AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D vs Intel Xeon 6515P Comparison

The Intel Xeon 6515P and AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D are both 16-core, 32-thread processors, but they target entirely different platforms and use cases. The Xeon is a Granite Rapids-SP server/workstation part on Intel Socket 4710, while the Ryzen is a Zen 4 desktop chip on AMD Socket AM5. The benchmark data shows a clear split: the AMD wins most workloads, but the Intel has a decisive edge in single-threaded Cinebench tests and a smaller lead in multi-core Cinebench R23.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the head-to-head data is the Cinebench R23 single-core test, where the Intel Xeon 6515P scores 5442 against the AMD’s 2053, a massive 165.1% advantage. This is not a small gap; it is a dominant performance delta that suggests the Xeon’s architecture handles this specific workload far better. The Cinebench R15 single-core test reinforces this pattern, with the Intel winning 548 to 326, a 68.1% lead. If your workflow relies on lightly threaded rendering tasks, the Xeon is the clear choice based on these numbers.

However, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D wins the Cinebench R15 multi-core test decisively, scoring 5974 versus the Intel’s 3885, a 35% deficit for the Xeon. This is a significant reversal from the single-core results. In contrast, the Cinebench R23 multi-core test tells a different story: the Intel Xeon 6515P wins with 38547 points against the AMD’s 36291, a 6.2% lead. The data shows that the two processors trade blows across the Cinebench suite, with the Intel taking the newer R23 multi-core test but losing the older R15 version by a wide margin.

Outside of Cinebench, the AMD dominates the PassMark suite. The Ryzen 9 7950X3D wins 12 of the 15 head-to-head benchmarks, with the Intel only taking the three Cinebench tests mentioned above. The largest PassMark deltas are in data compression, where the AMD scores 784993 against the Intel’s 592645, a 24.5% difference, and data encryption, where the AMD leads 47100 to 30476, a 35.3% gap. Integer math also favors the AMD heavily: 214089 versus 147047, a 31.3% advantage. The multithread PassMark score shows the AMD ahead by 27.3%, with 62383 points versus 45350 for the Intel.

Even in tests where the Intel is closer, it still loses. Floating point math is nearly a tie, with the AMD scoring 130403 against the Intel’s 128954, just a 1.1% difference. Extended instructions show a similar pattern, with the AMD ahead by 8.8%. The single-thread PassMark test, which might be expected to favor the Intel given its Cinebench single-core wins, actually goes to the AMD: 4146 versus 2855, a 31.1% lead. This discrepancy between Cinebench and PassMark single-thread results suggests that the two suites stress different aspects of the CPU, and neither processor is universally faster in single-threaded work.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Xeon 6515P has an average benchmark score of 67006, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D scores 65914. Both sit at the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, so they are statistically close in overall performance.

Q: How does the Intel compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Xeon 6515P is 0.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4465P and 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. It trails the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX by 0.7% and the Intel Xeon w5-3525 by 1%.

Q: What are the closest competitors to the Ryzen 9 7950X3D?

A: The AMD is 1.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 9124, but it trails the Intel Core 9 273PQE by 0.3%, the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus by 0.4%, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus by 1.4%.

Q: Does the AMD have a larger L3 cache?

A: Yes. The Ryzen 9 7950X3D has 128 MB of shared L3 cache, which includes a 1x 64MB 3D V-Cache slice. The Intel Xeon 6515P has 72 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What memory bandwidth do the two processors support?

A: The Intel Xeon 6515P supports eight-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D supports dual-channel DDR5 with a bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D boosts to 5.70 GHz, while the Intel Xeon 6515P boosts to 3.80 GHz. The AMD also has a higher base clock at 4.20 GHz versus the Intel’s 2.30 GHz.

The Verdict

The data does not declare a single overall winner; it depends on the application. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D is the better choice for general multi-threaded workloads, as it wins the majority of PassMark tests, including multithread, integer math, and data compression. Its 12 wins out of 15 head-to-head benchmarks make it the more versatile processor for everyday compute tasks. The Intel Xeon 6515P, however, is the clear pick if your primary workload is Cinebench R23 multi-core rendering, where it leads by 6.2%, or Cinebench single-core R23, where it is 165.1% ahead.

For a desktop user who needs a well-rounded processor with high clock speeds and a large cache, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D is the obvious selection. It is also the only one with integrated graphics and an unlocked multiplier. For a server or workstation environment where memory bandwidth is critical, the Xeon 6515P’s eight-channel DDR5 support and 409.6 GB/s bandwidth are unmatched by the AMD’s dual-channel 83.2 GB/s. The Xeon also offers 88 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, compared to the AMD’s 24 lanes, making it the superior platform for expansion-heavy systems.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification except core and thread count. The Intel Xeon 6515P has a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D runs at 4.20 GHz base and 5.70 GHz boost. The Intel has a TDP of 150 watts, the AMD is lower at 120 watts. The Intel uses Intel Socket 4710, the AMD uses AMD Socket AM5. The Xeon’s cache consists of 112 KB L1, 2 MB L2, and 72 MB L3 per core, while the Ryzen has 64 KB L1, 1 MB L2, and 128 MB L3.

Memory support is a major differentiator: the Intel is eight-channel, the AMD is dual-channel. The Xeon has 88 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, the Ryzen has 24. The Intel has no integrated graphics, while the AMD includes Radeon Graphics. The Intel is a server/workstation part with a launch MSRP of $740, and it is not multiplier-unlocked. The AMD is a desktop part with a launch MSRP of $699, and it is multiplier-unlocked. Their release dates also differ, with the Intel launching on 2025-02-23 and the AMD on 2023-01-03.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Xeon 6515P is built on the Granite Rapids architecture, using a 5 nm process from Intel’s own foundry. It belongs to the Xeon 6 (Granite Rapids-SP) generation. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D uses the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael, and is also on a 5 nm process, but from TSMC. The AMD has 17,840 million transistors across a 2x 71 mm² die size, while the Intel’s transistor count and die size are not provided.

The cache architectures are notably different. The Intel allocates 112 KB L1 and 2 MB L2 per core, with a 72 MB shared L3. The AMD uses 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, but has a much larger 128 MB shared L3, which includes a 1x 64MB 3D V-Cache slice. This extra L3 cache is a key architectural feature of the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, likely contributing to its strong performance in data-intensive PassMark tests. The Intel’s architecture emphasizes memory bandwidth with its eight-channel controller, while the AMD’s design favors higher clock speeds and cache capacity.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D wins in the majority of benchmark categories. It takes data compression, encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating point math, integer math, multithread, physics, random string sorting, and single-thread PassMark tests. This makes it the better processor for general productivity, content creation, and any workload that benefits from high cache capacity and high clock speeds. Its 5.70 GHz boost clock and 128 MB L3 cache are clear advantages in these tests.

The Intel Xeon 6515P wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core, Cinebench R23 single-core, and Cinebench R15 single-core. The 165.1% lead in R23 single-core is the largest margin in the entire comparison, indicating that the Xeon’s architecture is exceptionally strong in this specific rendering workload. The 6.2% win in R23 multi-core is more modest but still significant. For users who run Cinebench-based rendering or similar single-threaded rendering tasks, the Xeon is the superior choice. Additionally, its eight-channel memory and 88 PCIe lanes make it the winner for server and workstation platforms that require massive memory bandwidth and expansion capabilities, even though those advantages are not directly reflected in the benchmark scores.