket SP3
• Architecture: Kaby Lake versus Zen 2 (Rome)
• Process Node: 14 nm (Intel) versus 7 nm (TSMC)
• Foundry: Intel versus TSMC
• Transistors: not listed versus 3,800 million
• Die Size: not listed versus 74 mm²
• L1 Cache: 64 KB per core versus 96 KB per core
• L2 Cache: 256 KB per core versus 512 KB per core
• L3 Cache: 8 MB shared versus 128 MB shared
• Memory Bus: Dual-channel versus Eight-channel
• Memory Bandwidth: 38.4 GB/s versus 204.8 GB/s
• ECC Memory: false versus true
• PCIe: Gen 3, 16 lanes (CPU only) versus Gen 4
• Integrated Graphics: HD 630 versus none
• Market Segment: Desktop versus Server/Workstation
• Multiplier Unlocked: true versus false
• Release Date: 2017-01-02 versus 2019-08-06
• Part Number: SR33A versus 100-000000054

The i7-7700K wins on clock speed, power draw, integrated graphics, and unlocked multiplier. The EPYC 7502 wins on core count, thread count, cache capacity, memory bandwidth, ECC support, PCIe generation, and manufacturing process.

The Verdict

The data tells a clear story. The AMD EPYC 7502 is the dominant processor in every head-to-head benchmark, winning all six comparisons by an identical 81.4% margin. For workloads that scale with core count, thread count, cache size, or memory bandwidth, the EPYC 7502 is the obvious choice. It offers 32 cores to the i7-7700K's 4, 64 threads to 8, 128 MB of L3 cache to 8 MB, and 204.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth to 38.4 GB/s.

However, the i7-7700K is not without its advantages. It has a higher base clock (4.20 GHz versus 2.50 GHz) and a higher boost clock (4.50 GHz versus 3.35 GHz). It consumes less power at 91 W versus 180 W. It includes integrated graphics, which the EPYC 7502 lacks entirely. It also has an unlocked multiplier, enabling overclocking, whereas the EPYC 7502 is locked. The i7-7700K's average benchmark score of 13291 is slightly higher than the EPYC 7502's 12709, and its percentile rank of 68 is just above the EPYC 7502's 67.

The verdict depends on the workload. For single-threaded tasks where clock speed matters most, the i7-7700K's higher frequencies could be relevant. But the recorded data shows the EPYC 7502 winning even single-core Cinebench tests by 81.4%, which complicates that assumption. The i7-7700K's average benchmark score advantage suggests it performs well in a broader mix of everyday benchmarks, while the EPYC 7502 excels in sustained multi-core rendering workloads.

Where Each One Wins

AMD EPYC 7502 wins: Every head-to-head Cinebench test, including multi-core and single-core variants. The 32-core, 64-thread design with 128 MB of L3 cache and 204.8 GB/s of eight-channel memory bandwidth makes it suited for server virtualization, large-scale rendering, scientific computing, and any workload that can use more than a handful of threads. Its ECC memory support and PCIe Gen 4 connectivity further align with server and workstation requirements. The EPYC 7502's 74 mm² die with 3,800 million transistors on TSMC's 7 nm process represents a denser, more modern implementation.

Intel Core i7-7700K wins: The i7-7700K has the higher clock speeds, with a 4.50 GHz boost versus the EPYC 7502's 3.35 GHz. It draws less power (91 W versus 180 W), making it easier to cool in a desktop chassis. It has integrated HD 630 graphics, which the EPYC 7502 does not provide, so a system built around the i7-7700K does not require a discrete GPU for basic display output. The unlocked multiplier allows overclocking, a feature absent on the EPYC 7502. Its average benchmark score of 13291 exceeds the EPYC 7502's 12709, and its percentile rank of 68 versus 67 shows the i7-7700K sits in a comparable overall position in the database despite having far fewer cores.

Practical split: For desktop use cases like gaming, general productivity, and overclocking projects, the i7-7700K offers higher clocks, lower power, and integrated graphics. For server, workstation, and heavy multi-threaded workloads, the EPYC 7502 offers overwhelming core and cache advantages. The head-to-head data shows no benchmark where the i7-7700K wins, so any workload measured by Cinebench favors the EPYC 7502. The i7-7700K's wins are contextual: its average score, its clock speeds, its power efficiency, and its desktop-oriented features.