AMD EPYC 7702 vs AMD EPYC 7742 Comparison

Both AMD EPYC 7742 and AMD EPYC 7702 are 64-core, 128-thread server processors built on the same Zen 2 "Rome" architecture, targeting the same dual-socket SP3 platforms. The benchmark data shows the 7742 consistently outperforming the 7702 across every Cinebench test, with the average benchmark score of 16998 versus 16932, a 0.4% lead in the aggregate. While the performance gap is narrow in percentage terms, the consistency of the 7742’s wins makes it the clear choice for workloads where every point of throughput matters.

FAQ

Q: What is the core and thread count for both processors?

A: Both the AMD EPYC 7742 and the AMD EPYC 7702 feature 64 cores and 128 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock speed?

A: The AMD EPYC 7742 has a base clock of 2.25 GHz, while the AMD EPYC 7702 has a base clock of 2000.00 MHz (2.00 GHz).

Q: How do the two processors compare in single-threaded performance?

A: The AMD EPYC 7742 wins in all single-core Cinebench tests, with a 0.5% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core (836 vs 832) and a 0.4% lead in both R20 and R23 single-core tests.

Q: What is the difference in thermal design power (TDP)?

A: The AMD EPYC 7742 has a TDP of 225 watts, while the AMD EPYC 7702 has a lower TDP of 200 watts.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory configuration?

A: Yes, both support DDR4 memory with an eight-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s, and both support ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD EPYC 7742 has an average benchmark score of 16998, compared to the AMD EPYC 7702’s average of 16932.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 7742 wins decisively in raw performance. Across all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, the 7742 takes the victory, with the largest margin being a 0.5% lead in the Cinebench R15 single-core test (836 vs 832). In the multi-core tests, the 7742 maintains a consistent 0.4% advantage, which translates to a 23-point lead in R15 (5923 vs 5900), a 96-point lead in R20 (24682 vs 24586), and a 230-point lead in R23 (58769 vs 58539). This pattern indicates that the 7742’s higher base clock of 2.25 GHz versus 2.00 GHz, combined with a slightly higher boost clock of 3.40 GHz versus 3.35 GHz, provides a small but measurable edge in both lightly-threaded and fully-threaded workloads.

The AMD EPYC 7702 has no benchmark wins to claim. Its only advantage is operational: a lower TDP of 200 watts compared to the 7742’s 225 watts. For scenarios where power draw is a stricter constraint than absolute performance, the 7702 offers a more thermally modest option, but it does so at the cost of trailing in every measured Cinebench score. The data shows that the 7702 is the same silicon with slightly lower clock bins, making it the appropriate pick only when the 25-watt TDP difference is a hard requirement.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the exact same architectural foundation. They are built on the Zen 2 microarchitecture under the "Rome" codename, part of the EPYC 7002 series. The manufacturing process is identical: a 7 nm node from TSMC, with 3,800 million transistors and a die size of 74 mm². Cache hierarchies are also identical, with 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 256 MB L3 cache. Both support PCIe Gen 4 and use the AMD Socket SP3.

The only architectural distinction lies in the clock binning. The 7742 is configured with a base clock of 2.25 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz, while the 7702 is set to a base of 2.00 GHz and a boost of 3.35 GHz. This is not a difference in design but in silicon quality and power envelope. The 7742’s higher TDP of 225 watts versus 200 watts allows it to sustain those higher clocks under load. Every other feature—memory support, ECC capability, eight-channel memory bus, and the absence of integrated graphics—is identical between the two.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in exactly four specification fields: base clock, boost clock, TDP, and part number. The base clock is 2.25 GHz for the 7742 and 2000.00 MHz for the 7702. Boost clocks are 3.40 GHz and 3.35 GHz, respectively. TDP is 225 watts for the 7742 and 200 watts for the 7702. The part numbers are 100-000000053 for the 7742 and 100-000000038 for the 7702.

All other specifications are shared. Both have 64 cores and 128 threads, use the AMD Socket SP3, and belong to the EPYC 7002 series. Memory support is DDR4 across an eight-channel bus with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth and ECC capability. Cache sizes are identical, as are the process node, foundry, transistor count, and die size. Both are classified as Server/Workstation parts with Active production status, released on the same date of 2019-08-06, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results paint a consistent picture of the 7742’s superiority. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 7742 scores 5923 against the 7702’s 5900, a 0.4% delta. The single-core R15 test shows the largest relative gap: 836 versus 832, a 0.5% lead for the 7742. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core scores are 24682 for the 7742 and 24586 for the 7702, again a 0.4% difference, while single-core scores are 3484 and 3470, also a 0.4% gap.

In the most demanding test, Cinebench R23, the 7742 posts a multi-core score of 58769 against 58539 for the 7702, a 230-point difference representing 0.4%. The R23 single-core result is 8296 versus 8264, with the same 0.4% delta. The pattern is uniform: the 7742 wins every test by a margin between 0.4% and 0.5%. The average benchmark score reinforces this, with the 7742 at 16998 and the 7702 at 16932, a 0.4% aggregate lead. In the nearest rival context, the 7742 sits 0.4% ahead of the 7702, while the 7702 sits 0.4% behind the 7742, confirming that the two chips are near-neighbors in overall performance rankings.