AMD EPYC 7573X vs AMD Ryzen 5 4500 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents an unambiguous picture: the AMD EPYC 7573X wins all six head-to-head comparisons, with the Ryzen 5 4500 trailing by a consistent margin across every workload. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the EPYC scores 5948 against the Ryzen’s 1378, a delta of -76.8% for the Ryzen. The single-core R15 test shows a similar gap: 839 for the EPYC versus 194 for the Ryzen, also -76.9%. These deltas are not incidental; they reflect fundamental differences in core count, architecture generation, and memory subsystem design.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the pattern holds. The EPYC 7573X delivers 24787 in multicore, while the Ryzen 5 4500 manages 5744 — again a -76.8% delta. Single-core R20 sees the EPYC at 3499 and the Ryzen at 810, a -76.9% difference. The consistency of these percentages across R15 and R20 is striking; it suggests the performance ratio is stable regardless of the specific rendering workload. This is not a case where one chip excels in a narrow test — the EPYC’s advantage is uniform across all Cinebench iterations.

The most demanding test, Cinebench R23, amplifies the multicore gap. The EPYC 7573X scores 59017, versus 13677 for the Ryzen 5 4500, maintaining the exact -76.8% delta. Single-core R23 shows 8331 against 1930, a -76.8% difference. What is notable here is that the single-core deficit is nearly as large as the multicore one. The EPYC’s Zen 3 architecture, even at a lower boost clock of 3.60 GHz compared to the Ryzen’s 4.10 GHz, still outperforms the Ryzen’s Zen 2 cores by a factor of roughly 4.3 in single-threaded work. This indicates that architectural IPC gains in Zen 3, combined with the EPYC’s larger L3 cache, more than compensate for the clock speed disadvantage.

The Ryzen 5 4500 does have some non-Cinebench benchmark data, including 3DMark and PassMark results, but the EPYC 7573X lacks those entries in the head-to-head table. For the six tests where both chips have scores, the EPYC wins every one. The winsA count is 0, winsB is 6. The deltas are all between -76.8% and -76.9%, which is remarkably tight. This near-identical percentage across different test versions (R15, R20, R23) and thread counts (single vs. multi) suggests a linear scaling factor rather than workload-specific behavior.

For context, the Ryzen 5 4500’s average benchmark score is 17333, while the EPYC 7573X averages 17070. This is counterintuitive given the head-to-head results, but it reflects the fact that the EPYC’s benchmark suite is limited to Cinebench tests, whereas the Ryzen includes a broader set of PassMark and 3DMark workloads. The percentileVsAllCpus for both is identical at 71, placing them in the same overall tier despite the massive Cinebench disparity. The nearest rival data reinforces this: the Ryzen 5 4500 sits within 0.5% of chips like the Intel Core i5-12450H and AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G, while the EPYC 7573X is within 0.3% of the Intel Core i5-11400 and AMD Ryzen 5 3600. These rival deltas are tiny, suggesting that in the broader benchmark aggregate, both chips occupy similar performance bands — but that aggregate masks the EPYC’s dominance in rendering workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The AMD EPYC 7573X scores 8331 in Cinebench R23 single-core, versus 1930 for the AMD Ryzen 5 4500. The EPYC leads by a -76.8% delta for the Ryzen, meaning the EPYC is roughly 4.3 times faster in this test.

Q: How do the two chips compare in multicore performance?

A: The EPYC 7573X wins all three multicore Cinebench tests. In R23, it scores 59017 against the Ryzen’s 13677, a -76.8% delta. The gap is similar in R15 (5948 vs 1378) and R20 (24787 vs 5744).

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The Ryzen 5 4500 has an average benchmark score of 17333, while the EPYC 7573X averages 17070. Despite the EPYC’s dominance in Cinebench, the Ryzen’s broader test suite (including 3DMark and PassMark) brings its aggregate score slightly higher.

Q: Do both processors have the same percentile ranking?

A: Yes, both the Ryzen 5 4500 and the EPYC 7573X are at the 71st percentile among all CPUs. This indicates they outperform roughly 71% of tested processors, despite their different market segments.

Q: Which chip has more cores and threads?

A: The EPYC 7573X has 32 cores and 64 threads. The Ryzen 5 4500 has 6 cores and 12 threads. This 5.3x core advantage explains the large multicore deltas in Cinebench.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the Ryzen 5 4500 wins?

A: In the head-to-head benchmark list, the Ryzen 5 4500 wins zero tests. The EPYC 7573X wins all six, covering Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multicore modes.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 7573X is the clear choice for any workload that stresses raw multi-threaded compute. Its 32 cores and 64 threads deliver a 4.3x advantage in Cinebench R23 multicore over the Ryzen 5 4500. This makes it suitable for server-side rendering, scientific simulations, and heavy batch processing where every additional core translates directly to throughput. The EPYC also wins single-core tests by a similar margin, which is unusual for a server chip — its Zen 3 architecture and 768 MB shared L3 cache give it an edge even in lightly threaded tasks. For data centers running virtualized workloads, the 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes and eight-channel DDR4 memory with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth further solidify its position.

The Ryzen 5 4500, while losing all head-to-head tests, excels in scenarios where power efficiency and platform cost are secondary considerations. Its 65 W TDP is dramatically lower than the EPYC’s 280 W, making it suitable for compact desktop builds or always-on systems where heat dissipation is a concern. The AM4 socket and unlocked multiplier allow for easy overclocking, which is not possible on the EPYC (locked multiplier). For everyday desktop tasks, the Ryzen’s PassMark scores show strengths: 49707 in integer math, 29405 in floating-point math, and 228741 in data compression. These numbers, while not comparable to the EPYC’s Cinebench results, indicate a capable general-purpose processor.

The choice ultimately hinges on scale. If the workload is a single-user desktop environment with occasional rendering, the Ryzen 5 4500’s lower power draw and overclocking headroom are appealing. If the workload is a multi-tenant server or a render farm node, the EPYC 7573X’s massive core count and cache size are non-negotiable. The EPYC’s ECC memory support is another differentiator — for servers handling financial or medical data, error correction is a hard requirement, and the Ryzen lacks it. The Ryzen’s 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth is a fraction of the EPYC’s 204.8 GB/s, further limiting its suitability for memory-bound server tasks.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification. The Ryzen 5 4500 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the EPYC 7573X has 32 cores and 64 threads. Base clocks are 3.60 GHz for the Ryzen and 2.80 GHz for the EPYC. Boost clocks are 4.10 GHz and 3.60 GHz, respectively. The Ryzen has a 65 W TDP, the EPYC a 280 W TDP. Sockets differ: AM4 for the Ryzen, SP3 for the EPYC.

Memory support shows a stark contrast. Both support DDR4, but the Ryzen uses a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the EPYC uses an eight-channel bus with 204.8 GB/s. ECC memory is supported on the EPYC but not on the Ryzen. PCIe connectivity also diverges: the Ryzen offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes, the EPYC offers Gen 4 with 128 lanes. The Ryzen has an unlocked multiplier, the EPYC is locked.

Cache configurations differ significantly. The L1 cache is 64 KB per core for both, and L2 is 512 KB per core for both. However, the L3 cache is 8 MB shared on the Ryzen versus 768 MB shared on the EPYC. This 96x difference in L3 is a major architectural differentiator, likely contributing to the EPYC’s single-core advantage despite lower clocks.

Release dates are close: the Ryzen launched April 3, 2022, while the EPYC launched March 21, 2022. The launch MSRP for the Ryzen is $129, and for the EPYC it is $5590. The die size is 156 mm² for the Ryzen, while the EPYC uses 8x 81 mm² chiplets. Transistor counts are 9,800 million for the Ryzen and 33,200 million for the EPYC.

Architecture Differences

The Ryzen 5 4500 is built on the Zen 2 architecture with the Renoir codename, while the EPYC 7573X uses Zen 3 with the Milan-X codename. Both are manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC, but the transistor counts differ by more than 3x: 9,800 million versus 33,200 million. The Ryzen’s die is a single 156 mm² piece, whereas the EPYC uses eight 81 mm² chiplets, a chiplet-based design that allows for higher core counts and better yields.

The architecture generation gap is significant. Zen 3 introduced a unified 8-core complex with direct L3 access, reducing latency compared to Zen 2’s split design. This explains why the EPYC, despite a lower boost clock of 3.60 GHz, beats the Ryzen (4.10 GHz boost) in single-core Cinebench tests by roughly 4.3x. The EPYC’s 768 MB L3 cache is not just larger — it confirms the Milan-X design’s 3D V-Cache technology, which stacks additional cache vertically. The Ryzen’s 8 MB L3 is a fraction of that, limiting its ability to hold large working sets.

The memory controller differs fundamentally. The Ryzen’s dual-channel DDR4 interface with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth is standard for desktop parts. The EPYC’s eight-channel interface with 204.8 GB/s is designed for server memory bandwidth demands. This affects not just peak throughput but also latency under load, as the EPYC can feed more cores simultaneously. The EPYC’s ECC support is a functional requirement for server reliability, while the Ryzen omits it for cost and simplicity.

PCIe generation and lane count also reflect market positioning. The Ryzen’s Gen 3, 16-lane configuration supports a single GPU and an NVMe drive. The EPYC’s Gen 4, 128-lane configuration can handle multiple GPUs, high-speed networking, and storage arrays. The 7 nm process node is shared, but the implementation differs: the Ryzen is a monolithic die, the EPYC is multi-chiplet. This chiplet approach allows AMD to scale core counts without requiring a massive single die, but it introduces inter-chiplet communication overhead that the Ryzen avoids. The EPYC’s 280 W TDP is a consequence of 32 high-performance cores and the 3D V-Cache, while the Ryzen’s 65 W TDP reflects its 6-core design and lower power envelope.