AMD EPYC 9124 vs Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX Comparison

Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX vs AMD EPYC 9124 is a clash of two very different philosophies: a 55 W mobile flagship against a 200 W server behemoth. The database results show a clear split personality, with Intel dominating most compute workloads while AMD takes the crown in single-threaded Cinebench and a few specific tests. The following analysis breaks down where each processor excels, what separates them architecturally, and who should pick which.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX wins 13 of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, and some of those wins are enormous. The most lopsided result is PassMark floating point math, where Intel scores 191186 against AMD's 87057, a 119.6% advantage. That is more than double the throughput, a staggering gap for any comparison. Prime number finding is similarly one-sided: Intel scores 448 versus 256, a 75% lead. In Cinebench R15 multicore, Intel posts 5619.5 against 3756, a 49.6% margin. Cinebench R20 multicore shows Intel ahead by 27.1% (19899 vs 15652), and PassMark multithread mirrors that with a 27.2% lead (55759 vs 43846). Single-thread PassMark also favors Intel heavily at 4713 versus 2719, a 73.3% difference. Data encryption goes Intel's way by 30.6% (47112 vs 36078), extended instructions by 8.4% (47016 vs 43380), data compression by 1.5% (608381 vs 599417), and integer math by 4.3% (155218 vs 148785). Random string sorting is nearly a tie, with Intel ahead by just 0.2% (74320 vs 74177).

AMD's four wins are concentrated and dramatic. The biggest is Cinebench R23 single-core: AMD scores 5261 against Intel's 2204, a 58.1% advantage. Cinebench R15 single-core also goes to AMD at 530 versus 334, a 37% lead. In Cinebench R23 multicore, AMD edges ahead with 37269 against 35589, a 4.5% margin. PassMark physics is the last AMD win, 3662 versus 3338, an 8.8% lead. The single-core Cinebench results are particularly notable because they invert the PassMark single-thread result, where Intel leads by 73.3%. This suggests the two processors have very different performance profiles depending on the workload and how it scales with clock speed versus architecture efficiency.

Looking at the aggregate scores, Intel's average benchmark score is 67469, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. AMD's average is 65104, in the 93rd percentile. Intel's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon w5-3525 at 67673 (-0.3% delta), the AMD EPYC 4484PX at 67822 (-0.5%), and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX at 67868 (-0.6%). AMD's nearest rivals are the AMD EPYC 4464P at 64823 (0.4% delta), the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 at 64640 (0.7%), and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D at 65914 (-1.2%). Both chips sit within a narrow band of their peers, but Intel holds a 3.6% average score advantage overall.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is built on Arrow Lake, specifically the Arrow Lake-HX die, using a 3 nm process at TSMC. It packs 24 cores and 24 threads, meaning no hyperthreading. The chip has 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. Cache is configured as 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 36 MB shared L3. Memory support is DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, delivering 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. It does not support ECC memory. PCIe is Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics are Arc Xe-LPG with 64 execution units. The socket is Intel BGA 2114, and the multiplier is unlocked. It is classified as a mobile part.

The AMD EPYC 9124 uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Genoa codename, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It has 16 cores and 32 threads, enabled by simultaneous multithreading. The chip uses 26,280 million transistors spread across four 72 mm² dies. Cache is 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB shared L3. Memory support is DDR5 over a twelve-channel bus, delivering 460.8 GB/s of bandwidth, over four times Intel's bandwidth. ECC memory is supported. PCIe is Gen 5 with 128 CPU lanes, six times Intel's lane count. There is no integrated graphics. The socket is AMD Socket SP5, the multiplier is locked, and the market segment is server and workstation.

The process node difference is significant: Intel uses a smaller 3 nm node versus AMD's 5 nm. However, AMD's chip has more transistors overall, 26,280 million versus 17,800 million, and a larger combined die footprint. The core counts differ in a notable way: Intel has more physical cores (24 vs 16) but fewer threads (24 vs 32), because AMD uses SMT and Intel does not on this part. The cache hierarchies are also different, with Intel allocating more L1 and L2 per core, while AMD has a larger shared L3 pool at 64 MB versus 36 MB.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX has 24 cores and 24 threads. The AMD EPYC 9124 has 16 cores and 32 threads. Intel has more physical cores, but AMD has more threads due to SMT.

Q: How do they compare in single-core performance?

A: It depends on the benchmark. AMD wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 58.1% (5261 vs 2204) and Cinebench R15 single-core by 37% (530 vs 334). Intel wins PassMark single-thread by 73.3% (4713 vs 2719) and Cinebench R20 single-core by 27.2% (2809 vs 2209).

Q: Which chip supports ECC memory?

A: Only the AMD EPYC 9124 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX does not.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD EPYC 9124 has a twelve-channel DDR5 memory bus delivering 460.8 GB/s. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX has a dual-channel DDR5 bus delivering 102.4 GB/s. AMD's bandwidth is about 4.5 times higher.

Q: Which processor is better for floating point math?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is far ahead, scoring 191186 in PassMark floating point math versus 87057 for the AMD EPYC 9124, a 119.6% advantage.

Q: Do both processors use PCIe Gen 5?

A: Yes, both support PCIe Gen 5. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX has 20 CPU lanes, while the AMD EPYC 9124 has 128 CPU lanes.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every major specification. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX has 24 cores and 24 threads, while the AMD EPYC 9124 has 16 cores and 32 threads. Base clocks are 2.70 GHz for Intel and 3.00 GHz for AMD. Boost clocks are 5.40 GHz for Intel and 3.70 GHz for AMD. TDP is 55 W for Intel and 200 W for AMD. The socket is Intel BGA 2114 for Intel and AMD Socket SP5 for AMD. Process nodes are 3 nm for Intel and 5 nm for AMD. Transistor counts are 17,800 million for Intel and 26,280 million for AMD. Die size is 243 mm² for Intel and 4x 72 mm² for AMD. L1 cache is 192 KB per core for Intel and 64 KB per core for AMD. L2 cache is 3 MB per core for Intel and 1 MB per core for AMD. L3 cache is 36 MB shared for Intel and 64 MB shared for AMD. Memory bus is dual-channel for Intel and twelve-channel for AMD. Memory bandwidth is 102.4 GB/s for Intel and 460.8 GB/s for AMD. ECC support is absent on Intel and present on AMD. PCIe lanes are 20 on Intel and 128 on AMD. Intel has integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 EU; AMD has none. Intel is a mobile part with an unlocked multiplier; AMD is a server and workstation part with a locked multiplier. Intel released on 2025-01-12, while AMD released on 2022-11-09. The AMD EPYC 9124 has a launch MSRP of $1083. The Intel part has no recorded launch MSRP.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is the clear winner for general compute throughput. It dominates in 13 of 17 benchmarks, with massive margins in floating point math, prime number finding, and multithreaded workloads. It also wins data encryption, extended instructions, integer math, data compression, and random string sorting. For anyone running a broad mix of workloads, especially those that scale across many cores, Intel's 24 physical cores and high boost clock of 5.40 GHz provide a strong advantage. The PassMark multithread score of 55759 versus 43846 confirms this, as does the Cinebench R20 multicore result. The unlocked multiplier also makes it a candidate for overclocking scenarios.

The AMD EPYC 9124 wins in specific areas that matter for server and workstation use. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5261 versus 2204 is a massive 58.1% lead, indicating superior per-thread performance in that workload. The Cinebench R15 single-core win and the PassMark physics win reinforce that AMD has an edge in certain single-threaded and physics-based tasks. More importantly, AMD's platform advantages are substantial: twelve-channel memory with 460.8 GB/s bandwidth, 128 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, and ECC support. These are not benchmark scores but architectural features that enable large-scale memory configurations, high-bandwidth I/O, and reliable server operation. The 64 MB shared L3 cache is also double Intel's 36 MB.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split based on use case. If the priority is raw compute performance across a wide range of workloads, the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is the stronger choice. It wins the majority of benchmarks, often by large margins, and its 24 cores deliver exceptional multithreaded throughput. The 94th percentile ranking and average score of 67469 put it slightly ahead of AMD's 65104 average. For a mobile workstation or a compact high-performance system where power draw is a concern, the 55 W TDP versus AMD's 200 W TDP is a decisive practical advantage.

If the priority is server infrastructure, memory capacity, or I/O expansion, the AMD EPYC 9124 is the better fit. Its twelve-channel memory bus, 128 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, and ECC support are features the Intel chip simply does not offer. The 16-core, 32-thread configuration with a 64 MB L3 cache is well suited to virtualized environments and memory-intensive workloads. The Cinebench R23 single-core victory also shows that AMD can win in specific single-threaded scenarios. The choice comes down to whether the workload needs Intel's compute dominance or AMD's platform scalability. For most general computing, Intel wins. For server deployment, AMD's feature set is the deciding factor.