CPU Comparison

Opening with the raw data, the Intel Xeon 6315P and AMD Ryzen 3 4100 are closely matched in overall average benchmark scores, 14,574 versus 14,505, a mere 0.5% difference. Both sit at the 69th percentile among all CPUs, and the Xeon’s nearest rival list even includes the Ryzen 3 4100 itself. Yet, this near-parity in aggregate hides a starkly divided performance profile. The Intel chip wins 13 of the 17 head-to-head tests, while the AMD chip takes 4, but the margins are anything but uniform. The data reveals two very different processors optimized for opposite ends of the workload spectrum, making the choice between them a matter of matching silicon to specific tasks rather than picking an outright winner.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon 6315P is the clear victor in almost every heavily threaded compute test. Its Cinebench results are consistently about 7.9% ahead of the Ryzen in both R15, R20, and R23 multi-core runs, with scores of 1021 versus 946, 4256 versus 3945, and 10134 versus 9394, respectively. The same margin carries over to the PassMark multithread score of 11923 versus 11050. More dramatically, the Xeon absolutely dominates in specific math workloads. The passmark physics score is more than double, 1156 versus 563, a 105.3% advantage, and floating point math is 75.1% higher at 33496 versus 19128. The largest single delta is in the prime number search, where the Intel chip scores 150 versus the AMD’s 23, a staggering 552.2% gap. Even the single-threaded PassMark score of 3795 versus 2531 shows a 49.9% lead for Intel, which also carries into Cinebench single-core tests with a roughly 7.9-8.3% edge.

The AMD Ryzen 3 4100, however, wins where the workload is less about raw arithmetic and more about data handling. Its PassMark data compression score of 149609 is 20.9% higher than the Xeon’s 118313. Data encryption is an even bigger win: 9133 versus 5470, a 40.1% advantage. The Ryzen also leads in random string sorting (15760 versus 14487, an 8.1% edge) and integer math (32307 versus 27046, a 16.3% lead). These wins suggest the AMD processor is more efficient when shuffling bytes, managing memory traffic, or executing integer-heavy logic, despite having fewer architectural resources in some areas. The split is clean: Intel dominates floating-point, physics, prime-number, and single-thread tasks; AMD dominates compression, encryption, sorting, and integer operations.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear recommendation for users whose primary concern is maximum throughput in scientific, engineering, or physics-based simulations. The Xeon 6315P’s massive leads in physics (105.3%) and floating-point math (75.1%) make it the superior choice for those workloads. Its single-thread performance is also categorically better, which matters for legacy applications or any software that relies on a single core. The consistent 7.9% edge across all Cinebench multi-core tests further solidifies its position as the stronger general-purpose compute engine.

For users dealing with data-centric tasks, compression, encryption, or heavy string manipulation, the Ryzen 3 4100 is the better fit. Its 40.1% encryption advantage is particularly notable, as is the 20.9% lead in compression. These are not marginal differences; they represent a significant throughput advantage for archival, database, or network-heavy applications. The Ryzen’s higher base clock of 3.80 GHz versus 2.80 GHz likely plays a role here, but the benchmark results speak for themselves. The verdict is not about which CPU is “better” overall, but which one fails least in your specific use case. The Xeon wins the majority of tests, but the Ryzen wins the tests that matter for certain workflows by larger margins.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result is the PassMark prime number test. The Xeon’s 150 to 23 score is a 552.2% difference, indicating an architectural advantage in the specific instruction loop used for that benchmark. This is far beyond any other delta and suggests that the Intel core’s integer or branch-prediction capabilities are exceptionally strong for this particular task. The physics test is similarly one-sided, with the Xeon at 1156 versus 563, a 105.3% margin that reinforces its strength in simulation workloads.

On the other side, the AMD’s encryption win is the most significant. The 9133 to 5470 score (40.1% delta) is a massive gap for a security-related task. Data compression follows at 20.9%, and integer math at 16.3%. These are broad, real-world workloads that benefit from the Ryzen’s 8 threads versus the Xeon’s 4 threads, despite the Intel chip’s higher boost clock of 4.70 GHz versus 4.00 GHz. The single-thread PassMark score is also telling: the Xeon’s 3795 is 49.9% higher than the Ryzen’s 2531, a much larger gap than the Cinebench single-core tests suggest. This indicates that the Intel core is significantly faster per thread, even though the AMD chip compensates with twice the thread count in multi-threaded tests. The Cinebench multi-core results (7.9% delta) show that the Xeon’s per-core advantage outweighs the AMD’s thread count advantage in that particular rendering workload.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The Intel Xeon 6315P leads by 7.9% in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests, scoring 1021, 4256, and 10134 versus the Ryzen’s 946, 3945, and 9394.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 3 4100 win any significant benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins PassMark data encryption by 40.1% (9133 versus 5470), data compression by 20.9% (149609 versus 118313), integer math by 16.3% (32307 versus 27046), and random string sorting by 8.1% (15760 versus 14487).

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

A: The Intel Xeon’s PassMark single-thread score of 3795 is 49.9% higher than the Ryzen’s 2531. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the gap is smaller but still favors Intel at 1430 versus 1326 (7.8%).

Q: What is the biggest performance difference between the two?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark find prime numbers, where the Xeon scores 150 versus the Ryzen’s 23, a 552.2% advantage for Intel.

Q: Are these CPUs close in overall performance?

A: Yes, their average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 14,574 for the Xeon and 14,505 for the Ryzen, a 0.5% difference. Both are in the 69th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon 6315P boosts to 4.70 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 3 4100 boosts to 4.00 GHz. The Ryzen has a higher base clock at 3.80 GHz versus 2.80 GHz.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Xeon 6315P is built on Raptor Lake architecture using a 10 nm process from Intel’s own foundry, with a die size of 163 mm². The AMD Ryzen 3 4100 uses Zen 2 architecture (codename Renoir) on a more advanced 7 nm process from TSMC, with a smaller die at 156 mm² but a much higher transistor count of 9,800 million versus no listed figure for the Intel. The Xeon has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Ryzen has 4 cores and 8 threads, meaning the AMD chip uses simultaneous multithreading to double its logical processor count. The Xeon’s cache hierarchy is larger per core: 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, compared to 64 KB and 512 KB for the Ryzen. The Xeon also has a larger shared L3 cache at 12 MB versus 8 MB.

The memory systems diverge sharply. The Xeon supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the Ryzen is limited to DDR4. The Xeon also supports ECC memory, which the Ryzen does not. PCIe connectivity is another major split: the Xeon offers Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes, whereas the Ryzen provides Gen 3 with 8 CPU lanes. The Ryzen has a stated memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Xeon has no listed figure. The Intel chip is marked for the Server/Workstation segment, while the Ryzen is a Desktop part. The Xeon is not multiplier-unlocked, but the Ryzen is. Finally, the Xeon has no integrated graphics, and the Ryzen’s integrated graphics field is also null. These differences explain the benchmark results: the Xeon’s newer process and larger cache help its single-thread and floating-point performance, while the Ryzen’s extra threads and higher base clock aid its data-handling tasks.

Specification Differences

The most apparent difference is the core and thread count. The Intel Xeon 6315P has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 4100 has 4 cores and 8 threads. Clock speeds differ noticeably: the Xeon has a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, whereas the Ryzen runs at 3.80 GHz base and 4.00 GHz boost. Thermal design power is higher for the Ryzen at 65 watts versus 55 watts for the Xeon. The sockets are incompatible, Intel Socket 1700 for the Xeon, AMD Socket AM4 for the Ryzen. Process node favors AMD at 7 nm versus Intel’s 10 nm, and the foundries are different (TSMC versus Intel). The Xeon’s L1 cache is 80 KB per core versus 64 KB, its L2 is 1.25 MB per core versus 512 KB, and its L3 is 12 MB versus 8 MB.

Memory support is a key differentiator: the Xeon handles DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ryzen supports only DDR4. ECC memory is available on the Xeon but not the Ryzen. PCIe generation and lanes favor the Xeon with Gen 5 and 16 lanes, versus Gen 3 and 8 lanes for the Ryzen. The market segments differ (Server/Workstation versus Desktop), and the release dates are far apart, the Xeon launched on 2025-02-23, while the Ryzen launched on 2022-04-03. The multiplier is locked on the Xeon and unlocked on the Ryzen. The launch MSRP for the Xeon is $213, and for the Ryzen it is $99. The part numbers are SRPLX for Intel and 100-000000510100-100000510BOX for AMD.