AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P vs Intel Xeon 6517P Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data shows a clear split between these two server processors. The Intel Xeon 6517P wins 13 of the 17 head-to-head tests, while the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P takes 4. The overall average benchmark score favors AMD at 76,492 versus Intel's 72,350, which places the EPYC at the 95th percentile of all CPUs and the Xeon at the 94th percentile. That broader average tells an important story: AMD's wins are large, while Intel's wins are mostly narrow.

The biggest Intel victory comes in single-threaded performance. In passmark_single_thread, the Xeon 6517P scores 3311 against 2357 for the EPYC, a commanding 28.8% lead. This is the largest delta in the entire comparison. The Xeon also leads in passmark_extended_instructions by 11.2% (51891 versus 46091) and in passmark_find_prime_numbers by 14.6% (335 versus 286). The floating point math test goes to Intel as well, 127497 versus 120066, a 5.8% margin. Physics performance also favors Intel, 4452 versus 4110, a 7.7% edge.

The Cinebench suite is consistently close but always lands on the Intel side. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Xeon scores 4268 versus 4187 for AMD, a 1.9% lead. R15 singlecore shows 602 versus 590, a 2% margin. R20 multicore is 17787 versus 17447, again 1.9%. R20 singlecore is 2511 versus 2462, a 2% gap. R23 multicore is 42352 versus 41542, another 1.9% difference. R23 singlecore is 5979 versus 5864, 1.9% again. The pattern is remarkably consistent: the Xeon leads every Cinebench test by roughly 2%, regardless of core count or workload type.

The passmark_multithread test also goes to Intel, 49786 versus 48873, a 1.8% margin. This is notable because the AMD part has 24 cores and 48 threads while the Intel part has only 16 cores and 32 threads. Despite the core deficit, the Xeon's higher clocks and per-core efficiency carry it ahead in this particular aggregate test.

AMD's wins are fewer but much more decisive. The data encryption test is a blowout: 43619 versus 32385, a 34.7% advantage for the EPYC. Random string sorting goes to AMD by 26.7%, 85505 versus 67480. Integer math favors AMD by 18.8%, 193256 versus 162671. Data compression is the closest AMD win, 681754 versus 653338, a 4.3% margin. These are not small differences; they are substantial gaps in workloads that respond well to the EPYC's higher core count and thread count.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P has an average benchmark score of 76492, compared to 72350 for the Intel Xeon 6517P. The EPYC sits at the 95th percentile of all CPUs, while the Xeon sits at the 94th percentile.

Q: How do the two processors compare in single-threaded performance?

A: The Intel Xeon 6517P leads by a wide margin. In passmark_single_thread, it scores 3311 versus 2357 for AMD, a 28.8% advantage. The Cinebench R23 singlecore test also favors Intel, 5979 versus 5864, a 1.9% lead.

Q: Does the AMD processor win any benchmark by a large margin?

A: Yes. The EPYC leads in passmark_data_encryption by 34.7% (43619 versus 32385), in passmark_random_string_sorting by 26.7% (85505 versus 67480), and in passmark_integer_math by 18.8% (193256 versus 162671). These are the three largest wins in the comparison.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P has 24 cores and 48 threads. The Intel Xeon 6517P has 16 cores and 32 threads. Despite this, the Xeon wins most multithreaded Cinebench tests by about 2%.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Intel Xeon 6517P supports eight-channel DDR5 memory with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD EPYC uses six-channel DDR5 with 230.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Xeon has substantially higher memory bandwidth capacity.

Q: Which processor has better performance in the Cinebench suite?

A: The Intel Xeon 6517P wins every Cinebench test in the database. In R15, R20, and R23, both singlecore and multicore, the Xeon leads by margins between 1.9% and 2%.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P uses the Zen 4c architecture under the Siena codename, part of the EPYC 8004 series. It is built on a 5 nm process at TSMC with 17,750 million transistors across a 2x 73 mm² die configuration. The Intel Xeon 6517P uses the Granite Rapids architecture, part of the Xeon 6 generation, also on a 5 nm process but fabricated at Intel.

Cache layouts differ significantly. The AMD part provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 cache per core, with 64 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part provides 112 KB of L1 per core and 2 MB of L2 per core, with 72 MB of shared L3. The Intel design gives each core more private cache, while the AMD part has fewer cores but more total threads.

Memory architecture is another major divergence. The AMD EPYC uses a six-channel DDR5 memory bus with 230.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Xeon uses an eight-channel DDR5 bus with 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth, nearly double the raw bandwidth capacity. Both support ECC memory.

PCIe connectivity also differs. The AMD EPYC provides Gen 5 with 96 lanes from the CPU. The Intel Xeon provides Gen 5 with 88 lanes from the CPU. The AMD part has 8 more lanes available.

The AMD processor has no integrated graphics, and the Intel part lists integrated graphics as N/A. Both are locked multipliers with active production status. The AMD part uses AMD Socket SP6, while the Intel part uses Intel Socket 4710.

Specification Differences

The core count is the most obvious difference: 24 cores and 48 threads for AMD versus 16 cores and 32 threads for Intel. Clock speeds favor Intel substantially. The Xeon has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The EPYC has a base clock of 2.55 GHz and a boost clock of 3.00 GHz.

Thermal design power is higher on the Intel side at 190 watts, compared to 160 watts for AMD. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $1195. The AMD part has no launch MSRP recorded in the database.

Memory bus width differs: eight channels for Intel, six for AMD. Memory bandwidth is 409.6 GB/s versus 230.4 GB/s. PCIe lanes are 96 for AMD and 88 for Intel. L1 cache is 112 KB per core for Intel and 64 KB per core for AMD. L2 cache is 2 MB per core for Intel and 1 MB per core for AMD. L3 cache is 72 MB shared for Intel and 64 MB shared for AMD.

Release dates are far apart. The AMD EPYC was released on 2023-09-17. The Intel Xeon was released on 2025-02-23. The die size and transistor counts are only recorded for the AMD part. The AMD part number is 100-000001418, and the Intel part number is SRVU4.

The Verdict

The data points to two very different use cases. For raw single-threaded performance, the Intel Xeon 6517P is the clear pick. Its 28.8% lead in passmark_single_thread is the largest margin in the entire comparison, and it wins every Cinebench test by about 2%. The Xeon also dominates in extended instructions, prime number finding, floating point math, and physics. If a workload is latency-sensitive or depends on a few fast cores, Intel is the answer.

For throughput in specific parallel workloads, the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P wins decisively. The 34.7% lead in data encryption is massive. The 26.7% lead in random string sorting and the 18.8% lead in integer math show that the EPYC's extra cores and threads deliver real performance where they can be utilized. The 4.3% win in data compression adds another arrow to its quiver.

The overall average benchmark score favors AMD, 76492 versus 72350. The percentile rankings are close, 95th versus 94th. But the head-to-head results show Intel winning 13 of 17 tests. The Xeon is the more consistent performer across the broader benchmark suite. The EPYC is the specialist that wins big where its architecture shines.

The memory bandwidth difference is worth noting. The Intel part has 409.6 GB/s versus 230.4 GB/s for AMD. For memory-intensive workloads, that gap could be decisive, even though the benchmark data here does not isolate that variable directly.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P wins in encryption workloads. The 34.7% advantage in data encryption is the single biggest win for either processor, making it the obvious choice for security-focused applications, VPN gateways, or any workload that spends significant time on cryptographic operations. It also wins in random string sorting by 26.7%, which suggests an edge in text processing, indexing, and data organization tasks. The 18.8% lead in integer math points to strength in general compute workloads that rely on integer operations. Data compression goes to AMD by 4.3%, a more modest but still consistent win.

The Intel Xeon 6517P wins everywhere else. Single-threaded performance is its strongest suit, with a 28.8% lead in passmark_single_thread. This translates to better responsiveness in workloads that cannot parallelize. The 11.2% lead in extended instructions and the 14.6% lead in prime number finding indicate strong CPU instruction throughput. Floating point math goes to Intel by 5.8%, and physics by 7.7%. The Cinebench suite, both singlecore and multicore across R15, R20, and R23, all go to Intel by about 2%. The passmark multithread test also favors Intel by 1.8%, despite the AMD part having 50% more cores.

The practical takeaway: pick the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P if your workload is dominated by encryption, sorting, integer math, or data compression. Pick the Intel Xeon 6517P for almost everything else, especially if single-threaded speed matters or if you want consistent performance across a wide range of benchmarks. The Intel part also offers substantially higher memory bandwidth at 409.6 GB/s, which could matter in workloads that the benchmark suite does not fully capture.