AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9645 vs Intel Xeon w5-2545 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9645 and Intel Xeon w5-2545 are both active server/workstation processors that land in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs benchmarked, yet they represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD chip, built on a 4 nm process by TSMC, uses a 6-core/12-thread configuration with a 5.40 GHz boost clock, while the Intel part, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm node, offers double the cores (12) and threads (24) but a lower 4.70 GHz boost. Their average benchmark scores are nearly identical—58,916 for the AMD versus 58,504 for the Intel—with the AMD holding a mere 0.7% edge. However, the head-to-head results reveal a stark split: the Intel wins 8 of 11 tests, often by wide margins, while the AMD counters with decisive single-thread and prime-number victories.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9645 scores 58,916 on average, which is 0.7% higher than the Intel Xeon w5-2545's 58,504. Both CPUs sit in the 92nd percentile of all tested processors.

Q: How do the core and thread counts differ?

A: The Intel Xeon w5-2545 provides 12 cores and 24 threads, exactly double the AMD's 6 cores and 12 threads. This core advantage drives the Intel's substantial lead in multithreaded workloads.

Q: Which processor wins the single-thread benchmark, and by how much?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9645 wins the PassMark single-thread test with a score of 4,636 versus the Intel's 3,573, giving the AMD a 29.8% advantage in single-thread performance.

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

A: The Intel Xeon w5-2545 offers quad-channel memory with 153.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9645 uses dual-channel memory at 89.6 GB/s. The Intel's bandwidth is roughly 71% higher.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9645 and the Intel Xeon w5-2545 support ECC memory, making them suitable for workstation and server environments where data integrity is critical.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9645 has 32 MB of shared L3 cache, whereas the Intel Xeon w5-2545 has 30 MB of L3 cache. The AMD's advantage is 2 MB, or approximately 6.7%.

Architecture Differences

The foundational architectural split is stark. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9645, codenamed Granite Ridge, is built on TSMC's 4 nm process node with 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. The Intel Xeon w5-2545, codenamed Sapphire Rapids, uses Intel's 10 nm process, with transistor count and die size not disclosed. This process difference is significant: the AMD's smaller node typically allows for higher clock speeds at lower power, which is reflected in its 5.40 GHz boost versus the Intel's 4.70 GHz.

The core microarchitecture also diverges. The AMD uses Zen 5 cores, while the Intel relies on Sapphire Rapids architecture. The AMD's L1 cache is 80 KB per core, identical to the Intel's, but the L2 cache differs: the AMD has 1 MB per core, while the Intel has 2 MB per core. The L3 cache is close, with the AMD at 32 MB shared and the Intel at 30 MB. The AMD integrates Radeon Graphics, whereas the Intel has no integrated graphics (N/A).

Memory architecture is a major differentiator. The AMD supports dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel supports quad-channel DDR5 with 153.6 GB/s bandwidth. PCIe connectivity also favors the Intel: it offers 64 Gen 5 lanes (CPU only) versus the AMD's 24 Gen 5 lanes. The AMD uses Socket AM5, while the Intel uses Socket 4677. Both CPUs have locked multipliers, and both are marked for the server/workstation market segment.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture for workload-specific selection. The Intel Xeon w5-2545 is the choice for multithreaded, throughput-heavy tasks. It wins the PassMark multithread test with 40,988 against the AMD's 31,434, a 23.3% lead. In floating-point math, the Intel's 105,619 score crushes the AMD's 62,720, a 40.6% gap. Data compression and encryption also heavily favor the Intel, with leads of 30% and 33% respectively. The Intel's 12 cores and quad-channel memory bandwidth make it the superior option for rendering, scientific computing, and database workloads that scale with core count and memory throughput.

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9645 is the pick for single-thread-dominated applications. Its 29.8% lead in PassMark single-thread (4,636 vs 3,573) is substantial, and it wins the find-prime-numbers test by 29.1% (235 vs 182). This suggests the AMD's Zen 5 cores have a significant per-thread performance advantage, which could benefit lightly-threaded engineering software, legacy applications, or any workload where the highest possible single-core speed is paramount. The AMD also does this at a 65 W TDP versus the Intel's 210 W, though power figures are not directly benchmarked.

For users who need balanced performance across both single and multi-threaded scenarios, the Intel's 8-to-3 win count in head-to-head tests makes it the more versatile choice, despite the AMD's narrow average score lead. The Intel's wins are often decisive (over 40% in floating-point), while the AMD's wins are concentrated in two tests. The Intel's launch MSRP is $889, but no pricing information is available for the AMD.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9645 | Intel Xeon w5-2545 |

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

| Manufacturer | AMD | Intel |

| Cores | 6 | 12 |

| Threads | 12 | 24 |

| Base Clock | 3.90 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.40 GHz | 4.70 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 210 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM5 | Intel Socket 4677 |

| Codename | Granite Ridge | Sapphire Rapids |

| Generation | Ryzen 7 (Zen 5) | Xeon W (Sapphire Rapids) |

| Process Node | 4 nm (TSMC) | 10 nm (Intel) |

| Transistors | 8,315 million | N/A |

| Die Size | 70.6 mm² | N/A |

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

| L3 Cache | 32 MB (shared) | 30 MB |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Quad-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 153.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 24 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 64 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon Graphics | N/A |

| Release Date | 2025-09-15 | 2024-08-23 |

| Launch MSRP | N/A | $889 |

| Part Number | 100-000001409 | SRN4G |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Xeon w5-2545 dominates the raw compute benchmarks. Its most significant victory is in floating-point math, where it scores 105,619 against the AMD's 62,720—a massive 40.6% delta. This indicates the Intel's 12 cores provide a substantial advantage for math-intensive scientific and engineering workloads. The Intel also wins integer math by 31.4% (135,576 vs 93,019), further cementing its lead in general arithmetic throughput.

Data handling is another Intel stronghold. In data compression, the Intel scores 519,755 versus the AMD's 363,736, a 30% lead. Data encryption follows a similar pattern, with the Intel at 26,266 and the AMD at 17,599, a 33% advantage. Random string sorting also goes to the Intel, with 53,620 versus the AMD's 38,410, a 28.4% gap. These results show the Intel's greater core count and higher memory bandwidth translate into faster handling of large datasets and compression/decompression tasks.

The multithreaded benchmark confirms the trend. The Intel scores 40,988 versus the AMD's 31,434, a 23.3% lead. The physics benchmark, often reflecting simulation performance, also goes to the Intel by 20.4% (2,445 vs 1,945). Extended instructions favor the Intel by 30.1% (42,515 vs 29,705), showing the Intel's architecture handles AVX-type workloads more efficiently.

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9645's wins are concentrated in single-thread performance. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4,636 is 29.8% higher than the Intel's 3,573. This is a decisive margin, indicating the Zen 5 core design has a significant IPC advantage over Sapphire Rapids per clock. The find-prime-numbers test also goes to the AMD, with a score of 235 versus the Intel's 182, a 29.1% lead. This test is often sensitive to integer division and branch prediction, areas where the AMD's newer core design appears stronger.

In total, the Intel wins 8 of 11 head-to-head benchmarks, with the AMD taking 3. The Intel's wins are often larger in absolute percentage terms (over 30% in five tests), while the AMD's two main wins are both just under 30%. The average benchmark scores remain close—58,916 for AMD vs 58,504 for Intel—because the AMD's single-thread advantage and the Intel's multithread advantage roughly balance out across the broader benchmark suite. However, for users prioritizing raw parallel throughput, the Intel's eight dominant victories make it the clear performance leader in most demanding server workloads.