AMD EPYC 8024P vs AMD Ryzen 5 8540U Comparison

The AMD EPYC 8024P and AMD Ryzen 5 8540U sit at opposite ends of AMD's product stack: one is a server/workstation part built on Zen 4c, the other a mobile processor using Zen 4. Despite that, their average benchmark scores are close: the EPYC scores 26,555 and the Ryzen 26,187, both landing in the 78th percentile of all CPUs. In direct head-to-head tests, the EPYC wins 10 of 15, but the Ryzen takes the remaining 5, including the single-thread PassMark test.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The EPYC 8024P dominates the multi-threaded and server-oriented workloads. Its largest win is in PassMark physics, where it scores 1,905 against the Ryzen's 1,028, a 85.3% advantage. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows a 79.7% lead (17,472 vs 9,721.5), reflecting the extra two cores and the much wider memory bus. Prime number finding is another blowout: 109 vs 69, a 58% gap. Random string sorting goes 34,613 vs 24,375, a 42% lead. Data encryption is 15,809 vs 12,245, up 29.1%. Even in Cinebench R23 single-core, the EPYC wins 2,466 vs 1,714.5, a 43.8% margin, despite its lower boost clock. The EPYC also takes Cinebench R15 multi-core (1,761 vs 1,557.5, +13.1%), PassMark multithread (20,556 vs 18,332, +12.1%), data compression (232,242 vs 208,619, +11.3%), and integer math (62,128 vs 57,755, +7.6%).

The Ryzen 5 8540U fights back in single-thread and math-heavy tests. Its biggest win is PassMark single-thread: 3,639 vs 2,371, a 34.8% lead. That aligns with its 4.90 GHz boost clock versus the EPYC's 3.00 GHz. It also wins PassMark extended instructions (14,900 vs 14,251, +4.4%) and floating-point math (34,958 vs 34,757, +0.6%). In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Ryzen edges ahead 253 vs 248, a 2% margin. These wins are smaller in magnitude than the EPYC's, but they show the Ryzen's strength in lightly threaded and vectorized workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The EPYC 8024P has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Ryzen 5 8540U has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which has a higher boost clock?

A: The Ryzen 5 8540U boosts to 4.90 GHz, compared to the EPYC's 3.00 GHz.

Q: Which supports ECC memory?

A: The EPYC 8024P supports ECC memory; the Ryzen 5 8540U does not.

Q: Which has integrated graphics?

A: The Ryzen 5 8540U includes Radeon 740M integrated graphics; the EPYC has none.

Q: Which has more L3 cache?

A: The EPYC has 32 MB shared L3, while the Ryzen has 16 MB.

Q: Which has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The EPYC offers 230.4 GB/s over six-channel DDR5, while the Ryzen provides 89.6 GB/s over dual-channel.

Architecture Differences

The two chips use different Zen variants. The EPYC 8024P is built on Zen 4c, the dense-core version, and carries the codename Siena. The Ryzen 5 8540U uses full Zen 4 and is codenamed Hawk Point. The process nodes differ: the EPYC is on 5 nm, the Ryzen on 4 nm, both from TSMC. Transistor counts and die sizes reflect the different design goals: the EPYC packs 8,875 million transistors into 73 mm², while the Ryzen has 20,900 million transistors across 137 mm². The EPYC's smaller die and lower transistor count are typical of a dense-core server part.

Cache hierarchies differ in L3: the EPYC has 32 MB shared, the Ryzen 16 MB. L1 and L2 are identical per core (64 KB and 1 MB). Memory support is DDR5 for both, but the EPYC uses a six-channel bus with 230.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the Ryzen uses dual-channel at 89.6 GB/s. ECC memory is supported only on the EPYC. PCIe connectivity also diverges: the EPYC provides Gen 5 with 96 lanes (CPU only), the Ryzen Gen 4 with 14 lanes. The Ryzen includes Radeon 740M integrated graphics; the EPYC has none. Sockets and market segments are distinct: the EPYC uses AMD Socket SP6 and targets server/workstation, the Ryzen uses AMD Socket FP7 and is a mobile part. TDPs reflect that: 90 W for the EPYC, 28 W for the Ryzen. Base clocks are 2.40 GHz for the EPYC and 3.20 GHz for the Ryzen; boost clocks are 3.00 GHz and 4.90 GHz, respectively. Release dates are also different: the EPYC launched on 2023-09-17, the Ryzen on 2023-12-05.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split. The EPYC 8024P wins the majority of head-to-head tests, and its victories are often lopsided: 85.3% in physics, 79.7% in Cinebench R23 multi-core, 58% in prime numbers. It also wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 43.8%, which is surprising given its lower clock, but the larger L3 and memory bandwidth likely contribute. The Ryzen 5 8540U wins only five tests, and its largest margin is 34.8% in PassMark single-thread. That makes the EPYC the better choice for server, workstation, and any workload that scales with cores, memory bandwidth, or ECC reliability. The Ryzen is the better pick for mobile systems where power draw, integrated graphics, and high single-thread clocks matter more. Both chips sit in the 78th percentile, and their average scores are within 1.4% of each other, so for general desktop use the difference is not huge. But the EPYC's wins are more decisive in the tests it takes, and the Ryzen's wins are narrower. The EPYC's nearest rival is the Intel Core i9-11900K with a -0.3% delta, while the Ryzen's nearest is the Intel Core i9-11900KF at -0.1%, so both are competitive in their respective segments.

Specification Differences

| Field | AMD EPYC 8024P | AMD Ryzen 5 8540U |

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

| Cores | 8 | 6 |

| Threads | 16 | 12 |

| Base clock | 2.40 GHz | 3.20 GHz |

| Boost clock | 3.00 GHz | 4.90 GHz |

| TDP | 90 W | 28 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket SP6 | AMD Socket FP7 |

| Architecture | Zen 4c | Zen 4 |

| Codename | Siena | Hawk Point |

| Process node | 5 nm | 4 nm |

| Transistors | 8,875 million | 20,900 million |

| Die size | 73 mm² | 137 mm² |

| L3 cache | 32 MB (shared) | 16 MB (shared) |

| Memory bus | Six-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory bandwidth | 230.4 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

| ECC memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 96 lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 14 lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | None | Radeon 740M |

| Market segment | Server/Workstation | Mobile |

| Release date | 2023-09-17 | 2023-12-05 |

| Launch MSRP | $409 | Not available |

Where Each One Wins

The EPYC 8024P is the clear winner for multi-threaded and data-heavy tasks. It leads by 79.7% in Cinebench R23 multi-core, 85.3% in physics, 58% in prime number finding, 42% in random string sorting, 29.1% in data encryption, 12.1% in multithread, 11.3% in data compression, and 7.6% in integer math. It also wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 43.8%, which makes it a strong choice for any workload that benefits from large L3 cache and high memory bandwidth, even if the clock speed is lower. The EPYC's six-channel memory and ECC support further cement its role in servers and workstations.

The Ryzen 5 8540U wins in single-thread PassMark by 34.8%, extended instructions by 4.4%, floating-point math by 0.6%, and Cinebench R15 single-core by 2%. These are smaller margins, but they point to a processor that excels in lightly threaded applications, vectorized math, and tasks that respond to high clock speeds. The integrated Radeon 740M and 28 W TDP make it suitable for thin-and-light laptops where power efficiency and graphics output are priorities. For a mobile user who runs office apps, web browsing, or media encoding that uses a few fast cores, the Ryzen is the better fit. For a server administrator running databases, virtualization, or scientific simulations, the EPYC's core count, memory bandwidth, and ECC support are the deciding factors.