AMD EPYC 9454 vs Intel Core i3-1220P Comparison

The AMD EPYC 9454 and Intel Core i3-1220P occupy opposite ends of the computing spectrum, one a 48-core server behemoth and the other a 10-core mobile processor. The benchmark data reveals a complete sweep for the EPYC 9454 across all six Cinebench tests, with victory margins exceeding 450% in every instance. This analysis examines the architectural chasm between these two chips and what the performance deltas imply for their respective target workloads.

Architecture Differences

The foundational difference lies in the manufacturing process and core design philosophy. The AMD EPYC 9454 is built on TSMC's 5 nm node, packing 52,560 million transistors across an 8x 72 mm² die configuration. This Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Genoa, represents AMD's server-grade design with 48 cores and 96 threads. In contrast, the Intel Core i3-1220P uses Intel's 10 nm process with an Alder Lake-P design, offering just 10 cores and 12 threads.

Cache hierarchies reveal the scale of this disparity. The EPYC 9454 provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a massive 256 MB of shared L3 cache. The i3-1220P counters with 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and only 12 MB of shared L3. While the Intel core has slightly larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations, the EPYC's 256 MB L3 dwarfs the i3's 12 MB by a factor of over 21.

Memory subsystems diverge dramatically. The EPYC 9454 supports DDR5 across a twelve-channel memory bus, delivering 460.8 GB/s of bandwidth with ECC support. The i3-1220P supports both DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, with no listed memory bandwidth figure and no ECC capability. For server workloads that thrash memory, this bandwidth advantage is decisive.

Connectivity and physical design further separate these parts. The EPYC 9454 uses AMD Socket SP5 with 128 PCIe Gen 5 lanes (CPU only), while the i3-1220P uses Intel BGA 1744 with 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes. The EPYC is a server/workstation part with a 290 W TDP, launched November 9, 2022. The i3-1220P is a mobile processor with a 28 W TDP, launched earlier in 2022 on February 22. The i3 includes integrated UHD Graphics 64EU, while the EPYC has no integrated graphics listed.

The Verdict

The data presents an unambiguous picture: the AMD EPYC 9454 wins every benchmark comparison, and it wins by margins that are almost uniform. Across all six Cinebench tests, the deltaPct hovers between 451.1% and 452.4%. This consistency suggests the performance gap is driven by fundamental architectural scale rather than any single workload characteristic.

For multi-core server workloads, the EPYC 9454 is the only rational choice. Its 48 cores and 96 threads produce a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 73,375, compared to the i3-1220P's 13,314. The 451.1% delta in this test means the EPYC delivers roughly 5.5 times the multi-threaded throughput. Server virtualization, database processing, and scientific computing all favor this massive core count.

However, the i3-1220P serves a completely different purpose. Its 28 W TDP and mobile socket make it suitable for laptops and compact systems where power efficiency and physical size matter more than absolute performance. The single-core Cinebench R23 scores—10,358 for the EPYC versus 1,879 for the i3—still favor the server chip by 451.3%, but the i3's integrated graphics eliminate the need for a discrete GPU in basic systems.

The verdict from the data: choose the EPYC 9454 for any server or workstation deployment where performance is paramount and power constraints allow. Choose the i3-1220P for mobile or low-power applications where the EPYC's 290 W TDP is simply not feasible. These are not competing products; they are solutions for mutually exclusive problem spaces.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD EPYC 9454 has 48 cores and 96 threads, while the Intel Core i3-1220P has 10 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What is the performance difference in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The EPYC 9454 scores 73,375 compared to the i3-1220P's 13,314, giving the AMD chip a 451.1% advantage.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: The AMD EPYC 9454 supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core i3-1220P does not.

Q: What are the memory channel configurations?

A: The EPYC 9454 uses a twelve-channel memory bus with 460.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the i3-1220P uses a dual-channel bus with no listed bandwidth.

Q: Which processor includes integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i3-1220P includes UHD Graphics 64EU, while the AMD EPYC 9454 has no integrated graphics listed.

Q: How does the single-core performance compare?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the EPYC 9454 scores 10,358 versus 1,879 for the i3-1220P, a 451.3% advantage for AMD.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark data shows a complete sweep for the AMD EPYC 9454, with six wins and zero for the Intel Core i3-1220P. The margins are remarkably consistent, ranging from 451.1% to 452.4% across all tests.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the EPYC scores 7,396 against the i3's 1,341, a 451.5% delta. The R15 single-core test shows 1,044 versus 189, a 452.4% advantage. These near-identical percentages across both single and multi-threaded tests indicate the gap stems from raw per-thread capability as well as core count.

Cinebench R20 results follow the same pattern. The multi-core test shows 30,817 for the EPYC versus 5,591 for the i3, a 451.2% delta. Single-core R20 yields 4,350 versus 789, a 451.3% difference. The consistency across R15 and R20 suggests the performance ratio is stable across different workload generations.

Cinebench R23, the most recent test, continues the trend. Multi-core scores are 73,375 versus 13,314, a 451.1% delta. Single-core shows 10,358 versus 1,879, a 451.3% advantage. The fact that the R23 multi-core delta (451.1%) is nearly identical to the R15 single-core delta (452.4%) reveals that the EPYC's advantage is proportionally similar whether the workload scales across cores or runs on a single thread.

The i3-1220P does have additional benchmark data for PassMark tests, including data compression (180,528), data encryption (10,923), and floating point math (37,294). However, the EPYC 9454 has no PassMark entries in this dataset, so no cross-comparison is possible for these workloads.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets for these two processors differ in nearly every measurable field. Core count leads the divergence: 48 cores for the EPYC 9454 versus 10 for the i3-1220P. Thread counts follow at 96 versus 12 respectively.

Clock speeds present an interesting inversion. The i3-1220P has a base clock of 1500.00 MHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, while the EPYC 9454 has a 2.75 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost. The Intel chip has a higher boost ceiling, yet the EPYC still wins single-core benchmarks decisively, indicating architectural efficiency advantages for Zen 4.

Power and packaging differ fundamentally. The EPYC 9454 draws 290 W TDP on AMD Socket SP5, while the i3-1220P uses just 28 W on Intel BGA 1744. The EPYC uses TSMC's 5 nm process with 52,560 million transistors across 8x 72 mm² dies; the i3 uses Intel's 10 nm process with no transistor or die size data listed.

Cache configurations diverge in scale. The EPYC provides 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 256 MB shared L3. The i3 offers 80 KB L1, 1.25 MB L2, and 12 MB shared L3. Memory support shows the EPYC with DDR5 over twelve channels and ECC, versus the i3 with DDR4/DDR5 over dual channels and no ECC.

PCIe capabilities favor the server chip: 128 Gen 5 lanes for the EPYC versus 20 Gen 4 lanes for the i3. The i3 includes UHD Graphics 64EU; the EPYC has no integrated graphics listed. Market segments are server/workstation versus mobile, with release dates of November 9, 2022 and February 22, 2022 respectively. The EPYC has a launch MSRP of $5225; the i3 has no launch MSRP listed.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 9454 wins all six head-to-head Cinebench benchmarks, making its victory conditions clear. Multi-threaded workloads benefit most from its 48 cores and 96 threads, as evidenced by the R23 multi-core score of 73,375. The 256 MB L3 cache and twelve-channel memory with 460.8 GB/s bandwidth position it for data-intensive server tasks like database management, virtualization, and scientific simulation.

Single-threaded performance also favors the EPYC despite the i3's higher boost clock. The EPYC's 3.80 GHz boost and Zen 4 architecture produce a 10,358 R23 single-core score versus the i3's 1,879. This suggests the EPYC handles per-thread responsiveness well even in lightly threaded workloads, though the 290 W TDP means this capability comes at a significant power cost.

The Intel Core i3-1220P wins in the categories that matter for mobile computing: power efficiency and integration. Its 28 W TDP makes it suitable for laptops where the EPYC's 290 W TDP would be impossible. The integrated UHD Graphics 64EU provides display output without a discrete GPU, a feature the EPYC lacks entirely.

The i3's dual-channel memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5 offers flexibility in system design, though the lack of ECC limits its use in reliability-critical environments. The 12 MB L3 cache, while small compared to the EPYC, is adequate for the mobile workloads this chip targets. The i3's BGA 1744 socket indicates it is soldered to the motherboard, suitable for compact devices, while the EPYC's SP5 socket allows for server platform upgrades.

In practical terms, the EPYC 9454 wins any benchmark where performance is the sole criterion. The i3-1220P wins in scenarios where power draw, physical size, and integrated graphics are priorities. The data shows no benchmark where the i3 outperforms the EPYC, but the i3's existence is justified by the mobile market segment that cannot accommodate a 290 W server processor.