AMD EPYC 7573X vs Intel Core 7 150U Comparison

The Verdict

The data tells a one-sided story. The AMD EPYC 7573X wins every single head-to-head benchmark against the Intel Core 7 150U, with margins ranging from 69.7% to 84.9%. This is not a close contest. The EPYC 7573X is the choice for anyone who needs maximum multi-threaded throughput, massive memory bandwidth, or server-grade reliability. The Intel Core 7 150U is a low-power mobile chip designed for thin-and-light laptops, and its strengths lie in efficiency and portability, not in raw compute. If your workload is rendering, virtualization, or heavy scientific computing, the AMD part is the only rational pick. If you need a laptop processor that sips power and fits in a compact chassis, the Intel part is the sensible option, but the benchmark data offers no scenario where it beats the EPYC in performance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from opposite ends of the computing spectrum. The Intel Core 7 150U is built on Intel's Raptor Lake architecture with a 10 nm process node, fabricated by Intel itself. It uses a hybrid design with 10 cores and 12 threads, meaning some cores are efficiency-focused while others are performance-focused. Its base clock is 1.80 GHz with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, which is a wide frequency range typical of mobile parts that need to scale down aggressively to save battery. The chip is designed for the Intel BGA 1744 socket, making it permanently soldered to the motherboard.

The AMD EPYC 7573X, by contrast, is a server monster. It uses Zen 3 architecture on a 7 nm process node from TSMC, with 32 cores and 64 threads. Its base clock is 2.80 GHz and boost clock is 3.60 GHz, which is lower than the Intel chip's boost but irrelevant given the core count advantage. The package is massive: 33,200 million transistors across 8 dies, each measuring 81 mm². It fits into AMD Socket SP3 and is built for eight-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s. The EPYC also supports ECC memory, while the Intel part does not. The Intel chip has integrated Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units; the EPYC has no integrated graphics at all, which is normal for a server CPU.

The cache configurations are drastically different. The Intel Core 7 150U has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The EPYC 7573X has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a stunning 768 MB of shared L3 cache. That 768 MB figure is the defining architectural feature of the Milan-X generation, and it dwarfs the Intel part's cache by an enormous factor. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode, while the EPYC is DDR4-only but uses eight channels. PCIe connectivity also differs: the Intel part provides Gen 4 with 8 lanes, while the EPYC provides Gen 4 with 128 lanes, a 16-fold difference in available lanes for expansion.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are unambiguous. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the EPYC 7573X scores 5948 against the Intel Core 7 150U's 1505.5, a delta of 74.7% in favor of AMD. The single-core R15 test shows the EPYC at 839 versus the Intel's 254, a 69.7% lead. R20 multi-core sees the EPYC at 24787 versus 5248, a 78.8% margin. Single-core R20 is 3499 versus 740, a 78.9% margin. R23 multi-core produces the largest gap: 59017 versus 8883, a 84.9% advantage for the EPYC. Even the closest result, R23 single-core at 8331 versus 1875.5, is a 77.5% lead for AMD.

There are no wins for the Intel part in this comparison. Every recorded benchmark, whether single-threaded or multi-threaded, goes to the EPYC 7573X. The Intel chip's higher boost clock of 5.40 GHz does not translate into a single-core victory, which indicates the EPYC's Zen 3 cores are substantially more efficient per clock. The Intel part does have a broader benchmark portfolio in the database, including PassMark tests for integer math, floating point math, data compression, and encryption, but none of those results are paired against the EPYC in the head-to-head set, and the EPYC's dominance in the six Cinebench tests that are paired leaves little doubt about the overall performance hierarchy.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every measurable specification. The Intel Core 7 150U has 10 cores and 12 threads; the AMD EPYC 7573X has 32 cores and 64 threads. The Intel chip's base clock is 1.80 GHz and boost is 5.40 GHz; the EPYC's base is 2.80 GHz and boost is 3.60 GHz. Thermal design power is 15 watts for the Intel part versus 280 watts for the EPYC, a 19-fold difference in power envelope. The Intel chip uses the Intel BGA 1744 socket; the EPYC uses AMD Socket SP3. The process node is 10 nm for Intel versus 7 nm for AMD, with Intel as the foundry for the former and TSMC for the latter. The EPYC has 33,200 million transistors across 8x 81 mm² dies; the Intel part has no transistor or die size data recorded.

Cache is another major differentiator. The Intel part has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3. The EPYC has 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 768 MB shared L3. Memory support differs: the Intel chip handles DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode; the EPYC handles DDR4 in eight-channel mode with a recorded memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s. The Intel part does not support ECC memory; the EPYC does. PCIe lanes are 8 for Intel versus 128 for AMD, both Gen 4. The Intel chip includes Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units; the EPYC has none. Market segments differ: mobile for Intel, server or workstation for AMD. The EPYC has a launch MSRP of $5590; the Intel part has no recorded launch MSRP. The Intel chip was released on 2024-01-07, while the EPYC was released on 2022-03-21. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. Both are marked as Active in production status.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The AMD EPYC 7573X wins every multi-core benchmark in the head-to-head set. The largest gap is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the EPYC scores 59017 versus the Intel Core 7 150U's 8883, a 84.9% advantage.

Q: Is the Intel Core 7 150U better for single-core tasks?

A: No. The EPYC 7573X also wins all three single-core Cinebench tests. In R23 single-core, the EPYC scores 8331 versus 1875.5 for the Intel part, a 77.5% lead. The Intel chip's higher boost clock does not overcome the EPYC's per-core efficiency.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The Intel Core 7 150U has a TDP of 15 watts, while the AMD EPYC 7573X has a TDP of 280 watts. The EPYC requires substantially more power and cooling, which is expected for a server processor with 32 cores.

Q: Can the Intel Core 7 150U support ECC memory?

A: No. The Intel part does not support ECC memory, while the AMD EPYC 7573X does. This makes the EPYC more suitable for error-sensitive server and workstation environments.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The EPYC 7573X supports eight-channel DDR4 memory with a recorded bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s. The Intel Core 7 150U supports dual-channel DDR4 or DDR5, but no bandwidth figure is recorded for it.

Q: Are these processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Both are at the 71st percentile against all CPUs in the database, according to the recorded data. However, the EPYC's average benchmark score is 17070, while the Intel part's average is 17395, which places them near each other in aggregate despite the EPYC's dominance in the paired tests.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 7573X wins in every recorded head-to-head benchmark, so its use cases are clear. It is the processor for multi-threaded rendering, where its 59017 R23 multi-core score will crush long render times. It is the processor for virtualization and server consolidation, where 32 cores and 64 threads allow many concurrent workloads. It is the processor for large in-memory databases, where 768 MB of shared L3 cache and 204.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth provide a massive data feeding advantage. It is the processor for scientific computing and simulation, where ECC memory support protects data integrity. It is the processor for any workload that can use 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, such as multiple high-end GPUs or NVMe storage arrays.

The Intel Core 7 150U wins in none of the paired benchmarks, so its case must be made from its specification profile. It is the processor for thin-and-light laptops where a 15 watt TDP is mandatory for battery life and thermal management. It is the processor for everyday productivity tasks that do not need 32 cores, where its 5.40 GHz boost clock can handle responsive single-threaded work. It is the processor for systems that need integrated graphics, since the EPYC has none and the Intel part includes Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units. It is the processor for portable development machines, where the ability to run on battery power outweighs raw throughput. It is the processor for users who need DDR5 memory support, which the EPYC does not offer.

The data does not support choosing the Intel Core 7 150U for performance reasons. The EPYC 7573X is faster in every measurable way in the head-to-head set. The Intel part's advantages are entirely in its form factor, power envelope, and integrated graphics, which are real advantages for mobile use but irrelevant in a server context. A builder selecting between these two is not choosing between competing products in the same category; they are choosing between a laptop chip and a server chip, and the benchmarks confirm that each is optimized for its intended environment.