AMD EPYC 7663 vs Intel Xeon 674X Comparison

The AMD EPYC 7663 and the Intel Xeon 674X are both 98th-percentile server processors in the database, but they occupy opposite ends of the core count and clock speed spectrum. The EPYC 7663 averages 161973 across all recorded benchmarks, while the Xeon 674X averages 143103. The head-to-head record, however, shows the Xeon winning 10 of the 16 tests, with the EPYC taking 6, and the EPYC's victories are often far larger in magnitude. The EPYC's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 9375F (162497 average, a 0.3% delta) and the Intel Xeon 676X (158540, a 2.2% delta), while the Xeon 674X sits closest to the Intel Xeon 6732P (143444, a 0.2% delta). The data suggests these chips are not substitutes for the same workload; they are optimized for different parts of the performance envelope.

The Verdict

The recorded benchmark results point to a clear division of labor. The Xeon 674X wins all five Cinebench comparisons by 2.5% to 2.6%: R15 multicore (7213 vs 7032), R15 singlecore (1018 vs 992), R20 multicore (30057 vs 29304), R20 singlecore (4243 vs 4137), and R23 multicore (71566 vs 69773). It also wins PassMark single-thread by a massive 33.7% (3933 vs 2606), PassMark extended instructions by 24.3% (97373 vs 73719), PassMark find prime numbers by 2.5% (693 vs 676), and PassMark multithread by 2.5% (84196 vs 82087). Those are the Xeon's wins, and they are mostly narrow except for the two large single-threaded and instruction-based tests.

The EPYC 7663, on the other hand, wins 6 tests, and its margins are enormous. It leads PassMark data encryption by 82.6% (111725 vs 61195), integer math by 51.5% (468096 vs 308968), random string sorting by 44.6% (184367 vs 127529), and data compression by 17.0% (1447020 vs 1236272). It also wins physics math by 5.7% (8020 vs 7586) and floating point math by 3.1% (251535 vs 243877). The EPYC's wins are so large that its average benchmark score (161973) is higher than the Xeon's (143103) even though the Xeon wins more individual tests.

The verdict is therefore workload-driven. For integer-heavy server tasks, encryption, compression, string sorting, and physics, the EPYC 7663 is the clear pick, with leads of 17% to 82.6% in several key metrics. For single-threaded performance, extended instruction throughput, and the Cinebench family, the Xeon 674X offers a smaller but consistent edge. The Xeon also has a 4.90 GHz boost clock and DDR5 memory, but the data shows that the EPYC's extra 28 cores and 112 MB of additional L3 cache translate into dominant integer and encryption throughput. A user who needs the highest single-thread result should choose the Xeon; a user who needs the highest integer, encryption, or compression throughput should choose the EPYC.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on different process nodes and design approaches. The EPYC 7663 uses TSMC's 7 nm process with a die composed of 8 chiplets of 81 mm² each, totaling 33,200 million transistors. The Xeon 674X uses Intel's 5 nm process with 2 dies of 598 mm² each, and the database does not record a transistor count for the Intel part. The EPYC is a Zen 3 design from the EPYC 7003 series, while the Xeon is a Granite Rapids design from the Xeon 6 series.

The core counts are the most striking difference: the EPYC has 56 cores and 112 threads, while the Xeon has 28 cores and 56 threads. The Xeon compensates with much higher clocks: 3.00 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost versus 2.00 GHz and 3.50 GHz for the EPYC. The Xeon also has a higher TDP at 270 W vs the EPYC's 240 W. The sockets differ as well: the EPYC uses AMD Socket SP3, the Xeon uses Intel Socket 4710.

Cache layouts are also divergent. The EPYC has 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core, with a 256 MB shared L3. The Xeon has 112 KB L1 and 2 MB L2 per core, with a 144 MB shared L3. So the EPYC has nearly double the total L3, while the Xeon has much larger L1 and L2 per core. Memory support is another split: the EPYC uses DDR4 with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth, the Xeon uses DDR5 with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth, both over an eight-channel bus. Both support ECC. The PCIe interface is Gen 4 with 128 lanes on the EPYC, and Gen 5 with 128 lanes on the Xeon.

The Xeon has an unlocked multiplier, while the EPYC does not. The Xeon lists integrated graphics as "N/A", while the EPYC does not list an integrated GPU. The release dates differ: the EPYC launched on 2021-03-14, the Xeon on 2026-02-01. The launch MSRP for the EPYC was $6366, and for the Xeon it was $2199.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are the Xeon's strongest suite. Across five Cinebench variants, the Xeon leads by 2.5% to 2.6% in every case. The largest margin is in R15 singlecore, where the Xeon scores 1018 against the EPYC's 992, a 2.6% delta. The R23 multicore test shows 71566 vs 69773, a 2.5% delta. These are consistent but modest leads.

The PassMark results split the two chips sharply. The Xeon wins the single-thread test with 3933 vs 2606, a 33.7% delta, and extended instructions with 97373 vs 73719, a 24.3% delta. It also edges out the EPYC in find prime numbers (693 vs 676, 2.5%) and multithread (84196 vs 82087, 2.5%). The EPYC's PassMark wins are in data compression (1447020 vs 1236272, 17.0%), data encryption (111725 vs 61195, 82.6%), integer math (468096 vs 308968, 51.5%), random string sorting (184367 vs 127529, 44.6%), physics (8020 vs 7586, 5.7%), and floating point math (251535 vs 243877, 3.1%). The EPYC's encryption and integer wins are more than three times the size of the Xeon's single-thread win.

The data shows a clear pattern: the Xeon wins on single-threaded and instruction-heavy tests, while the EPYC wins on multi-threaded integer and data-processing tests. The Xeon's multithread score (84196) is slightly higher than the EPYC's (82087), but the EPYC's integer math score is over half again as high (468096 vs 308968). That suggests the EPYC's large core count and shared cache matter more for integer throughput than the Xeon's higher clocks.

Specification Differences

The following table lists the fields where the two processors differ. The database records no differences in memory bus (both eight-channel) or ECC support (both true).

| Field | AMD EPYC 7663 | Intel Xeon 674X |

|-------|---------------|-----------------|

| Cores | 56 | 28 |

| Threads | 112 | 56 |

| Base clock | 2000 MHz | 3000 MHz |

| Boost clock | 3500 MHz | 4900 MHz |

| TDP | 240 W | 270 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket SP3 | Intel Socket 4710 |

| Process node | 7 nm | 5 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Die size | 8x 81 mm² | 2x 598 mm² |

| Transistors | 33,200 million | Not recorded |

| L1 cache | 64 KB per core | 112 KB per core |

| L2 cache | 512 KB per core | 2 MB per core |

| L3 cache | 256 MB shared | 144 MB shared |

| Memory support | DDR4 | DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 204.8 GB/s | 409.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 128 lanes | Gen 5, 128 lanes |

| Integrated graphics | None | N/A |

| Release date | 2021-03-14 | 2026-02-01 |

| Launch MSRP | $6366 | $2199 |

| Unlocked multiplier | No | Yes |

| Part number | 100-000000318-100000318WOF | SA2CZ |

The Xeon's base and boost clocks are 50% and 40% higher than the EPYC's, respectively, while the EPYC has twice as many cores and threads. The EPYC's L3 cache is 112 MB larger, and the Xeon's memory bandwidth is exactly double.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD EPYC 7663 has 56 cores and 112 threads, while the Intel Xeon 674X has 28 cores and 56 threads.

Q: Which CPU has the higher single-thread performance?

A: The Xeon 674X wins PassMark single-thread with 3933 vs 2606, a 33.7% lead. It also wins Cinebench R15 and R20 singlecore by about 2.5%.

Q: Which CPU has more L3 cache?

A: The EPYC 7663 has 256 MB shared L3, while the Xeon 674X has 144 MB shared L3.

Q: Which CPU has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The Xeon 674X uses DDR5 and delivers 409.6 GB/s, while the EPYC 7663 uses DDR4 at 204.8 GB/s. Both use eight-channel memory buses.

Q: Which CPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The EPYC 7663 averages 161973 across all recorded tests, while the Xeon 674X averages 143103. However, the Xeon wins 10 of the 16 head-to-head comparisons.

Q: Which CPU is newer?

A: The Xeon 674X released on 2026-02-01, while the EPYC 7663 released on 2021-03-14. The Xeon also uses a newer process node (5 nm vs 7 nm) and supports DDR5 memory.