AMD EPYC 7713 vs Intel Core i7-9700K Comparison

The comparison between the AMD EPYC 7713 and the Intel Core i7-9700K is a study in extremes, pitting a 64-core server behemoth against an 8-core desktop processor from a different era. The benchmark data reveals a complete sweep, with the EPYC 7713 winning all six head-to-head tests, yet the average benchmark scores place both chips within a razor-thin margin of each other. This apparent paradox is explained by the fact that the EPYC 7713 has a 74th percentile ranking among all CPUs, matching the i7-9700K's identical 74th percentile, while the i7-9700K's average score of 20271 is only 0.5% lower than the EPYC 7713's 20363. The data suggests that while the EPYC dominates in raw computational throughput, the aggregate picture is more nuanced than a simple victory lap.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are unambiguous, showing a staggering and consistent performance gap across every test. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the EPYC 7713 scores 7096 versus the i7-9700K's 1233, a delta of 475.5%. The single-core R15 test tells a similar story, with the EPYC at 1001 and the Intel at 174, again a 475.3% advantage. This pattern is not an anomaly; it repeats with near-identical precision in every single benchmark. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 29568 for the EPYC against 5139 for the Intel, a 475.4% difference, while the R20 single-core result is 4174 versus 725, a 475.7% delta. The trend culminates in Cinebench R23, where the EPYC 7713 posts a massive 70401 in multi-core, dwarfing the i7-9700K's 12238, for a 475.3% lead. Even in R23 single-core, the EPYC's 9939 is 475.5% higher than the Intel's 1727.

The uniformity of these deltas, hovering between 475.3% and 475.7%, is striking. It suggests that the performance difference is not workload-dependent but rather a fundamental and consistent gap in both multi-threaded and single-threaded execution. The i7-9700K, despite having a higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz compared to the EPYC's 3.68 GHz, cannot overcome the architectural and core-count disparity. The data implies that the EPYC's advantage is so overwhelming that the Intel processor's clock speed advantage is rendered irrelevant. For every point the i7-9700K scores, the EPYC 7713 scores roughly 5.75 points, a ratio that holds true across all six Cinebench tests. This is not a close contest; it is a demonstration of different performance tiers.

The Verdict

The data leads to an unambiguous conclusion: the AMD EPYC 7713 is the superior processor in every measured benchmark. It wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, with a minimum lead of 475.3%. The Intel Core i7-9700K does not have a single win to its name in this comparison. The benchmark results indicate that for any task reliant on CPU computation, the EPYC 7713 is categorically faster. The i7-9700K's only claim to relevance is its average benchmark score, which is 20271, a mere 0.5% below the EPYC's 20363, and its identical 74th percentile ranking. This suggests that when considering a broader set of workloads beyond Cinebench, the two processors might perform more similarly on average. However, the provided head-to-head data shows no such parity.

The i7-9700K's inclusion in the EPYC 7713's nearest rivals list, with a deltaPct of 0.5, is a statistical artifact of the average scoring methodology. It does not reflect the reality of the Cinebench performance, where the EPYC is nearly six times faster. The verdict for raw processing power is clear: the EPYC 7713 is the definitive winner. The Intel part is an end-of-life desktop chip, while the EPYC is an active server/workstation part, and the benchmark data reflects the performance chasm between those segments. For a buyer prioritizing maximum compute performance, the choice is unequivocally the EPYC 7713.

Where Each One Wins

The EPYC 7713 wins in every scenario covered by the benchmark suite. Its dominance in all Cinebench tests, both multi-core and single-core, indicates that it is the clear choice for heavily threaded workstation tasks, server virtualization, and any compute-intensive application. The sheer core count of 64 versus 8, and 128 threads versus 8, makes it the only viable option for massive parallel processing. The i7-9700K, with its 8 cores and 8 threads, is theoretically suited for lighter desktop workloads, but even in single-core tests, it loses by over 475%. The data shows no workload where the Intel chip is preferable.

The i7-9700K does have strengths outside the benchmark data, such as a lower 95W TDP compared to the EPYC's 225W, and it features integrated graphics with UHD Graphics 630, which the EPYC lacks. It also has an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking, whereas the EPYC is locked. However, these are not performance wins; they are feature and efficiency advantages. In terms of benchmark scores, the EPYC 7713 is the sole winner. The i7-9700K's only potential edge is in its average score across all benchmarks, which is 20271, but this is a single aggregate number that masks the complete dominance seen in the Cinebench tests. The EPYC 7713 wins where it matters: every computational test.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher Cinebench R23 multi-core score?

A: The AMD EPYC 7713 has a significantly higher score of 70401, compared to the Intel Core i7-9700K's 12238, representing a 475.3% advantage.

Q: Is there any benchmark in which the Intel Core i7-9700K beats the AMD EPYC 7713?

A: No. The data shows the AMD EPYC 7713 wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, with the Intel part losing every single comparison.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD EPYC 7713 has an average benchmark score of 20363, which is only 0.5% higher than the Intel Core i7-9700K's 20271, placing them in the same 74th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What is the difference in core and thread counts?

A: The AMD EPYC 7713 has 64 cores and 128 threads, while the Intel Core i7-9700K has 8 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700K has a higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz, compared to the AMD EPYC 7713's boost clock of 3.68 GHz, despite losing all benchmarks.

Q: What are the memory bandwidth specifications for each?

A: The AMD EPYC 7713 supports eight-channel memory with a bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s, while the Intel Core i7-9700K supports dual-channel memory with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures and for different market segments. The AMD EPYC 7713 is a server/workstation part using the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Milan, and is manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It is built for the AMD Socket SP3 platform and features a massive 256 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core i7-9700K, in contrast, uses the older Coffee Lake architecture (specifically Coffee Lake Refresh) and is fabricated on Intel's 14 nm process. It is a desktop chip for the Intel Socket 1151 platform, with a much smaller 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The EPYC's transistor count is listed as 33,200 million, while no figure is given for the Intel part.

Memory support is another major differentiator. The EPYC 7713 features an eight-channel DDR4 memory bus, yielding a theoretical bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s and supporting ECC memory. The i7-9700K has a dual-channel DDR4 bus with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s and does not support ECC. PCIe connectivity also differs, with the EPYC offering 128 lanes of Gen 4, while the i7-9700K provides only 16 lanes of Gen 3. The EPYC has no integrated graphics, whereas the Intel part includes UHD Graphics 630. The EPYC's die size is listed as 8x 81 mm², while the Intel chip has a die size of 180.3 mm². These architectural differences explain the performance gulf, as the EPYC is designed for massive scalability and bandwidth, while the i7-9700K is a more conventional, lower-power desktop design.

Specification Differences

The core specifications reveal a stark contrast between the two processors. The AMD EPYC 7713 has 64 cores and 128 threads, while the Intel Core i7-9700K has 8 cores and 8 threads. The base clock of the EPYC is 2000.00 MHz, lower than the i7-9700K's 3.60 GHz, but the boost clocks are 3.68 GHz and 4.90 GHz respectively. The thermal design power (TDP) is a major difference: the EPYC is rated at 225W, while the i7-9700K is rated at 95W. The EPYC uses the AMD Socket SP3, and the Intel uses the Intel Socket 1151. The EPYC is an active production part, while the i7-9700K is end-of-life.

The EPYC 7713 has a launch MSRP of $7060, and the i7-9700K has a launch MSRP of $385. The EPYC's L1 cache is 64 KB per core, same as the Intel, but its L2 cache is 512 KB per core versus 256 KB per core, and its L3 cache is 256 MB shared versus 12 MB shared. The EPYC supports eight-channel memory and ECC, while the Intel supports dual-channel and no ECC. PCIe lanes are 128 Gen 4 for the EPYC and 16 Gen 3 for the Intel. The Intel part has an unlocked multiplier, while the EPYC does not. The EPYC's process node is 7 nm, and the Intel's is 14 nm.