AMD Ryzen 5 5600X vs Intel Xeon D-1746TER Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and Intel Xeon D-1746TER occupy different corners of the processor market, yet their average benchmark scores are remarkably close. The Ryzen 5 5600X averages 21,771, while the Xeon D-1746TER averages 21,635, a difference of only 0.6 percent. Both sit at the 75th percentile of all CPUs, and their nearest rival lists even include each other. Despite that overall parity, the benchmark breakdown reveals a clear split: the Xeon wins in Cinebench R23, while the Ryzen dominates nearly everything else.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon D-1746TER takes the lead in exactly two of the fifteen head-to-head benchmarks, both from the Cinebench R23 suite. In multi-core, the Xeon scores 13,311 against the Ryzen's 11,838, a margin of 11.1 percent. In single-core, it scores 1,879 versus 1,541, an 18 percent advantage. These are the only tests where the Xeon comes out ahead, which makes it the pick for workloads that scale with Cinebench R23's rendering model. The Xeon's 10 cores and 20 threads, compared to the Ryzen's 6 cores and 12 threads, clearly help in that multi-core result.

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X wins the other thirteen head-to-head comparisons, and it wins most of them by wide margins. Its largest victory is in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 134 against the Xeon's 68, a 97.1 percent lead. It also crushes the Xeon in PassMark single-thread (3,364 versus 1,785, an 88.5 percent lead) and PassMark data encryption (15,685 versus 9,343, a 67.9 percent lead). The Ryzen leads by over 30 percent in Cinebench R15 multi-core (1,968 versus 1,341), PassMark data compression (252,306 versus 191,594), PassMark extended instructions (16,991 versus 12,620), PassMark integer math (71,161 versus 54,482), and PassMark multi-thread (21,858 versus 15,660). It also wins PassMark floating point math by 20.5 percent, PassMark physics by 53.2 percent, and PassMark random string sorting by 10.6 percent. The Ryzen's Cinebench R15 single-core lead is 34.4 percent (254 versus 189).

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X has an average benchmark score of 21,771, while the Intel Xeon D-1746TER averages 21,635. The Ryzen is ahead by 0.6 percent.

Q: Does the Intel Xeon D-1746TER win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins two of the fifteen head-to-head tests: Cinebench R23 multi-core (13,311 versus 11,838, an 11.1 percent lead) and Cinebench R23 single-core (1,879 versus 1,541, an 18 percent lead).

Q: What is the biggest margin of victory in either direction?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X wins PassMark find prime numbers by 97.1 percent, scoring 134 versus the Xeon's 68. That is the largest delta in the head-to-head set.

Q: How do their multi-threaded scores compare outside of Cinebench R23?

A: In PassMark multi-thread, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,858 against the Xeon's 15,660, a 39.6 percent lead. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen leads by 46.8 percent with 1,968 versus 1,341.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and the Intel Xeon D-1746TER have ECC memory support listed as true.

Q: Which processor is unlocked for overclocking?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X has its multiplier unlocked. The Intel Xeon D-1746TER does not; its multiplier is locked.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the entire comparison is PassMark find prime numbers, where the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 134 and the Xeon D-1746TER scores 68. That 97.1 percent delta suggests the Ryzen's per-core integer throughput is far better suited to this primality test. The Ryzen also posts a massive 88.5 percent lead in PassMark single-thread, scoring 3,364 versus 1,785. That same test appears twice in the data (as passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread), with identical results, reinforcing the margin.

The Ryzen's lead extends into encryption and compression. PassMark data encryption shows 15,685 for the Ryzen against 9,343 for the Xeon, a 67.9 percent gap. PassMark data compression shows 252,306 versus 191,594, a 31.7 percent lead. These are everyday server tasks, and the Ryzen handles them with substantially more headroom. The Ryzen also wins PassMark physics by 53.2 percent (1,316 versus 859) and PassMark extended instructions by 34.6 percent (16,991 versus 12,620). In PassMark integer math, the Ryzen leads 71,161 to 54,482, a 30.6 percent margin, and in floating point math it leads 39,487 to 32,772, a 20.5 percent margin.

The Xeon's two wins come in the newer Cinebench R23 tests. Its multi-core score of 13,311 beats the Ryzen's 11,838 by 11.1 percent, and its single-core score of 1,879 beats the Ryzen's 1,541 by 18 percent. That single-core result is particularly notable because it reverses the Cinebench R15 single-core outcome, where the Ryzen wins 254 to 189, a 34.4 percent lead. The Xeon's R23 single-core advantage suggests its Ice Lake architecture handles that specific workload better, but the Ryzen's R15 and PassMark single-thread results show it is generally the stronger per-core performer. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen wins by a huge 46.8 percent margin, scoring 1,968 versus 1,341, which makes the Xeon's R23 multi-core win look like an outlier rather than a trend.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most obvious divergence. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Xeon D-1746TER has 10 cores and 20 threads. Clock speeds also differ sharply: the Ryzen has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, whereas the Xeon has a base clock of 2000.00 MHz (2.00 GHz) and a boost clock of 3.10 GHz. The Xeon's higher core count does not translate to a higher TDP; both are close, at 65 W for the Ryzen and 67 W for the Xeon.

Memory configuration differs as well. The Ryzen 5 5600X uses dual-channel DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth, while the Xeon D-1746TER uses triple-channel DDR4 with 64.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Both support ECC memory. PCIe lanes also differ: the Ryzen provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), and the Xeon provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The sockets are incompatible: the Ryzen uses AMD Socket AM4, and the Xeon uses Intel BGA 2227. The Ryzen is a desktop part with an unlocked multiplier, while the Xeon is a server/workstation part with a locked multiplier. Release dates are far apart: the Ryzen launched on 2020-11-04, and the Xeon launched on 2022-02-23. The launch MSRP values are $299 for the Ryzen and $1069 for the Xeon. The Ryzen's part number is 100-000000065; the Xeon's is SRM1B.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is built on Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer, using a 7 nm process from TSMC. It has 4,150 million transistors on a 74 mm² die. Its cache layout includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of L3. The Intel Xeon D-1746TER is built on Ice Lake architecture, codenamed Ice Lake-D, using Intel's 10 nm process. Its cache is larger per core in some levels: 80 KB of L1 per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, but its L3 is smaller, at 15 MB shared. The Xeon's transistor count and die size are not listed in the data. Both processors have no integrated graphics. The Ryzen belongs to the 5000 series, while the Xeon's series field is null. The Ryzen's generation is listed as "Ryzen 5 (Zen 3 (Vermeer))" and the Xeon's as "Xeon D (Ice Lake-D)".

The architecture differences explain the benchmark splits. The Ryzen's higher boost clock (4.60 GHz versus 3.10 GHz) and larger L3 cache (32 MB versus 15 MB) give it a significant edge in most single-threaded and latency-sensitive tasks. The Xeon's extra cores and threads (10/20 versus 6/12) help in heavily parallel workloads, but its lower clocks and smaller L3 hold it back elsewhere. The 7 nm TSMC process versus 10 nm Intel process also factors into power and efficiency, though both parts end up with nearly identical TDPs.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear choice for most buyers: the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is the stronger processor in the majority of benchmarks. It wins 13 of 15 head-to-head tests, with margins exceeding 30 percent in seven of those wins. For workloads represented by PassMark tests — encryption, compression, integer math, floating point math, physics, and single-thread tasks — the Ryzen is decisively faster. Its 97.1 percent lead in find prime numbers and 88.5 percent lead in single-thread performance are not marginal differences; they represent a fundamentally different level of per-core capability.

The Intel Xeon D-1746TER should only be chosen by users whose workloads align with its two wins. If Cinebench R23 multi-core and single-core scores are the primary metric, the Xeon is ahead by 11.1 percent and 18 percent respectively. That could matter for rendering tasks that follow the R23 model. The Xeon also offers 10 cores and 20 threads versus the Ryzen's 6 and 12, plus triple-channel memory with 64.0 GB/s bandwidth versus the Ryzen's dual-channel 51.2 GB/s. Those are architectural advantages for memory-heavy server workloads, even if the benchmark data does not show them winning outside of Cinebench R23. The Xeon is also the newer part by over a year, releasing in 2022 versus the Ryzen's 2020 launch.

The Ryzen 5 5600X is the better all-rounder. Its average benchmark score is higher, its wins are more numerous and more lopsided, and its unlocked multiplier gives overclocking headroom the Xeon lacks. The Xeon D-1746TER is a niche part: it wins only in Cinebench R23, and its locked multiplier and BGA socket limit its flexibility. For a desktop user or a server workload that mirrors the PassMark suite, the Ryzen is the obvious pick. For a specific rendering pipeline built around Cinebench R23, the Xeon's 11.1 percent multi-core lead might justify its existence, but the data shows that is the exception, not the rule.