AMD EPYC 7702P vs Intel Core i5-9600K Comparison

# The Verdict

The data presents an absolute mismatch in raw compute capability. The AMD EPYC 7702P wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, taking all 6 wins with no victories for the Intel Core i5-9600K. The multi-core deltas are staggering — the EPYC 7702P leads by roughly 478% across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore tests. This is not a close contest; it is a category difference.

The EPYC 7702P is for workloads that scale across many cores. With 64 cores and 128 threads versus the i5-9600K's 6 cores and 6 threads, the EPYC is the clear choice for server, workstation, and heavily threaded rendering tasks. Its average benchmark score of 15130 places it in the 69th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rival is the Intel Core 5 211TE, which sits just 1.6% higher. The i5-9600K also lands in the 69th percentile but with an average score of 14605, meaning both chips occupy similar overall percentile territory despite the massive gap in threaded performance.

However, the i5-9600K is not without purpose. It is a desktop part with an unlocked multiplier, integrated UHD 630 graphics, and a 95W TDP. The EPYC 7702P is a server/workstation processor with a 200W TDP, no integrated graphics, and a locked multiplier. If your priority is a simple desktop build with overclocking headroom, the i5-9600K is the practical option. If your priority is throughput on parallel workloads, the EPYC 7702P is the only defensible choice from this data.

# Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD EPYC 7702P is based on Zen 2 architecture under the Rome codename, built on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It packs 64 cores and 128 threads, with a base clock of 2000 MHz and a boost clock of 3.35 GHz. The Intel Core i5-9600K uses Coffee Lake architecture (Coffee Lake Refresh generation), built on Intel's 14 nm process, with 6 cores and 6 threads, a base clock of 3.70 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz.

Cache configurations diverge sharply. The EPYC 7702P provides 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a massive 256 MB shared L3 cache. The i5-9600K offers 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 9 MB shared L3. The EPYC's L3 alone is over 28 times larger. Memory bandwidth follows the same pattern: the EPYC supports DDR4 across an eight-channel memory bus delivering 204.8 GB/s, while the i5-9600K uses dual-channel DDR4 at 42.7 GB/s. ECC memory is supported on the EPYC but not on the i5.

PCIe capabilities also differ. The EPYC 7702P runs PCIe Gen 4, while the i5-9600K is limited to PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The i5 includes integrated UHD 630 graphics; the EPYC has none. The EPYC uses AMD Socket SP3, while the i5 uses Intel Socket 1151. The EPYC's production status is Active, whereas the i5 is End-of-life.

# Where Each One Wins

The EPYC 7702P wins everywhere the benchmarks measure compute throughput. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 5272 versus 912 for the i5-9600K, a 478.1% lead. In R20 multicore, the EPYC's 21969 dwarfs the i5's 3803, a 477.7% difference. R23 multicore shows 52308 versus 9055, again 477.7% ahead. Even single-core tests favor the EPYC: R15 single-core shows 744 versus 128 (481.3% ahead), R20 single-core 3101 versus 536 (478.5%), and R23 single-core 7384 versus 1278 (477.8%). The EPYC wins all six head-to-head tests.

The i5-9600K's advantages are not visible in the benchmark results but in platform characteristics. It has an unlocked multiplier, allowing overclocking, which the EPYC does not permit. It includes integrated graphics, so a discrete GPU is unnecessary for basic display output. Its 95W TDP makes it far easier to cool and power in a desktop chassis. The dual-channel memory configuration is simpler and cheaper to populate.

For a server or workstation running virtual machines, compiling large codebases, or rendering 3D scenes, the EPYC's 128 threads are transformative. The i5-9600K would struggle with any workload that scales beyond 6 threads. For a gaming or general desktop system where single-thread responsiveness matters and the user wants overclocking, the i5-9600K is the more appropriate tool — though the benchmark data does not show it winning any compute test.

# FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD EPYC 7702P has 64 cores and 128 threads. The Intel Core i5-9600K has 6 cores and 6 threads.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-9600K support ECC memory?

A: No. The i5-9600K does not support ECC memory, while the EPYC 7702P does.

Q: Which CPU has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i5-9600K includes integrated UHD 630 graphics. The AMD EPYC 7702P has no integrated graphics.

Q: How much larger is the L3 cache on the EPYC 7702P?

A: The EPYC 7702P has 256 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-9600K has 9 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor is unlocked for overclocking?

A: The Intel Core i5-9600K has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD EPYC 7702P does not.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The EPYC 7702P provides 204.8 GB/s via eight-channel DDR4, while the i5-9600K provides 42.7 GB/s via dual-channel DDR4.

# Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite provides the clearest picture. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the EPYC 7702P scores 5272 against the i5-9600K's 912, a 478.1% advantage. That is not a marginal gain; it is a five-fold-plus difference in threaded rendering performance. The R20 multicore test shows 21969 versus 3803, a 477.7% lead. R23 multicore repeats the pattern: 52308 versus 9055, again 477.7%.

Single-core results are equally lopsided, though the percentage deltas are similar. R15 single-core shows the EPYC at 744 and the i5 at 128, a 481.3% lead. R20 single-core has 3101 versus 536, a 478.5% gap. R23 single-core shows 7384 versus 1278, a 477.8% difference. These single-core wins are unexpected given the i5's higher base clock (3.70 GHz vs 2.00 GHz) and boost clock (4.60 GHz vs 3.35 GHz). The data indicates the EPYC's architecture delivers more work per clock in these tests, despite the clock speed disadvantage.

The i5-9600K does have additional benchmarks in its profile that the EPYC lacks — Geekbench multicore (6075), Geekbench single-core (1559), and several Passmark tests including data compression (148639), data encryption (3269), extended instructions (12914), find prime numbers (43), floating point math (24913), integer math (29215), multithread (10636), physics (746), random string sorting (18313), and single thread (2727). However, the head-to-head comparison only includes Cinebench tests, and the EPYC wins all six. The i5's average benchmark score of 14605 is only 3.5% below the EPYC's 15130, but that average includes tests where the i5 has no direct competitor in this comparison.

# Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification field. The EPYC 7702P uses AMD Socket SP3, while the i5-9600K uses Intel Socket 1151. The EPYC is built on a 7 nm process at TSMC with 3,800 million transistors and a 74 mm² die size; the i5-9600K uses Intel's 14 nm process with no transistor count or die size listed. The EPYC's TDP is 200W versus the i5's 95W.

Cache hierarchy differs: the EPYC has 96 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 256 MB shared L3. The i5 has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 9 MB shared L3. Memory support is DDR4 for both, but the EPYC runs eight-channel with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the i5 runs dual-channel with 42.7 GB/s. ECC memory is supported on the EPYC but not the i5.

PCIe generations differ: the EPYC supports Gen 4, while the i5 supports Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The EPYC has no integrated graphics; the i5 includes UHD 630. The EPYC's multiplier is locked; the i5's is unlocked. Market segments differ: the EPYC targets Server/Workstation, the i5 targets Desktop. Production status differs: EPYC is Active, i5 is End-of-life. Release dates differ: the EPYC launched on 2019-08-06, the i5 on 2018-10-18. The EPYC's part number is 100-000000047, and the i5's is SR3WZ.