CPU Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 4100 and Intel Xeon 6756E represent opposite extremes of the processor market, yet their aggregate benchmark scores are nearly identical. The Ryzen 3 4100, a 4-core desktop part, achieves an average benchmark score of 14505, while the 128-core Xeon 6756E scores 14163. The Xeon wins 11 of 17 head-to-head tests, but the Ryzen 3 4100 takes the remaining 6, often by substantial margins. The data shows that the Xeon 6756E holds a narrow but consistent edge in Cinebench workloads, while the Ryzen 3 4100 dominates in several Passmark subtests, particularly single-thread performance and extended instructions. The choice between these two hinges entirely on workload: the Ryzen 3 4100 is for latency-sensitive desktop tasks, while the Xeon 6756E is built for massive parallel throughput in server environments, despite its lower per-core efficiency.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear split. The Intel Xeon 6756E is the correct choice for any workload that scales across many cores, as evidenced by its wins in all six Cinebench tests and its 82.7% lead in Passmark’s find prime numbers test. Conversely, the AMD Ryzen 3 4100 is the pick for single-threaded and instruction-heavy tasks, where it leads by 53.8% in Passmark single-thread and 50.4% in extended instructions. For a desktop user running typical applications, the Ryzen 3 4100’s higher clock speeds (3.80 GHz base, 4.00 GHz boost) and superior single-core results make it the sensible option. For a server administrator running virtualized or massively parallel workloads, the Xeon 6756E’s 128 cores and 96 MB of L3 cache provide the necessary scale, even if its per-core performance is lower. The Xeon’s 3.5% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is surprisingly small given its 124-core advantage, indicating that the Ryzen 3 4100’s higher frequency and newer architecture compensate for its core deficit in lightly threaded scenarios. Ultimately, the verdict is workload-dependent, not performance-dependent, as the aggregate scores are within 2.4% of each other.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different designs. The AMD Ryzen 3 4100 uses the Zen 2 architecture on a 7 nm TSMC process, with 4 cores and 8 threads. Its cache hierarchy consists of 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. The Intel Xeon 6756E employs the Sierra Forest architecture on Intel’s 5 nm process, with 128 cores and 128 threads (no hyperthreading). Its cache layout is markedly different: 96 KB L1 per core, 4 MB L2 per module, and 96 MB shared L3. The Xeon’s die size is 578 mm² compared to the Ryzen’s 156 mm², though the Ryzen’s transistor count is listed at 9,800 million while the Xeon’s is not specified. Memory support diverges sharply: the Ryzen 3 4100 supports DDR4 dual-channel with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the Xeon 6756E supports DDR5 eight-channel with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Xeon also supports ECC memory, which the Ryzen does not. PCIe lanes differ as well, with the Ryzen offering Gen 3 with 8 lanes and the Xeon offering Gen 5 with 88 lanes. The Xeon’s TDP of 225 W is more than three times the Ryzen’s 65 W, reflecting the massive core count difference. The Ryzen 3 4100 has an unlocked multiplier, while the Xeon 6756E is locked. The Ryzen 3 4100 is a desktop part; the Xeon 6756E is a server/workstation part.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has better single-threaded performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 4100 wins decisively in single-thread tests. In Passmark single-thread, it scores 2531 versus the Xeon’s 1646, a 53.8% advantage. It also leads in Cinebench R23 single-core with 1326 versus 1373, though the Xeon wins that test by 3.4%. The Ryzen’s higher boost clock of 4.00 GHz versus 2.60 GHz explains most of this gap.

Q: How do the two processors compare in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The Intel Xeon 6756E wins every Cinebench multi-core test, but by a narrow margin. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Xeon scores 9728 versus the Ryzen’s 9394, a 3.4% lead. The margins are similar for R15 (980 vs 946, 3.5% lead) and R20 (4085 vs 3945, 3.4% lead). Despite having 32x the cores, the Xeon’s advantage is less than 5% in these tests.

Q: Which processor is better for data compression and encryption?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 4100 is clearly superior in these tasks. It scores 149609 in Passmark data compression versus 123443 for the Xeon, a 21.2% lead. For data encryption, the Ryzen scores 9133 versus 8409, an 8.6% advantage. This suggests the Ryzen’s per-core efficiency and higher clock speed are more important than the Xeon’s core count for these specific workloads.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth between the two?

A: The Intel Xeon 6756E offers vastly more memory bandwidth at 409.6 GB/s compared to the Ryzen 3 4100’s 51.2 GB/s. This is due to the Xeon’s eight-channel DDR5 support versus the Ryzen’s dual-channel DDR4. The Xeon also supports ECC memory, which is critical for server reliability, while the Ryzen does not.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 3 4100’s average score of 14505 places it 0% from the AMD Ryzen 3 4300G (14503) and 0.5% behind the Intel Xeon 6315P and AMD EPYC 7473X (both 14574). The Xeon 6756E’s average of 14163 is 0.2% behind the Intel Core i5-10400F (14185) and 0.3% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7552 (14115). Both processors sit near the 68-69th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Which processor has a higher Passmark physics score?

A: The Intel Xeon 6756E is far ahead in Passmark physics, scoring 1463 versus the Ryzen’s 563, a 61.5% lead. This is one of the Xeon’s largest wins and indicates its advantage in heavily parallel, physics-based simulation workloads.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every hardware specification. The Ryzen 3 4100 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Xeon 6756E has 128 cores and 128 threads. Base clocks are 3.80 GHz for the Ryzen versus 1.80 GHz for the Xeon; boost clocks are 4.00 GHz versus 2.60 GHz. TDP is 65 W for the Ryzen and 225 W for the Xeon. The socket differs (AM4 versus Socket 4710). Process nodes are 7 nm (TSMC) for the Ryzen and 5 nm (Intel) for the Xeon. The Ryzen’s die size is 156 mm² versus 578 mm² for the Xeon. L1 cache is 64 KB per core for the Ryzen and 96 KB per core for the Xeon; L2 is 512 KB per core versus 4 MB per module; L3 is 8 MB shared versus 96 MB shared. Memory support is DDR4 dual-channel for the Ryzen and DDR5 eight-channel for the Xeon, with bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s versus 409.6 GB/s. ECC memory is not supported on the Ryzen but is on the Xeon. PCIe is Gen 3 with 8 lanes for the Ryzen and Gen 5 with 88 lanes for the Xeon. The Ryzen has no integrated graphics; the Xeon lists N/A. Market segments are Desktop versus Server/Workstation. The Ryzen has an unlocked multiplier; the Xeon is locked. Release dates are 2022-04-03 for the Ryzen and 2024-06-02 for the Xeon. The Ryzen’s launch MSRP is $99; the Xeon’s is $8428.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data reveals a clear pattern: the Xeon 6756E wins all six Cinebench tests, but the Ryzen 3 4100 takes the majority of Passmark subtests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 980 versus 946 for the Ryzen, a 3.5% lead. Single-core R15 shows a 3.6% lead for the Xeon (138 vs 133). R20 multi-core is 4085 versus 3945 (3.4% lead), and R20 single-core is 576 versus 556 (3.5% lead). R23 multi-core is 9728 versus 9394 (3.4%), and R23 single-core is 1373 versus 1326 (3.4%). These margins are remarkably consistent, suggesting the Xeon has a slight architectural advantage in Cinebench regardless of thread count.

The Passmark results are more polarizing. The Ryzen 3 4100 dominates in several areas: data compression (149609 vs 123443, 21.2% lead), data encryption (9133 vs 8409, 8.6% lead), extended instructions (9923 vs 6596, 50.4% lead), integer math (32307 vs 30806, 4.9% lead), and single-thread (2531 vs 1646, 53.8% lead). The Xeon wins in find prime numbers (133 vs 23, 82.7% lead), floating point math (22451 vs 19128, 14.8% lead), multithread (11445 vs 11050, 3.5% lead), physics (1463 vs 563, 61.5% lead), and random string sorting (15847 vs 15760, 0.5% lead). The Xeon’s win in multithread is modest at 3.5%, while its physics lead is massive. The Ryzen’s single-thread victory is its largest at 53.8%, followed by extended instructions at 50.4%. The biggest single delta is the Xeon’s 82.7% lead in find prime numbers, which highlights the Xeon’s raw integer throughput potential when fully utilized. Conversely, the Ryzen’s 50.4% lead in extended instructions shows its superiority in specialized instruction sets that the Xeon’s efficiency cores handle less effectively.