AMD EPYC 8124P vs Intel Core i7-14700 Comparison

The Intel Core i7-14700 and AMD EPYC 8124P sit at the same 91st percentile of all CPUs, yet their average benchmark scores are separated by a razor-thin margin. The Intel part posts an average score of 52301, while the AMD EPYC 8124P trails by just 0.3% at 52121. This near-identical overall performance, however, masks a dramatic split in workload behavior. The head-to-head benchmark results show the i7-14700 winning 9 tests and the EPYC 8124P winning 8, but the margin of victory in each direction is wildly asymmetric. The data reveals two processors optimized for entirely different execution models.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking single-threaded result in the entire comparison is the Cinebench R23 single-core test. The AMD EPYC 8124P scores 4321, which is 51.9% higher than the Intel Core i7-14700’s 2080. This is not a marginal lead; it is a dominant performance gap. The same pattern appears in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the EPYC scores 435 versus 299 for Intel, a 31.3% advantage. These results indicate that the Zen 4c architecture delivers substantially higher per-thread throughput in this rendering workload, likely due to its higher base clock of 2.45 GHz and more modern 5 nm process node.

However, the single-threaded story flips completely in PassMark’s single-thread test. There, the Intel Core i7-14700 scores 4236, which is 86.5% higher than the EPYC’s 2271. This is the largest deltaPct in the entire dataset, and it highlights how benchmark methodology dramatically affects single-thread rankings. In Cinebench, AMD’s per-core design wins decisively; in PassMark, Intel’s higher boost clock of 5.40 GHz obliterates the EPYC’s 3.00 GHz ceiling.

Moving to multi-threaded workloads, the Intel Core i7-14700 takes the lead in Cinebench R15 and R20 multicore. The i7-14700 scores 4061 in R15 multicore, a 31.6% advantage over the EPYC’s 3085. In R20 multicore, Intel wins by 11.9% with a score of 14388 versus 12856. These wins align with the i7-14700’s 20 cores and 28 threads, which outnumber the EPYC’s 16 cores and 32 threads. The extra physical cores give Intel a clear edge in these older Cinebench versions.

The trend reverses in Cinebench R23 multicore, where the AMD EPYC 8124P scores 30611, beating Intel’s 28398 by 7.2%. This is a notable inversion, suggesting that R23’s workload scales better with the EPYC’s higher thread count (32 threads) or its larger 64 MB L3 cache. The EPYC’s six-channel memory bus, with 230.4 GB/s of bandwidth, may also contribute to this win.

In PassMark’s integer and floating-point math tests, Intel dominates. The i7-14700 scores 154535 in integer math, a 25.1% lead over the EPYC’s 123513. In floating-point math, Intel’s 106716 is 47.4% higher than AMD’s 72395. These are substantial wins for the desktop part, indicating that the i7-14700’s hybrid core design excels at arithmetic-heavy workloads. The PassMark multithread test also goes to Intel, with a score of 40318 versus 36014, a 12% margin.

AMD fights back in several specialized PassMark tests. The EPYC 8124P wins data encryption with 30743 versus 29601, a 3.7% edge. It also takes extended instructions (29666 vs 28388, 4.3% ahead) and find prime numbers (222 vs 164, 26.1% ahead). The largest AMD win outside of Cinebench single-core is in physics, where the EPYC scores 3356 versus 2226, a 33.7% advantage. Random string sorting also favors AMD, with 64067 versus 54340, a 15.2% lead. These wins suggest the EPYC’s Zen 4c cores handle certain algorithmic patterns more efficiently.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700 has an average benchmark score of 52301, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD EPYC 8124P’s 52121. Both processors sit at the 91st percentile of all CPUs.

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R23 single-core performance?

A: The AMD EPYC 8124P is the clear winner, scoring 4321 compared to the Intel Core i7-14700’s 2080. This represents a 51.9% advantage for AMD in this specific test.

Q: Which processor wins in PassMark single-thread performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700 wins decisively with a score of 4236, which is 86.5% higher than the AMD EPYC 8124P’s 2271. This is the largest performance gap in the entire head-to-head comparison.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-14700 has 20 cores and 28 threads, while the AMD EPYC 8124P has 16 cores and 32 threads. Intel has more physical cores, but AMD has more threads due to simultaneous multithreading.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i7-14700 and the AMD EPYC 8124P support ECC memory. However, Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while AMD supports only DDR5.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700 has a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, which is significantly higher than the AMD EPYC 8124P’s 3.00 GHz. This helps explain Intel’s large win in PassMark single-thread.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-14700 is the better choice for workloads that rely on high-frequency, single-threaded execution and heavy arithmetic throughput. Its 47.4% lead in floating-point math and 25.1% lead in integer math make it ideal for scientific computing, financial modeling, and any application that performs dense numerical calculations. The 86.5% advantage in PassMark single-thread also points to superiority in legacy software that does not scale across cores. The i7-14700’s wins in Cinebench R15 and R20 multicore suggest it handles older rendering workloads with ease, likely due to its 20 physical cores.

The AMD EPYC 8124P is the better fit for server and workstation environments where memory bandwidth and cache capacity are critical. Its 230.4 GB/s six-channel memory bandwidth and 64 MB L3 cache give it a decisive edge in Cinebench R23 multicore, where it leads by 7.2%. The EPYC’s wins in physics (33.7% ahead), random string sorting (15.2% ahead), and find prime numbers (26.1% ahead) indicate strengths in pattern recognition and logic-heavy tasks. The 51.9% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core also makes it attractive for lightly-threaded workloads that still demand maximum per-core performance.

For data compression, the Intel part wins by 6.4%, scoring 498198 versus 468411. This suggests the i7-14700 is better suited for file archiving and database workloads that compress data. Conversely, the EPYC’s 3.7% lead in data encryption makes it a stronger candidate for security-focused applications. The decision ultimately comes down to whether the workload is arithmetic-heavy (Intel) or cache/bandwidth-sensitive (AMD).

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts differ notably: the Intel Core i7-14700 has 20 cores and 28 threads, while the AMD EPYC 8124P has 16 cores and 32 threads. Clock speeds also diverge significantly. Intel’s base clock is 2.10 GHz with a boost of 5.40 GHz, whereas AMD’s base clock is 2.45 GHz with a boost of only 3.00 GHz. The TDP reflects this difference, with Intel rated at 65 watts and AMD at 125 watts.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently. The Intel chip has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD chip has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a larger 64 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support also differs: Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel bus, while AMD supports only DDR5 but with a six-channel bus and a rated bandwidth of 230.4 GB/s.

PCIe lane counts are vastly different. The Intel Core i7-14700 provides 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, while the AMD EPYC 8124P provides 96 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. The Intel part includes integrated graphics in the form of UHD Graphics 770, whereas the AMD part has no integrated graphics. The socket types are incompatible: Intel uses Socket 1700, and AMD uses Socket SP6. The launch MSRP is $384 for Intel and $639 for AMD.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i7-14700 is built on Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, using a 10 nm process node fabricated by Intel. The die size is 257 mm². This is a desktop-oriented design with a hybrid core arrangement that prioritizes high clock speeds and responsiveness.

The AMD EPYC 8124P is based on Zen 4c architecture under the codename Siena, part of the EPYC 8004 series. It uses a 5 nm process node fabricated by TSMC, with a transistor count of 17,750 million. The die is composed of 2x 73 mm² chiplets, a fundamentally different physical design from Intel’s monolithic approach. This chiplet architecture allows AMD to pack a larger L3 cache (64 MB) and support a six-channel memory bus.

The market segments are distinct: Intel targets desktop consumers and enthusiasts, while AMD targets server and workstation deployments. The Intel part has a production status of Active with a release date of 2024-01-07, while the AMD part also has Active production status but was released earlier on 2023-09-17. Both processors have locked multipliers, meaning they are not intended for overclocking. The Intel part number is SRN40, and the AMD part number is 100-000001135. The process node difference (10 nm vs 5 nm) directly impacts power efficiency and clock scaling, with AMD’s smaller node enabling higher base clocks but a much lower boost ceiling.