CPU Comparison

The Verdict, who should pick which, strictly from the data

The benchmark data splits these two server processors into distinct personality profiles, and the choice hinges on workload character rather than raw supremacy. The Intel Xeon 6781P takes 8 of 14 head-to-head wins, but the AMD EPYC 9734 counters with decisive victories in specific compute domains. The average benchmark score favors Intel narrowly: 315,524 versus 310,619, a 1.6% gap. That slim margin masks dramatic swings, Intel wins by as much as 163.1% in physics, while AMD wins by 33.3% in encryption and 29% in integer math. The verdict from the data: choose the Xeon 6781P for single-thread-sensitive tasks, Cinebench-style rendering, and physics simulations. Choose the EPYC 9734 for data compression, encryption, integer-heavy workloads, and floating-point math. The EPYC's 112-core count versus Intel's 80 does not translate into universal multi-core dominance, the Xeon actually leads all three Cinebench multi-core tests by 15.3%. Both sit at the 99th percentile versus all CPUs, so neither is a weak choice. The deciding factor is whether your pipeline rewards the Xeon's per-core strength or the EPYC's raw throughput in specialized instruction paths.

Architecture Differences, node, cores, cache, features that differ

The foundational split is architectural philosophy. Intel's Granite Rapids uses a 5 nm process fabricated in-house, with a die size of 2x 598 mm². AMD's Bergamo also uses 5 nm, but TSMC fabricates it, and the design is radically different: 8x 73 mm² chiplets, totaling 71,000 million transistors. Intel packs 80 cores and 160 threads; AMD counters with 112 cores and 224 threads. Clock behavior diverges sharply, Intel's base clock is 2.00 GHz with a 3.80 GHz boost, while AMD runs 2.20 GHz base but only 3.00 GHz boost. That 0.80 GHz boost advantage for Intel explains much of its single-thread dominance. Cache hierarchies differ per core: Intel allocates 112 KB L1 and 2 MB L2 per core, AMD allocates 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2. L3 cache totals 336 MB shared on Intel versus 256 MB shared on AMD. Memory channels diverge, Intel uses eight-channel DDR5, AMD uses twelve-channel, yielding bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s versus 460.8 GB/s. PCIe lanes are close: Intel has 136 Gen 5 lanes, AMD has 128. Both support DDR5 with ECC. The sockets are incompatible: Intel Socket 4710 versus AMD Socket SP5. Intel's die size suggests a monolithic-ish dual-die approach, while AMD's eight small chiplets enable higher core counts with lower per-chip complexity. The data implies Intel bets on high clocks and large per-core cache, while AMD bets on core density and memory parallelism.

Where Each One Wins, use-case split based on benchmark wins

The Xeon 6781P wins decisively in single-threaded performance: PassMark single-thread scores 3,152 versus 2,310, a 36.5% advantage. That carries into Cinebench R23 single-core, where AMD scores 12,274 (the Xeon lacks a recorded single-core Cinebench score, but the multi-core pattern suggests similar dominance). Physics simulation is an Intel landslide: 17,753 versus 6,747, a 163.1% margin. Prime number finding shows an extreme gap of 103.5% (1,687 versus 829), indicating Intel's per-core integer throughput excels in serial-dependent loops. All three Cinebench multi-core tests (R15, R20, R23) go to Intel by 15.3% each, meaning rendering workloads that scale across cores still favor the 80-core Xeon over the 112-core EPYC. The PassMark multithread score follows suit: 117,946 versus 102,286, another 15.3% win.

The EPYC 9734 owns the data-crunching domain. Data compression leads 2,900,008 versus 2,441,690, a 15.8% margin. Data encryption is a 33.3% blowout (179,390 versus 119,623), suggesting AMD's cryptographic instructions are substantially faster. Integer math favors AMD massively: 823,150 versus 584,834, a 29% gap. Floating-point math also goes AMD's way: 549,045 versus 507,406, a 7.6% edge. Extended instructions (SIMD-style workloads) give AMD a smaller but real 3.3% win (205,925 versus 199,048). Random string sorting, a proxy for memory-bound data shuffling, goes to AMD by 24.9% (357,638 versus 268,573). The pattern: AMD wins where data volume and parallel throughput dominate; Intel wins where per-thread speed and latency sensitivity matter.

FAQ, 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: Which processor has more cores, and does that translate into more wins?

A: The AMD EPYC 9734 has 112 cores and 224 threads, versus 80 cores and 160 threads on the Intel Xeon 6781P. Despite the 32-core advantage, AMD wins only 6 of 14 head-to-head benchmarks. Intel wins 8, including all Cinebench multi-core tests.

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: The Xeon 6781P scores 3,152 in PassMark single-thread, versus 2,310 for the EPYC 9734, a 36.5% lead. This is consistent with Intel's higher boost clock of 3.80 GHz versus AMD's 3.00 GHz.

Q: Which chip handles encryption workloads better?

A: The EPYC 9734 is substantially faster, scoring 179,390 in PassMark data encryption versus 119,623 for the Xeon, a 33.3% advantage. This is one of AMD's largest wins.

Q: Is the EPYC's higher memory bandwidth visible in benchmarks?

A: The EPYC has 460.8 GB/s bandwidth from twelve-channel DDR5, versus 409.6 GB/s from eight-channel on Intel. The random string sorting test, which is memory-intensive, shows AMD winning 357,638 to 268,573, a 24.9% margin.

Q: What are the launch MSRPs?

A: The Intel Xeon 6781P has a launch MSRP of $8960. The AMD EPYC 9734 has a launch MSRP of $9600.

Q: Which processor has a newer release date?

A: The Intel Xeon 6781P was released on 2025-02-23. The AMD EPYC 9734 was released earlier, on 2023-06-12.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks, walk through the biggest wins each way

The largest Intel victory is in PassMark physics, at 17,753 versus 6,747, a 163.1% margin. That is a doubling-plus advantage, suggesting Intel's per-core floating-point and branch prediction handle physics simulation far more efficiently. The second-largest Intel win is prime number finding: 1,687 versus 829, a 103.5% gap. This test is notoriously single-thread-bound, and Intel's 3.80 GHz boost clock versus 3.00 GHz explains the outcome. Single-thread PassMark gives Intel a 36.5% win (3,152 vs 2,310). All three Cinebench multi-core tests show identical 15.3% Intel wins: R15 at 10,105 versus 8,763, R20 at 42,106 versus 36,516, and R23 at 100,254 versus 86,943. PassMark multithread also shows 15.3% Intel lead (117,946 vs 102,286). These consistent 15.3% deltas across rendering and multithread tests indicate a systematic per-core advantage that overcomes the EPYC's 40% core-count lead.

AMD's biggest win is data encryption: 179,390 versus 119,623, a 33.3% margin. Integer math follows at 29% (823,150 vs 584,834). Random string sorting gives AMD a 24.9% win (357,638 vs 268,573). Data compression is a 15.8% AMD win (2,900,008 vs 2,441,690). Floating-point math goes AMD's way by 7.6% (549,045 vs 507,406). Extended instructions are closer, with AMD ahead 3.3% (205,925 vs 199,048). The pattern is telling: AMD's wins are largest in encryption and integer math, workloads that scale with core count and memory bandwidth. Intel's wins are largest in physics and single-thread, workloads that reward high clocks and per-core efficiency. The 14-test split (8-6 Intel) understates how lopsided individual domains are.

Specification Differences, only the fields where the two differ

| Field | Intel Xeon 6781P | AMD EPYC 9734 |

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

| Cores | 80 | 112 |

| Threads | 160 | 224 |

| Base Clock | 2.00 GHz | 2.20 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.80 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| TDP | 350 W | 340 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 4710 | AMD Socket SP5 |

| Architecture | Granite Rapids | Zen 4 (Zen 4c Bergamo) |

| Codename | Granite Rapids | Bergamo |

| Generation | Xeon 6 (Granite Rapids-SP) | EPYC (Zen 4c (Bergamo)) |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not disclosed | 71,000 million |

| Die Size | 2x 598 mm² | 8x 73 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 112 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 1 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 336 MB (shared) | 256 MB (shared) |

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

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

| PCIe | Gen 5, 136 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 128 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Release Date | 2025-02-23 | 2023-06-12 |

| Launch MSRP | $8960 | $9600 |

| Part Number | SRV5J | 100-000001235 |

The two share 5 nm process nodes, DDR5 memory support, ECC capability, active production status, server/workstation market segment, and locked multipliers. They also both lack integrated graphics. The specification sheet reveals the trade-off: Intel trades core count and memory channels for higher clocks, larger per-core caches, and a much bigger die. AMD spreads across eight small chiplets, enabling 112 cores and twelve memory channels at the cost of lower boost clocks and smaller per-core caches. The TDP difference is negligible at 10 W, but the architectural gap is enormous.