AMD EPYC 9634 vs Intel Xeon 6740E Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive sweep for the AMD EPYC 9634 across all 17 head-to-head comparisons, with the Intel Xeon 6740E failing to claim a single victory. The most dramatic separation appears in PassMark's prime number test, where the EPYC 9634 scores 1176 against the Xeon's 526, a 123.6% advantage. That result points to a substantial difference in raw integer throughput per thread, a pattern that carries over into extended instruction workloads.

In Cinebench tests, the margins are consistent and large. The EPYC 9634 posts 9248 in Cinebench R15 multi-core versus 6525 for the Xeon, a 41.7% gap. That exact 41.7% delta repeats across every Cinebench iteration, from R15 single-core (1305 vs 921) through R20 multi-core (38535 vs 27191) and R23 multi-core (91752 vs 64741), as well as both single-core variants. The uniformity of that margin suggests the performance difference is structural rather than workload-specific, rooted in per-thread capability rather than core count scaling.

PassMark's multithread benchmark tells a similar story: 107944 for the EPYC 9634 versus 76167 for the Xeon 6740E, again a 41.7% delta. The integer math test shows a 58.5% lead for AMD (725356 vs 457614), while floating-point math lands closer at 14.4% (353784 vs 309333). Data compression favors the EPYC 9634 by 25.2% (2236412 vs 1786845), and random string sorting shows an 18.3% edge (261134 vs 220684). Encryption is the narrowest win for AMD at 10.8% (151943 vs 137106), but even that result keeps the sweep intact.

The physics test delivers a 61.6% advantage for the EPYC 9634 (12291 vs 7608), and single-thread PassMark shows a 46.4% lead (2924 vs 1997). Notably, the EPYC 9634's single-thread performance at 2924 is actually higher than the Xeon's multi-core-heavy profile would suggest, reinforcing that AMD's Zen 4 cores carry far more per-thread muscle than Intel's Sierra Forest efficiency cores.

Looking at broader database context, the EPYC 9634 sits at the 99th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 244274. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6980P at 251516 (2.9% higher) and the AMD EPYC 9684X at 266914 (8.5% higher), but it also leads the Intel Xeon 6747P by 2.5% (238263) and the AMD EPYC 9455P by 12.1% (217854). The Xeon 6740E, also at the 99th percentile, averages 187718 and trails the AMD EPYC 8534P by 1.4% (185092) while leading the Intel Xeon 678X by 3% (193477) and the AMD EPYC 9335 by 3.4% (194228). The gap between the two processors in this comparison, roughly 30% in average score, places them in different performance strata despite both reaching the top percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors take fundamentally different approaches to server compute. The AMD EPYC 9634 is built on Zen 4 architecture under the Genoa codename, part of the EPYC 9004 series. It uses a 5 nm process from TSMC, with 78,840 million transistors distributed across 12 dies, each measuring 72 mm². The Intel Xeon 6740E uses Sierra Forest architecture, also on a 5 nm node but fabricated by Intel, with a single 578 mm² die. The transistor count for the Intel part is not recorded in the database.

Core counts differ sharply. The EPYC 9634 packs 84 cores with 168 threads, leveraging simultaneous multithreading. The Xeon 6740E has 96 cores but only 96 threads, meaning no hyperthreading. That 12-core advantage for Intel does not translate into performance wins, as the benchmark data shows AMD leading in every multi-threaded test. The EPYC 9634's per-core L1 cache is 64 KB, while the Xeon's L1 is 96 KB per core. L2 cache differs structurally: AMD uses 1 MB per core, while Intel uses 4 MB per module. L3 cache shows the biggest disparity: the EPYC 9634 has 384 MB shared, versus 96 MB shared for the Xeon.

Memory architecture also diverges. Both support DDR5 and ECC memory, but the EPYC 9634 runs a twelve-channel memory bus with 460.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the Xeon 6740E uses eight channels at 409.6 GB/s. PCIe connectivity favors AMD: 128 Gen 5 lanes (CPU only) versus Intel's 88 Gen 5 lanes. The EPYC 9634 uses AMD Socket SP5, while the Xeon 6740E uses Intel Socket 4710.

Clock speeds tell a nuanced story. The EPYC 9634 has a 2.25 GHz base clock and 3.70 GHz boost, while the Xeon 6740E runs a 2.40 GHz base and 3.20 GHz boost. AMD's higher boost clock, combined with its larger L3 cache and twelve-channel memory, likely explains much of the per-thread advantage seen in the benchmarks. The Xeon's higher base clock does not compensate for its lower boost ceiling.

Thermal design power also differs: the EPYC 9634 is rated at 290 W TDP, while the Xeon 6740E sits at 250 W TDP. The AMD part draws more power but delivers substantially higher performance across every measured workload. Both processors have locked multipliers, so neither offers overclocking. The EPYC 9634 integrates no graphics, while the Xeon 6740E lists integrated graphics as not available, effectively the same outcome for server use.

Release timing separates them by roughly 18 months. The EPYC 9634 launched on November 9, 2022, while the Xeon 6740E arrived on June 2, 2024. The EPYC 9634 belongs to the EPYC (Zen 4, Genoa) generation, and the Xeon 6740E to the Xeon 6 (Sierra Forest-SP) generation. Both are listed as active in production.

The Verdict

The data points to one clear conclusion: the AMD EPYC 9634 is the stronger processor in every benchmark the database records. For workloads that prioritize single-thread performance, the 46.4% lead in PassMark single-thread and 41.7% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core make the choice unambiguous. For multi-threaded tasks, the 41.7% margins across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core, plus the 41.7% PassMark multithread result, show that AMD's 84 cores with 168 threads outperform Intel's 96 cores with 96 threads by a wide margin.

The Xeon 6740E does offer a lower TDP at 250 W versus 290 W, and it has 12 more physical cores. But those advantages do not surface in any recorded performance metric. The EPYC 9634 wins data compression by 25.2%, encryption by 10.8%, extended instructions by 74.2%, prime number finding by 123.6%, floating-point math by 14.4%, integer math by 58.5%, physics by 61.6%, and random string sorting by 18.3%.

For buyers choosing between these two, the EPYC 9634 is the pick when absolute performance matters most. Its larger L3 cache, twelve-channel memory, and higher boost clock deliver results that the Xeon cannot match. The Xeon 6740E makes sense only in scenarios where the lower TDP and higher core count are the deciding factors, but the benchmark record offers no evidence that those translate into compute wins. The average benchmark score of 244274 for the EPYC 9634 versus 187718 for the Xeon 6740E, a roughly 30% overall gap, summarizes the situation cleanly. Both sit at the 99th percentile of all CPUs, but the EPYC 9634 sits at the top of that percentile range while the Xeon 6740E sits nearer the bottom.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD EPYC 9634 | Intel Xeon 6740E |

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

| Cores | 84 | 96 |

| Threads | 168 | 96 |

| Base Clock | 2.25 GHz | 2.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.70 GHz | 3.20 GHz |

| TDP | 290 W | 250 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket SP5 | Intel Socket 4710 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Sierra Forest |

| Process Node | 5 nm (TSMC) | 5 nm (Intel) |

| Die Size | 12x 72 mm² | 578 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 96 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 4 MB (per module) |

| L3 Cache | 384 MB (shared) | 96 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Twelve-channel | Eight-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 460.8 GB/s | 409.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 128 Lanes | Gen 5, 88 Lanes |

| Launch MSRP | $10304 | $5265 |

| Release Date | 2022-11-09 | 2024-06-02 |

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Xeon 6740E has 96 physical cores, while the AMD EPYC 9634 has 84. However, the EPYC 9634 supports 168 threads via SMT, whereas the Xeon 6740E has only 96 threads with no hyperthreading.

Q: Does the higher core count of the Xeon help it win any benchmarks?

A: No. The EPYC 9634 wins all 17 recorded head-to-head benchmark comparisons, including multi-threaded tests where the Xeon's 12-core advantage might be expected to help.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest delta appears in PassMark's find prime numbers test, where the EPYC 9634 leads by 123.6% with a score of 1176 versus 526 for the Xeon 6740E.

Q: How do their memory bandwidth capabilities compare?

A: The EPYC 9634 uses a twelve-channel memory bus with 460.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the Xeon 6740E uses eight channels at 409.6 GB/s. Both support DDR5 and ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The EPYC 9634 has 384 MB of shared L3 cache, four times the 96 MB shared L3 cache on the Xeon 6740E.

Q: Are both processors in the 99th percentile of all CPUs?

A: Yes, both are listed at the 99th percentile. The EPYC 9634 has an average benchmark score of 244274, while the Xeon 6740E averages 187718.