AMD EPYC 7642 vs Intel Xeon 6732P Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two server processors into very distinct roles. The Intel Xeon 6732P wins 16 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the AMD EPYC 7642 takes exactly one. That single AMD victory, however, is not trivial. The EPYC 7642 wins in PassMark data encryption by 26.1%, scoring 86,397 against Intel's 63,848. This is a meaningful advantage for workloads that rely heavily on cryptographic operations, such as secure communications, VPN termination, or encrypted storage processing.

Everywhere else, the Intel part is ahead. The largest margins appear in PassMark physics, where Intel leads by 59.1% (8,109 versus 5,098), and PassMark extended instructions, where Intel leads by 55% (106,697 versus 68,841). These are substantial gaps that point to strengths in simulation, scientific computing, and instruction-heavy workloads. Floating point math also favors Intel heavily, with a 43.9% advantage (261,703 versus 181,887), reinforcing the picture of a processor built for compute-intensive tasks.

The two chips are closer in integer math, where Intel leads by only 9.5% (334,340 versus 305,303), and in data compression, where Intel leads by 12% (1,339,480 versus 1,195,584). These smaller margins suggest that in more general-purpose or memory-bound tasks, the gap narrows considerably. The AMD part remains competitive even with fewer wins, which raises the question of what architectural choices drive these differences.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from very different design generations and manufacturing approaches. The Intel Xeon 6732P is built on a 5 nm process at Intel's own foundry, using the Granite Rapids architecture from the Xeon 6 generation. It packs 32 cores and 64 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its thermal design power is 350 watts, and it uses Intel Socket 4710. The cache layout is notable: 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 144 MB of shared L3 cache.

The AMD EPYC 7642 belongs to the EPYC 7002 series, built on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It uses the Zen 2 architecture with the Rome codename, and it is the older part by release date. It offers 48 cores and 96 threads, which is 16 more cores and 32 more threads than the Intel chip. However, its clocks are lower: 2.40 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost. The TDP is also lower at 225 watts, and it fits in AMD Socket SP3. The cache structure differs significantly: 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a much larger 256 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD chip also carries a listed transistor count of 3,800 million and a die size of 74 mm², details not provided for the Intel part.

Memory support separates the two clearly. Intel uses DDR5 with eight-channel memory and a bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s. AMD uses DDR4, also eight-channel, but with half the bandwidth at 204.8 GB/s. PCIe connectivity also differs: Intel offers Gen 5 with 136 lanes (CPU only), while AMD provides Gen 4 without a lane count listed. Both support ECC memory, and neither has integrated graphics. The Intel part was released on 2025-05-21, while the AMD part came out on 2019-08-06, a gap of nearly six years that explains much of the performance delta.

The Verdict

The recorded data points to a clear winner for raw performance: the Intel Xeon 6732P dominates the AMD EPYC 7642 across nearly the entire benchmark suite. Its average benchmark score of 143,444 places it at the 98th percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD EPYC 7642 averages 124,006 at the 97th percentile. The Intel chip also sits in a slightly different competitive tier. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965X3D at -0.2%, the Intel Xeon 674X at +0.2%, the Intel Xeon w9-3575X at -0.6%, and the AMD EPYC 7643P at -1%. The AMD EPYC 7642's nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX at -0.1%, the Intel Xeon 6730P at -0.6%, the AMD EPYC 9354 at -2.2%, and the AMD EPYC 9384X at +3%.

For buyers choosing between these two specific parts, the decision depends on workload. The Intel Xeon 6732P is the better choice for single-threaded performance, physics, floating point, extended instructions, and general multi-threaded compute. The AMD EPYC 7642 is the better choice when encryption performance matters most, given its 26.1% lead in data encryption. The AMD part also offers more cores (48 versus 32) and more threads (96 versus 64), which might matter in highly parallel workloads that scale with core count, but the benchmark results show Intel winning the multi-threaded tests anyway. The Intel Xeon 6732P wins Cinebench R23 multi-core with 63,621 versus 49,975, a 27.3% advantage, despite having fewer cores. That is the decisive observation.

The Intel part's launch MSRP is $5295. No pricing information is recorded for the AMD EPYC 7642.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The AMD EPYC 7642 has 48 cores and 96 threads. The Intel Xeon 6732P has 32 cores and 64 threads.

Q: Does the AMD EPYC 7642 win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins the PassMark data encryption test with a score of 86,397, which is 26.1% higher than the Intel Xeon 6732P's score of 63,848.

Q: Which chip has higher clock speeds?

A: The Intel Xeon 6732P has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. The AMD EPYC 7642 has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: The Intel Xeon 6732P has 144 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD EPYC 7642 has 256 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor supports DDR5 memory?

A: The Intel Xeon 6732P supports DDR5 with eight-channel memory and 409.6 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD EPYC 7642 supports DDR4 with eight-channel memory and 204.8 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each?

A: The Intel Xeon 6732P has an average benchmark score of 143,444, placing it at the 98th percentile. The AMD EPYC 7642 has an average benchmark score of 124,006, placing it at the 97th percentile.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the head-to-head results is the consistency of Intel's margin. In all six Cinebench tests, the delta is exactly 27.3% in favor of the Intel Xeon 6732P. This includes Cinebench R15 multi-core (6,412 versus 5,037), R15 single-core (905 versus 711), R20 multi-core (26,720 versus 20,989), R20 single-core (3,772 versus 2,963), R23 multi-core (63,621 versus 49,975), and R23 single-core (8,981 versus 7,055). A uniform 27.3% advantage across both single and multi-threaded rendering suggests a fundamental clock and IPC advantage rather than a core-count effect.

The PassMark suite shows a wider spread. The largest Intel win is in physics, with a 59.1% lead (8,109 versus 5,098). This test often reflects the efficiency of the processor's scheduling and floating-point pipeline, and the margin here is the biggest of any recorded test. Extended instructions follow at 55% (106,697 versus 68,841), indicating a major advantage in SIMD and specialized instruction execution. Floating point math is next at 43.9% (261,703 versus 181,887), confirming strong numerical compute capability.

The smaller Intel wins are still informative. Integer math shows only a 9.5% lead (334,340 versus 305,303), and data compression shows a 12% lead (1,339,480 versus 1,195,584). Random string sorting is a 16.2% lead (133,467 versus 114,871). These workloads tend to be more memory-latency sensitive, and the smaller margins suggest the AMD part's larger L3 cache (256 MB versus 144 MB) helps it stay closer in these scenarios. Single-thread performance favors Intel by 22.1% (2,506 versus 2,052), and the multi-thread PassMark test also shows Intel ahead by 27.3% (74,849 versus 58,795), matching the Cinebench deltas exactly.

The single AMD win in data encryption is worth repeating: 86,397 versus 63,848, a 26.1% advantage. This is the only test where the older 7 nm Zen 2 chip beats the newer 5 nm Granite Rapids part. It suggests that AMD's encryption implementation, possibly relying on its larger cache or specific instruction paths, remains highly effective despite the generational gap.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every listed specification. The Intel Xeon 6732P has 32 cores and 64 threads, while the AMD EPYC 7642 has 48 cores and 96 threads. Base clocks are 3.80 GHz versus 2.40 GHz, and boost clocks are 4.10 GHz versus 3.40 GHz. TDP is 350 watts for Intel and 225 watts for AMD. Sockets differ: Intel Socket 4710 versus AMD Socket SP3. Architecture is Granite Rapids versus Zen 2, with codenames Granite Rapids versus Rome. The process node is 5 nm at Intel versus 7 nm at TSMC.

Cache hierarchies are different at every level. L1 is 112 KB per core on Intel versus 96 KB per core on AMD. L2 is 2 MB per core on Intel versus 512 KB per core on AMD. L3 is 144 MB shared on Intel versus 256 MB shared on AMD. Memory support is DDR5 versus DDR4, with bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s versus 204.8 GB/s. Both use eight-channel memory and support ECC. PCIe is Gen 5 with 136 lanes on Intel versus Gen 4 on AMD. The Intel part has no listed transistor or die size data, while the AMD part lists 3,800 million transistors and a 74 mm² die size. Release dates are 2025-05-21 for Intel and 2019-08-06 for AMD. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $5295; the AMD part has no recorded MSRP. Neither chip has integrated graphics, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. Part numbers are SRVP2 for Intel and 100-000000074 for AMD.