AMD EPYC 7543P vs Intel Core i3-12100E Comparison

The Intel Core i3-12100E and the AMD EPYC 7543P represent opposite ends of the computing spectrum, one a compact 4-core desktop part and the other a 32-core server behemoth. While both sit at the 70th percentile in the database, their architectural philosophies and measured performance diverge sharply, making them suitable for entirely different workloads.

Architecture Differences

The Core i3-12100E is built on Intel's Alder Lake architecture, using a 10 nm process manufactured by Intel itself. It features 4 cores and 8 threads, with a die size of 163 mm². The cache hierarchy is modest: 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. This part targets the Desktop segment, uses the Intel Socket 1700, and includes integrated UHD Graphics 730, a feature entirely absent on the AMD part.

The EPYC 7543P, in contrast, is a Zen 3 (Milan) server processor built on TSMC's 7 nm process. It packs 32 cores and 64 threads across a design that uses 8 dies, each 81 mm², totaling 33,200 million transistors. The cache layout is dramatically different: 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a massive 256 MB of shared L3 cache, which is over 21 times larger than the Intel chip's L3. It uses the AMD Socket SP3 and is classified for the Server/Workstation market.

Memory support further separates them. The Core i3 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration, while the EPYC is restricted to DDR4 but operates across eight channels, yielding a memory bandwidth figure of 204.8 GB/s. The EPYC also supports ECC memory, a critical feature for server reliability that the Core i3 lacks. PCIe connectivity differs as well: the Intel chip offers Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes, while the EPYC provides Gen 4 with 128 CPU lanes, prioritizing expansion capacity over per-lane speed.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data shows a total sweep in favor of the EPYC 7543P across all six head-to-head tests. The AMD part wins every Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 run, both single-core and multi-core. This is not a close contest; the deltas are consistently around -79.6% or -79.7% from the Intel chip's perspective, indicating the EPYC's scores are roughly five times higher in every measured category.

The Core i3-12100E's wins are not in raw performance but in other recorded attributes. It carries a TDP of 60 watts versus 225 watts for the EPYC, a substantial power advantage. It also supports newer memory standards (DDR5) and a newer PCIe generation (Gen 5), which may appeal to users building a modern desktop system. Its integrated graphics eliminate the need for a discrete GPU in basic systems, a feature the server chip does not offer. The production status is Active for both, but the release dates differ: the EPYC launched in March 2021, while the Core i3 arrived in January 2022.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every fundamental specification. The Core i3 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the EPYC has 32 cores and 64 threads. Base clocks are 3.20 GHz versus 2.80 GHz, and boost clocks are 4.20 GHz versus 3.70 GHz, respectively, with the Intel chip holding a clock speed advantage. TDP is a major separator: 60 watts for the Core i3 against 225 watts for the EPYC.

Process technology differs by node and foundry: 10 nm Intel for the Core i3, 7 nm TSMC for the EPYC. The EPYC's transistor count is listed at 33,200 million, while the Core i3's is not recorded. Die size is 163 mm² for the Intel part, versus 8x 81 mm² for the AMD chip. L1 cache is 80 KB per core for Intel and 64 KB per core for AMD; L2 is 1.25 MB per core versus 512 KB per core; L3 is 12 MB shared versus 256 MB shared.

Memory support, bus width, bandwidth, ECC capability, PCIe generation and lane count, integrated graphics, market segment, socket, architecture, codename, generation, part number, and launch MSRP all differ. The Core i3 has a launch MSRP of $125, while the EPYC has a launch MSRP of $2730. The Intel part carries the part number SRL6U, and the AMD part is 100-000000341100-100000341WOF. Both have locked multipliers.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD EPYC 7543P has 32 cores and 64 threads, while the Intel Core i3-12100E has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-12100E support ECC memory?

A: No, the Core i3-12100E does not have ECC memory support. The AMD EPYC 7543P does support ECC memory.

Q: What is the difference in L3 cache size between the two?

A: The Intel Core i3 has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD EPYC 7543P has 256 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100E includes UHD Graphics 730. The AMD EPYC 7543P has no integrated graphics.

Q: What are the TDP values for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100E has a TDP of 60 watts, and the AMD EPYC 7543P has a TDP of 225 watts.

Q: In the head-to-head benchmarks, how many tests did each processor win?

A: The AMD EPYC 7543P won all 6 recorded head-to-head tests. The Intel Core i3-12100E won 0 tests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a complete victory for the EPYC 7543P, with every Cinebench test resulting in a win for the AMD part by a margin of roughly 79.6%. The largest absolute difference appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the EPYC scores 56,683 against the Core i3's 11,559. That is a lead of 45,124 points, which represents the EPYC delivering about 4.9 times the multi-core throughput of the Intel chip.

In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the EPYC scores 23,806 versus 4,854 for the Core i3, a delta of -79.6% for the Intel part. The single-core results follow the same pattern, though the absolute margins are smaller. Cinebench R23 single-core shows the EPYC at 8,002 and the Core i3 at 1,631, a difference of 6,371 points. The EPYC leads by 79.6% in that test as well.

Cinebench R15 multi-core sees the EPYC at 5,713 versus 1,164 for the Core i3, and R15 single-core shows 806 versus 164. Both carry the same -79.6% or -79.7% delta. The pattern is consistent across all six tests: the EPYC 7543P outperforms the Core i3-12100E by a nearly identical proportional margin, regardless of workload threading or test version. The 32-core, 64-thread design with 256 MB of L3 cache simply overwhelms the 4-core, 8-thread desktop chip in every measured scenario.

The Core i3's higher boost clock of 4.20 GHz does not translate into any benchmark win, and its smaller cache and fewer cores place it at a decisive disadvantage in these Cinebench workloads. The database records 0 wins for the Intel part and 6 wins for the AMD part, with the EPYC's performance headroom being its defining characteristic in this comparison.