AMD EPYC 9355P vs Intel Xeon w9-3595X Comparison

The Intel Xeon w9-3595X and AMD EPYC 9355P represent two distinct approaches to high-end server and workstation processing, with the former deploying 60 cores on a 10 nm Intel process and the latter fitting 32 cores on a 4 nm TSMC node. Benchmark data from the database shows a near-total dominance by the Intel part in raw throughput, though the AMD EPYC delivers decisive wins in specific specialized workloads. This analysis breaks down the recorded measurements, compares the two CPUs against their nearest rivals, and explains where each processor is the data-backed choice.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are overwhelmingly in favor of the Intel Xeon w9-3595X, which wins 12 of the 16 recorded tests. In the Cinebench suite, the Intel part takes every round, but the margins are slim, each at 2% higher. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel scores 84,304 versus 82,666 for the AMD EPYC 9355P, while in the single-core R23 test the Intel does not appear in the head-to-head list, but its R20 single-core score is 4998, which is 2% ahead of the AMD's 4901. The PassMark multi-thread score follows the same pattern: Intel at 99,576 is 3.1% ahead of the AMD's 96,603.

The Intel chip's wins are not all narrow. The largest delta in the entire set is in PassMark floating-point math, where the Intel Xeon w9-3595X scores 379,008 against the AMD's 256,635, a 47.7% advantage. A similar gap appears in extended instructions (142,785 vs 107,622, a 32.7% edge) and data compression (1,831,962 vs 1,429,976, a 28.1% margin). Data encryption also goes to Intel by 13.9% (92,249 vs 80,961), and integer math shows a 14.9% lead (473,507 vs 412,067). The Intel part also wins random string sorting by 8% (190,745 vs 176,697).

The AMD EPYC 9355P secures four wins, and its victories are decisive. In PassMark physics, the AMD score of 13,515 is more than double the Intel's 5,842, a 56.8% difference. The AMD also dominates in find prime numbers, scoring 1,044 versus 580, a 44.4% advantage. In the two single-thread entries (PassMark single-thread and singlethread), the AMD edges out the Intel by 0.7%, with scores of 3,747 versus 3,720.

Looking at the nearest rivals for each part, the Intel Xeon w9-3595X has an average benchmark score of 209,881, which is 3.7% below the AMD EPYC 9455P (217,854) and 7.7% above the Intel Xeon 6741P (194,901). The AMD EPYC 9355P's average score of 160,358 is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 7663 (161,973, a 1% difference) and is 1.3% below the AMD EPYC 9375F (162,497). This places the EPYC 9355P in a different performance class, closer to older or higher-clocked rivals, while the Xeon w9-3595X competes with the top of the stack.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon w9-3595X is the stronger all-around performer. It holds a 2% lead in all Cinebench multi-core tests and a 3.1% lead in PassMark multi-thread, plus dominant wins in floating-point math, encryption, compression, and integer workloads. For any compute-heavy application that relies on raw throughput, the Intel part is the clear choice. The 60 cores and 120 threads, combined with a 4.80 GHz boost clock, deliver the highest aggregate scores in the database for this comparison.

The AMD EPYC 9355P is not a general-purpose winner, but it has specialized strengths. The 56.8% advantage in physics and 44.4% lead in prime numbers suggest that Zen 5's architecture is particularly strong in certain single-threaded or latency-sensitive calculations. Its PassMark single-thread score of 3,747 also edges out the Intel's 3,720, showing that despite fewer cores, the AMD part has a slight per-thread edge. Users with workloads that are primarily physics-based or that stress prime-number generation should consider the AMD part, but for everyone else, the Intel Xeon w9-3595X is the higher-performing processor.

The Intel part also holds the higher percentile rank at 99% of all CPUs, compared to the AMD's 98%, reinforcing its position at the top of the performance curve.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Xeon w9-3595X is built on the Sapphire Rapids architecture, using a 10 nm process from Intel. It has 60 cores and 120 threads, with a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The chip is made of four dies, each 477 mm², and features a 112.5 MB L3 cache. The Intel part supports eight-channel DDR5 memory with a 307.2 GB/s bandwidth, and it has 112 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. It is an unlocked part, allowing overclocking, and has a TDP of 385 watts.

The AMD EPYC 9355P, from the EPYC 9005 series, uses the Zen 5 architecture on a 4nm TSMC process. It has 32 cores and 64 threads, with a base clock of 3.55 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The chip is made of eight dies of 70.6 mm², totaling 66,520 million transistors, and it has a 256 MB shared L3 cache. It supports twelve-channel DDR5 memory with a 576.0 GB/s bandwidth, which is significantly higher than the Intel part. It has 128 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, a TDP of 280 watts, and no unlocked multiplier.

The core count difference is stark: 60 vs 32. This explains the Intel's multi-core dominance, as it has 60 cores available for parallel work, while the AMD relies on fewer, higher-clocked cores (3.55 GHz base vs 2.00 GHz) to compete in single-thread tests. The AMD's 256 MB L3 cache is more than double the Intel's 112.5 MB, which can benefit workloads that repeatedly access large datasets. The AMD's 576.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is also 87% higher than the Intel's 307.2 GB/s, a major architectural advantage for memory-bound tasks.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores?

A: The Intel Xeon w9-3595X has 60 cores and 120 threads, while the AMD EPYC 9355P has 32 cores and 64 threads.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon w9-3595X has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, while the AMD EPYC 9355P has a boost clock of 4.40 GHz.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD EPYC 9355P supports twelve-channel memory with a 576.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel Xeon w9-3595X supports eight-channel memory with a 307.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which CPU has the larger L3 cache?

A: The AMD EPYC 9355P has a 256 MB shared L3 cache, while the Intel Xeon w9-3595X has a 112.5 MB L3 cache.

Q: In which test does the AMD EPYC 9355P have its largest win?

A: The AMD EPYC 9355P wins PassMark physics with a score of 13,515, which is 56.8% ahead of the Intel's 5,842.

Q: What is the Intel's largest win in the head-to-head?

A: The Intel Xeon w9-3595X has its largest win in PassMark floating-point math, scoring 379,008, which is 47.7% higher than the AMD's 256,635.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon w9-3595X is the definitive choice for multi-core and throughput-oriented workloads. Its wins in PassMark multi-thread (99,576), integer math (473,507), and floating-point math (379,008) make it the stronger option for tasks like 3D rendering, video encoding, scientific simulation, and data processing. The 28.1% lead in data compression and the 13.9% lead in encryption also position it well for database and storage workloads. The 32.7% advantage in extended instructions indicates strong performance for vectorized and SIMD code.

The AMD EPYC 9355P is the choice for physics and prime-number workloads. The 56.8% win in PassMark physics suggests a substantial advantage in real-time physics simulation or collision detection. The 44.4% win in find prime numbers points to an edge in number-theoretic calculations. The AMD also takes the single-thread crown by a narrow 0.7% margin, making it the better option for lightly threaded applications where per-core speed matters more than core count. Its higher memory bandwidth (576.0 GB/s) and larger L3 cache (256 MB) also make it a strong candidate for memory-bound workloads, even though the head-to-head tests do not explicitly measure memory bandwidth.