AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 vs Intel Xeon W-2135 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 and Intel Xeon W-2135 are two workstation-class processors from 2017 that landed in remarkably similar performance territory, yet they approach the same workload profile from opposite directions. The database shows a clean sweep for the AMD chip across all six recorded Cinebench tests, but the margins are uniformly narrow, sitting between 2.3 and 2.4 percent in every single test. Meanwhile, the two chips differ sharply in core count, memory architecture, platform positioning, and power draw. This is a comparison where the headline scores tell only part of the story.

Where Each One Wins

On pure benchmark results, the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 wins everywhere it was measured. It takes all six Cinebench tests: R15 multi-core (1259 vs 1230), R15 single-core (177 vs 173), R20 multi-core (5246 vs 5126), R20 single-core (740 vs 723), R23 multi-core (12491 vs 12205), and R23 single-core (1763 vs 1723). That is a 6-0 sweep, and notably the margin barely moves between single-core and multi-core runs, holding near 2.3 to 2.4 percent regardless of threading.

That consistency carries meaning. The Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 has 8 cores and 16 threads against the Xeon's 6 cores and 12 threads, so a multi-core sweep was expected. The interesting part is single-core: despite the Xeon W-2135 boosting to 4.50 GHz against the Ryzen's 3.70 GHz, the AMD part still edges ahead in every single-threaded result. The database shows no scenario in the recorded tests where the Xeon's frequency advantage converts into a win.

Where the Xeon W-2135 holds its ground is platform capability rather than raw compute. It offers quad-channel DDR4 with 85.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth, double the Ryzen's 42.7 GB/s on a dual-channel bus, and 48 PCIe Gen 3 lanes versus 16 from the CPU on the AMD side. For workloads that saturate memory channels or need wide I/O, that platform advantage is real even though the Cinebench results do not capture it. Both chips sit at the 55th percentile against all CPUs in the database, so in the broader landscape they occupy the same tier.

Architecture Differences

Both processors were built on 14 nm processes, but by different fabricators: GlobalFoundries produced the Zen-based Summit Ridge die for AMD, while Intel fabricated its own Skylake-W silicon. The AMD die measures 213 mm² and packs 4,800 million transistors. The Xeon's die is considerably larger at 484 mm², with transistor count not recorded in the database.

The core topology is where the philosophies diverge. Zen at this generation used two CCX-style groupings feeding a large shared 16 MB L3 cache, complemented by 96 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core. Skylake-W inverts that balance: a smaller 8.25 MB shared L3, but a fatter 1 MB of L2 per core and a leaner 64 KB L1 per core. In practice, the Ryzen trades per-core cache depth for aggregate capacity, which suits its higher thread count, while the Xeon's larger L2 feeds its fewer, faster cores.

Both parts support DDR4 with ECC, which marks them as professional-grade hardware rather than consumer desktop parts. Neither has integrated graphics, so a discrete GPU is mandatory on either platform. The Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 is a desktop-segment chip that remains flagged as Active in production terms, while the Xeon W-2135 is a server/workstation part now marked End-of-life. Both launched within two months of each other, the Ryzen on June 28, 2017 and the Xeon on August 28, 2017.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data covers three Cinebench generations, and the pattern never changes.

In Cinebench R15, the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 posts 1259 multi-core points to the Xeon's 1230, a 2.4 percent win, and 177 single-core points to 173, a 2.3 percent edge. R20 repeats the story almost exactly: 5246 vs 5126 in multi-core (2.3 percent) and 740 vs 723 in single-core (2.4 percent). R23 closes it out at 12491 vs 12205 multi-core and 1763 vs 1723 single-core, both 2.3 percent in AMD's favor.

The uniformity is the striking feature. A 2.3 to 2.4 percent spread across six tests spanning three benchmark versions suggests a genuinely consistent architectural edge rather than a fluke result in one suite. The Ryzen's eight cores only buy it the same margin in multi-core that its architecture delivers in single-core, which indicates the Xeon's extra clock speed and per-core cache largely offset its core-count deficit in threaded rendering.

Aggregate scoring reinforces the picture. The Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 carries an average benchmark score of 3613 against 3530 for the Xeon W-2135. Their nearest-rival lists overlap heavily too: the Ryzen's closest comparators include the Intel Xeon E-2276G at an average score of 3614, the Xeon E-2286G at 3610, the Xeon E5-2678 v3 at 3608, and the AMD Ryzen 7 2700E at 3603. The Xeon W-2135's neighbors are the Intel Core i3-12300 at 3532, the Xeon W-1290TE at 3532, the Core i5-10600K at 3533, and the Core i3-12300T at 3525. In other words, each chip sits in a dense cluster of near-equal performers, and the 83-point average gap between them is small in context.

Specification Differences

The spec sheet diverges on nearly every line that matters:

• Cores/Threads: Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 has 8 cores and 16 threads; Xeon W-2135 has 6 cores and 12 threads.
• Clocks: Ryzen runs a 3.00 GHz base and 3.70 GHz boost; the Xeon runs a 3.70 GHz base and 4.50 GHz boost, giving Intel the advantage on both figures.
• TDP: 65 W for the Ryzen versus 140 W for the Xeon, more than double the power envelope for the losing benchmark side.
• Socket and Platform: AMD Socket AM4 versus Intel Socket 2066.
• Cache: 96 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core with 16 MB shared L3 on the Ryzen; 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core with 8.25 MB shared L3 on the Xeon.
• Memory Bus: Dual-channel with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth on the Ryzen; quad-channel with 85.3 GB/s on the Xeon.
• PCIe: 16 Gen 3 lanes from the Ryzen CPU versus 48 Gen 3 lanes from the Xeon CPU.
• Die Size: 213 mm² for AMD, 484 mm² for Intel; both on 14 nm.
• Overclocking: The Ryzen has an unlocked multiplier; the Xeon does not.
• Segment and Status: Desktop and Active for the Ryzen; Server/Workstation and End-of-life for the Xeon.
• Launch MSRP: The Xeon W-2135 carried a launch MSRP of $835; no launch MSRP is recorded for the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700.

Shared traits include DDR4 support, ECC memory, no integrated graphics, and Gen 3 PCIe as the interface generation.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in benchmarks? A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 1700. It won all six recorded Cinebench tests against the Intel Xeon W-2135, with margins of 2.3 to 2.4 percent in every test, and holds a higher average benchmark score, 3613 versus 3530.

Q: Does the Xeon W-2135 win in single-core performance given its higher clocks? A: No. Despite boosting to 4.50 GHz versus 3.70 GHz for the Ryzen, the Xeon trails in every single-core test: 173 vs 177 in R15, 723 vs 740 in R20, and 1723 vs 1763 in R23.

Q: Which processor has the memory bandwidth advantage? A: The Xeon W-2135. Its quad-channel DDR4 controller delivers 85.3 GB/s, exactly double the Ryzen's 42.7 GB/s on dual-channel, which matters for bandwidth-hungry workloads that the Cinebench suite does not stress.

Q: How do their power envelopes compare? A: The Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 is rated at 65 W TDP while the Xeon W-2135 is rated at 140 W, so the AMD chip delivers its benchmark wins within less than half the thermal envelope.

Q: Are both chips still in production? A: The Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 is listed as Active in the database, while the Xeon W-2135 is listed as End-of-life.

Q: Can either processor be overclocked? A: Only the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700, which has an unlocked multiplier. The Xeon W-2135's multiplier is locked.