AMD EPYC 7552 vs Intel Core i5-9600K Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a strikingly one-sided comparison. Across all six recorded head-to-head tests, the AMD EPYC 7552 takes every single win, leaving the Intel Core i5-9600K without a single victory. The margins are consistent and substantial, with the EPYC 7552 outperforming the i5-9600K by roughly 81% in every discipline measured.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the EPYC 7552 scores 4919 against the i5-9600K's 912, a delta of -81.5% from the Intel part's perspective. That same pattern holds in single-core testing, where the EPYC 7552 posts 694 versus 128, a -81.6% gap. The consistency across both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads is noteworthy; the EPYC 7552 does not merely flex its core count, it also wins the single-thread race in this specific pairing.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the EPYC 7552 records 20496 in multi-core while the i5-9600K manages 3803, again a -81.4% delta. The single-core result shows 2893 against 536, a -81.5% margin. Cinebench R23 continues the trend: the EPYC 7552 reaches 48801 multi-core versus 9055 for the i5-9600K, and 6889 single-core versus 1278. Each test lands within a narrow band of -81.4% to -81.6%, which suggests a fundamental throughput advantage rather than workload-specific behavior.

What makes this interesting is that the i5-9600K's own benchmark profile is not weak in absolute terms. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 9055 and single-core score of 1278 are respectable for a desktop part, and its PassMark single-thread score of 2727 shows real per-core strength. Yet against the EPYC 7552, those numbers simply do not compete. The database's percentile rankings reflect this: the i5-9600K sits at the 69th percentile of all CPUs, while the EPYC 7552 sits at the 68th. Despite the EPYC 7552 winning every head-to-head test, the two processors land almost identically in overall percentile placement, which indicates that the EPYC 7552's advantages are concentrated in the specific workloads tested here.

The average benchmark scores tell a similar story. The i5-9600K averages 14605 across its benchmark set, while the EPYC 7552 averages 14115. The i5-9600K actually holds a slight edge in aggregate average, a result that seems paradoxical given the head-to-head sweep. The explanation lies in the test sets: the i5-9600K has a much broader suite of PassMark tests recorded, including integer math at 29215, floating point math at 24913, and data compression at 148639, while the EPYC 7552 only has Cinebench results in this database. The head-to-head comparison is therefore limited to Cinebench, where the EPYC 7552 dominates, while the overall averages reflect different measurement portfolios.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmark tests?

A: The AMD EPYC 7552 wins all six recorded head-to-head tests. The Intel Core i5-9600K wins zero. The EPYC 7552's margins range from -81.4% to -81.6% in each test.

Q: Is the EPYC 7552 faster in single-core performance?

A: Yes, according to the data. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the EPYC 7552 scores 6889 against the i5-9600K's 1278, a -81.4% delta. The same pattern appears in Cinebench R15 single-core (694 vs 128) and R20 single-core (2893 vs 536).

Q: How do the two processors compare in overall percentile ranking?

A: They are nearly tied. The Intel Core i5-9600K ranks at the 69th percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD EPYC 7552 ranks at the 68th percentile. This places them in the same general performance tier despite the EPYC 7552's head-to-head dominance.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i5-9600K has an average benchmark score of 14605, while the AMD EPYC 7552 has an average of 14115. The i5-9600K's average is slightly higher, though the two processors have different benchmark portfolios recorded.

Q: Does the EPYC 7552 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD EPYC 7552 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-9600K does not support ECC memory.

Q: What memory channels does each processor use?

A: The AMD EPYC 7552 uses an eight-channel memory bus with a memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s. The Intel Core i5-9600K uses a dual-channel memory bus with a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion: for anyone running the specific Cinebench workloads recorded in the head-to-head tests, the AMD EPYC 7552 is the only choice. It wins every single test by a margin of roughly 81%, and that consistency across R15, R20, and R23, in both multi-core and single-core, leaves no ambiguity. The i5-9600K cannot match the EPYC 7552 in any measured Cinebench scenario.

However, the overall percentile rankings complicate the picture. The i5-9600K at the 69th percentile edges out the EPYC 7552 at the 68th percentile, and its average benchmark score of 14605 surpasses the EPYC 7552's 14115. This suggests that in the broader benchmark landscape, the i5-9600K remains competitive in workloads not covered by the head-to-head set, particularly the PassMark tests where it records strong numbers in integer math, floating point math, and data compression.

For a desktop user running typical consumer applications, the i5-9600K's PassMark single-thread score of 2727 and its unlocked multiplier offer a compelling profile. For a server or workstation environment running heavily threaded Cinebench-style workloads, the EPYC 7552's 48 cores and 96 threads simply overwhelm the i5-9600K's 6 cores and 6 threads. The EPYC 7552 also brings ECC memory support, eight-channel memory, and 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, features that the i5-9600K lacks entirely. The choice depends on the workload, and the data shows that the EPYC 7552 owns the multi-threaded server space while the i5-9600K holds its own in the consumer desktop space.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge sharply on nearly every specification. The Intel Core i5-9600K offers 6 cores and 6 threads, while the AMD EPYC 7552 offers 48 cores and 96 threads. Base clocks differ: the i5-9600K runs at 3.70 GHz, the EPYC 7552 at 2.20 GHz. Boost clocks likewise differ: 4.60 GHz for the i5-9600K, 3.30 GHz for the EPYC 7552. The thermal design power is 95 watts for the Intel part and 200 watts for the AMD part. Sockets are incompatible: the i5-9600K uses Intel Socket 1151, while the EPYC 7552 uses AMD Socket SP3. The i5-9600K has an unlocked multiplier, the EPYC 7552 does not. The i5-9600K includes integrated UHD 630 graphics, while the EPYC 7552 has no integrated graphics. The i5-9600K supports dual-channel memory with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, while the EPYC 7552 supports eight-channel memory with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth. The i5-9600K does not support ECC memory; the EPYC 7552 does. PCIe connectivity differs as well: the i5-9600K provides Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, while the EPYC 7552 provides Gen 4 with 128 CPU lanes. The release dates are nearly a year apart, with the i5-9600K launching in 2018 and the EPYC 7552 in 2019. The i5-9600K is marked end-of-life, while the EPYC 7552 remains active. The EPYC 7552 has a recorded launch MSRP of $4025.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is fundamental. The Intel Core i5-9600K is built on Coffee Lake, a 14 nm process from Intel's own foundry. The AMD EPYC 7552 is built on Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Rome, using a 7 nm process from TSMC. The process node difference alone, 14 nm versus 7 nm, explains part of the efficiency and density gap. The EPYC 7552 packs 3,800 million transistors into a 74 mm² die size, figures not recorded for the i5-9600K. Cache hierarchies differ dramatically: the i5-9600K has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 9 MB of shared L3 cache. The EPYC 7552 has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a massive 192 MB of shared L3 cache. That L3 difference, 9 MB versus 192 MB, is a 21x gap in favor of the EPYC 7552. The i5-9600K belongs to the Core i5 (Coffee Lake Refresh) generation, while the EPYC 7552 belongs to the EPYC 7002 series (Zen 2 Rome). Memory support is identical in type, both use DDR4, but the bus widths and bandwidths diverge as noted. The EPYC 7552's ECC support and its server-class PCIe Gen 4 with 128 lanes position it firmly in the enterprise space, while the i5-9600K's integrated graphics and unlocked multiplier position it as a consumer desktop part.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 7552 wins every recorded Cinebench test, both multi-core and single-core. Its multi-core dominance is expected given 48 cores versus 6, but its single-core wins are more surprising. The EPYC 7552 scores 6889 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus the i5-9600K's 1278, a gap that cannot be explained by core count alone. The higher boost clock of the i5-9600K, 4.60 GHz versus 3.30 GHz, does not translate into a single-core victory in this data. The EPYC 7552's Zen 2 architecture and larger cache hierarchy appear to overcome the clock deficit. In multi-threaded server workloads, the EPYC 7552 is the clear winner, and its ECC memory support and 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes make it suitable for data center deployments. The i5-9600K, despite losing all head-to-head tests, shows strength in the broader PassMark suite recorded in the database. Its integer math score of 29215, floating point math score of 24913, and data compression score of 148639 indicate solid consumer-level performance. Its PassMark single-thread score of 2727 and its unlocked multiplier appeal to desktop enthusiasts. The i5-9600K's lower TDP of 95 watts versus 200 watts also suggests lower cooling requirements, though the database provides no direct thermal measurements. In summary, the EPYC 7552 wins the server and workstation space outright, while the i5-9600K remains a viable desktop part with strengths in consumer workloads and a higher overall percentile ranking.