CPU Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data splits cleanly between two distinct workload families. The Intel Xeon 6774P wins the Cinebench suite outright, while the AMD EPYC 9734 dominates several Passmark compute tests. Starting with Cinebench, the Intel part takes all three multicore tests by exactly the same margin: 9.3% in R15 (9660 vs 8763), 9.3% in R20 (40251 vs 36516), and 9.3% in R23 (95836 vs 86943). That consistent delta across renderers suggests a fundamental throughput advantage rather than test-specific variance.

The Intel Xeon 6774P also wins Passmark’s multithread test by 9.3% (112749 vs 102286), matching the Cinebench delta exactly. Single-thread performance is decisively Intel’s as well: 3047 vs 2310, a 24.2% gap. Physics workloads show the largest Intel advantage of all, 16023 vs 6747, a 57.9% lead. Prime number finding also favors Intel by 34.4% (1264 vs 829).

The AMD EPYC 9734 counters with substantial wins in data-oriented and math-heavy Passmark tests. Data encryption is the biggest AMD victory: 179390 vs 115025, a 56% margin. Integer math follows at 38.7% (823150 vs 593440). Random string sorting goes to AMD by 36.3% (357638 vs 262417). Data compression favors AMD by 25.5% (2900008 vs 2309868). Floating-point math is an 18% AMD win (549045 vs 465314), and extended instructions land at 16.2% in AMD’s favor (205925 vs 177273).

The overall win count is 8 for Intel and 6 for AMD, but the average benchmark score tells a different story. The AMD EPYC 9734 posts an average of 310619, which is 3.4% above the Intel Xeon 6774P’s 300372. In the nearestRivals data, the Intel Xeon 6774P’s average is 3.3% below the AMD EPYC 9734. Both CPUs sit in the 99th percentile of all CPUs, so the relative gaps are small within an elite tier.

Notably, the Cinebench results are uniformly 9.3% in Intel’s favor across R15, R20, and R23 multicore. That consistency implies a stable architectural edge in render-style workloads. Meanwhile, AMD’s Passmark wins are more varied in magnitude, ranging from 16.2% to 56%, which suggests workload-specific strengths in encryption, integer math, and data compression rather than a blanket advantage.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split: choose the Intel Xeon 6774P for rendering, physics simulation, and single-threaded tasks. The 57.9% physics win and 24.2% single-thread lead are substantial enough to matter for workloads that depend on per-core speed. The uniform 9.3% Cinebench advantage across all three versions strengthens this case for content-creation and 3D rendering pipelines.

Choose the AMD EPYC 9734 for data-centric server workloads. The 56% encryption lead and 38.7% integer math advantage are decisive for cryptography, compression, and database-style processing. The 25.5% data compression win and 36.3% random string sorting edge reinforce this. The AMD part also holds a 3.4% higher average benchmark score overall (310619 vs 300372), which suggests broader consistency across varied tasks.

For mixed workloads, the average score is the tiebreaker, and it favors AMD. For peak performance in specific niches, each part has its own territory: Intel for physics and single-thread, AMD for encryption and integer math. Neither CPU is a general-purpose winner; the data simply separates them by workload type.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins in Cinebench multicore tests?

A: The Intel Xeon 6774P wins all three Cinebench multicore tests (R15, R20, R23) by exactly 9.3% over the AMD EPYC 9734.

Q: Which CPU has the higher single-thread score?

A: The Intel Xeon 6774P scores 3047 in Passmark single-thread versus 2310 for the AMD EPYC 9734, a 24.2% Intel advantage.

Q: Where does the AMD EPYC 9734 have its largest win?

A: The AMD part leads by 56% in Passmark data encryption (179390 vs 115025).

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The AMD EPYC 9734 averages 310619, which is 3.4% higher than the Intel Xeon 6774P’s 300372.

Q: How many benchmark wins does each CPU have?

A: The Intel Xeon 6774P wins 8 tests, while the AMD EPYC 9734 wins 6 tests in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: Which CPU is better for physics simulation?

A: The Intel Xeon 6774P dominates physics workloads, scoring 16023 versus 6747, a 57.9% lead over the AMD EPYC 9734.

Specification Differences

The core counts differ substantially. The AMD EPYC 9734 has 112 cores and 224 threads, while the Intel Xeon 6774P has 64 cores and 128 threads, a 48-core and 96-thread advantage for AMD. Clock speeds favor Intel: 2.50 GHz base and 3.90 GHz boost versus 2.20 GHz base and 3.00 GHz boost for AMD. TDP is close, with Intel at 350W and AMD at 340W.

Memory configurations diverge. The AMD part uses twelve-channel memory with 460.8 GB/s bandwidth; the Intel part uses eight-channel memory with 409.6 GB/s. Both support DDR5 and ECC. PCIe lanes also differ: Intel provides 136 Gen 5 lanes (CPU only), while AMD provides 128 Gen 5 lanes (CPU only).

Sockets are incompatible: AMD uses Socket SP5, Intel uses Socket 4710. The Intel part has no integrated graphics (N/A), while the AMD field is null. Release dates differ by nearly two years: AMD launched 2023-06-12, Intel launched 2025-05-21. The launch MSRP for AMD is $9600; for Intel it is $6760.

Architecture Differences

The AMD EPYC 9734 is built on Zen 4c (Bergamo) architecture, part of the EPYC 9004 series, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Xeon 6774P uses Granite Rapids architecture, part of the Xeon 6 family (Granite Rapids-SP), also on a 5 nm process but fabricated at Intel.

Die sizes differ dramatically. The AMD chip uses 8x 73 mm² dies, totaling roughly 584 mm² across eight chiplets. The Intel chip uses 2x 598 mm² dies, which is a much larger monolithic-per-die approach. Transistor count is listed only for AMD at 71,000 million; Intel’s is not provided.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently. AMD has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 256 MB shared L3. Intel has 112 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 336 MB shared L3. Intel’s L1 and L2 per-core caches are larger, while AMD’s total L3 is smaller despite having more cores. Neither lists a 3D V-Cache option.

The AMD architecture uses a chiplet design with eight compute dies, which aligns with its higher core count and lower per-core clocks. Intel’s dual-die design with fewer cores allows higher boost clocks (3.90 GHz vs 3.00 GHz). The process node is the same (5 nm), but foundry differs: TSMC for AMD, Intel for Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon 6774P is the clear choice for physics-heavy simulation and rendering. The 57.9% physics lead is the largest single-test gap in the comparison. Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 all favor Intel by 9.3%, covering both legacy and modern render benchmarks. Single-threaded workloads are also Intel’s domain, with a 24.2% advantage in Passmark single-thread. Prime number finding, which is often latency-sensitive, goes to Intel by 34.4%.

The AMD EPYC 9734 wins in data processing and encryption. Passmark data encryption shows a 56% AMD advantage, making it the strongest AMD result. Integer math follows at 38.7%, suggesting strong general-purpose arithmetic. Random string sorting is 36.3% in AMD’s favor, and data compression is 25.5% ahead. Floating-point math and extended instructions also favor AMD, by 18% and 16.2% respectively.

For multithreaded throughput in non-rendering tasks, the AMD part holds its own despite having more cores. The Passmark multithread test goes to Intel by 9.3%, but AMD’s higher average score (310619 vs 300372) indicates that AMD wins enough of the other tests to offset that loss. The 128-core count on AMD versus 64 on Intel does not translate into a multithread win, likely due to Intel’s higher clocks and per-core efficiency.

In practical terms, pick Intel for rendering, physics, and single-thread responsiveness. Pick AMD for encryption, compression, integer math, and mixed data-center workloads. The average score favors AMD, but the specific benchmark wins are split cleanly by workload type.