AMD Ryzen 9 9900X vs Intel Xeon Phi 7290 Comparison

The Intel Xeon Phi 7290 and AMD Ryzen 9 9900X represent two radically different approaches to processor design, separated by eight years of architectural evolution. The data shows a complete sweep: the Ryzen 9 9900X wins all 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, often by overwhelming margins. Despite the Xeon Phi's massive 72-core count and 288 threads, it cannot overcome the fundamental clock speed and IPC advantages of the modern Zen 5 design. This analysis examines where each processor's strengths lie, the specification gaps that explain the results, and what the benchmark data implies for potential use cases.

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X wins every single benchmark in the comparison set. There are no wins for the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 across any of the 17 tests, which span Cinebench R15/R20/R23 multi-core and single-core workloads, PassMark's data compression, encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating-point math, integer math, multithreading, physics simulation, random string sorting, and single-thread performance.

The most lopsided victories for the Ryzen 9 9900X come in single-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Xeon Phi scores 215 while the Ryzen 9 9900X reaches 660, a 67.4% deficit for the Intel part. The PassMark single-thread test shows an even starker gap: 485 for the Xeon Phi versus 4672 for the Ryzen 9 9900X, representing an 89.6% difference. This makes sense given the Xeon Phi's 1.50 GHz base and 1.70 GHz boost clocks, compared to the Ryzen 9 9900X's 4.40 GHz base and 5.60 GHz boost.

The narrowest margin comes in PassMark's random string sorting, where the Ryzen 9 9900X leads by only 4.7% (72013 versus 68593). This suggests the Xeon Phi's massive thread count can partially compensate for its clock disadvantage in certain memory-latency-bound or parallel-friendly workloads. Similarly, the Ryzen 9 9900X leads by 17.4% in data compression (683579 versus 564535) and 24.8% in extended instructions (55243 versus 41517), indicating areas where the Xeon Phi's many cores keep it relatively competitive.

The multi-core Cinebench results tell a consistent story: the Ryzen 9 9900X leads by 67.3-67.4% across R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests. Despite having 72 cores versus 12, the Xeon Phi's low clock speed and older architecture result in scores of 1528, 6368, and 15163 respectively, while the Ryzen 9 9900X posts 4680, 19503, and 46438. The physics simulation test shows a 33.2% advantage for the Ryzen 9 9900X (3381 versus 2257), and floating-point math reveals a 60.5% gap (120083 versus 47417).

FAQ

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 9900X achieve such a large multi-core advantage despite having only 12 cores versus 72?

A: The benchmark data shows the Ryzen 9 9900X wins all three Cinebench multi-core tests by 67.3-67.4%. This is explained by its dramatically higher clock speeds (4.40 GHz base, 5.60 GHz boost versus 1.50 GHz base, 1.70 GHz boost) combined with the modern Zen 5 architecture's higher instructions-per-clock. The Xeon Phi's 288 threads cannot compensate for running at roughly a third of the clock frequency.

Q: Is the Xeon Phi 7290 competitive in any workload?

A: The closest result is PassMark random string sorting, where the Ryzen 9 9900X leads by only 4.7% (72013 versus 68593). Data compression shows a 17.4% gap, and extended instructions show a 24.8% gap. These are the smallest margins in the head-to-head data, suggesting the Xeon Phi's many cores help most in memory-intensive or highly parallel operations.

Q: What is the single biggest performance difference between the two processors?

A: The largest gap appears in single-threaded performance. Both PassMark single-thread tests show an 89.6% advantage for the Ryzen 9 9900X (4672 versus 485), while Cinebench single-core tests show a 67.4% gap (660 versus 215 in R15, 2753 versus 898 in R20, 6555 versus 2140 in R23).

Q: How do the processors compare in encryption and prime number workloads?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X leads by 62.6% in data encryption (33421 versus 12505) and by 73.9% in finding prime numbers (436 versus 114). These are substantial but not the largest margins observed.

Q: What do the average benchmark scores indicate about overall performance?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X has an average benchmark score of 54450, while the Xeon Phi 7290 scores 53469. The Ryzen 9 9900X is 1.8% ahead of the Xeon Phi in this metric. Both processors rank at the 94th percentile among all CPUs, though the Ryzen 9 9900X's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D (-0.4%) and Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (-1.5%).

Q: Are there any benchmark categories where the Xeon Phi's core count gives it an advantage?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the Ryzen 9 9900X wins all 17 benchmarks. The Xeon Phi's smallest deficits are in random string sorting (4.7%), data compression (17.4%), and extended instructions (24.8%), but it does not win a single test.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic outcome in the entire comparison is the single-thread PassMark test. The Xeon Phi 7290 scores 485, while the Ryzen 9 9900X scores 4672, a delta of -89.6%. This is the largest percentage difference in the dataset, and it reflects the fundamental clock speed disparity: the Xeon Phi's 1.70 GHz boost is less than one-third of the Ryzen 9 9900X's 5.60 GHz boost. The same 89.6% gap appears in the duplicate PassMark singlethread test, confirming the consistency of this result.

Cinebench results show a uniform 67.3-67.4% advantage for the Ryzen 9 9900X across all three versions and both single-core and multi-core tests. In Cinebench R15, the Ryzen 9 9900X scores 4680 multi-core versus 1528 for the Xeon Phi; in R20, 19503 versus 6368; in R23, 46438 versus 15163. Single-core results follow the same pattern: 660 versus 215 in R15, 2753 versus 898 in R20, 6555 versus 2140 in R23. The consistency of these deltas suggests the architectural and clock speed differences affect all Cinebench workloads similarly.

PassMark integer math shows a 29.9% advantage for the Ryzen 9 9900X (181056 versus 126922), which is one of the smaller gaps among the more compute-heavy tests. Floating-point math shows a 60.5% gap (120083 versus 47417). Data encryption reveals a 62.6% gap (33421 versus 12505), while finding prime numbers shows a 73.9% gap (436 versus 114). The multithread PassMark score shows a 67.4% gap (54643 versus 17839), matching the Cinebench multi-core deltas closely.

The physics simulation test shows a 33.2% advantage for the Ryzen 9 9900X (3381 versus 2257). Extended instructions show a 24.8% gap (55243 versus 41517). Data compression shows a 17.4% gap (683579 versus 564535). The smallest margin is random string sorting at 4.7% (72013 versus 68593), which is the only test where the Xeon Phi comes within single digits of the Ryzen 9 9900X.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts differ dramatically: the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 has 72 cores and 288 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X has 12 cores and 24 threads. Clock speeds show the Xeon Phi at 1.50 GHz base and 1.70 GHz boost, versus the Ryzen 9 9900X at 4.40 GHz base and 5.60 GHz boost. Thermal design power also differs significantly: the Xeon Phi is rated at 245W, while the Ryzen 9 9900X is rated at 120W.

The processors use different sockets: Intel Socket 3647 for the Xeon Phi, AMD Socket AM5 for the Ryzen 9 9900X. Memory support differs as well: the Xeon Phi uses DDR4, while the Ryzen 9 9900X supports DDR5 with dual-channel memory and a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Xeon Phi supports ECC memory, and the Ryzen 9 9900X also supports ECC memory. The Ryzen 9 9900X includes integrated Radeon Graphics, while the Xeon Phi has no integrated graphics. The Ryzen 9 9900X has an unlocked multiplier, while the Xeon Phi's multiplier is locked.

Market segments differ: the Xeon Phi is positioned as a Server/Workstation part, while the Ryzen 9 9900X is a Desktop processor. The Ryzen 9 9900X has a production status of Active and a launch MSRP of $499, while the Xeon Phi's production status and MSRP are not listed. The Ryzen 9 9900X includes PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes (CPU only), while the Xeon Phi's PCIe specifications are not listed.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent vastly different architectural eras. The Intel Xeon Phi 7290 uses the Knights Landing architecture on a 14 nm process node manufactured by Intel, with 8,000 million transistors. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X uses the Zen 5 architecture (codename Granite Ridge) on a 4 nm process node manufactured by TSMC, with 16,630 million transistors and a die size of 2x 70.6 mm².

Cache configurations differ substantially. The Xeon Phi has 32 KB L1 cache per core and 512 KB L2 cache per core, with no L3 cache listed. The Ryzen 9 9900X has 80 KB L1 cache per core, 1 MB L2 cache per core, and 64 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ryzen 9 9900X's larger per-core caches and substantial L3 cache help explain its single-thread and multi-thread performance advantages.

The Xeon Phi 7290 was released on 2016-06-19, while the Ryzen 9 9900X was released on 2024-08-14. The Xeon Phi's generation is listed as "Xeon Phi (Knights Landing)" while the Ryzen 9 9900X's generation is "Ryzen 9 (Zen 5 (Granite Ridge))". The Xeon Phi's part number is SR2WY, and the Ryzen 9 9900X's part number is 100-000000662.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is conclusive: the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is the superior processor in every measured category, winning all 17 head-to-head comparisons. The Ryzen 9 9900X's average benchmark score of 54450 places it 1.8% ahead of the Xeon Phi 7290's 53469, and its 94th percentile ranking matches the Xeon Phi's percentile. The Ryzen 9 9900X's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D at -0.4%, followed by the Intel Core i7-14700F at 0.7%, while the Xeon Phi's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7313P at 0.5% and the Intel Xeon Gold 5320H at 2%.

The Xeon Phi 7290's 72 cores and 288 threads are its defining feature, but the data shows they do not translate into competitive performance against the Ryzen 9 9900X's 12 cores and 24 threads. The clock speed difference—1.70 GHz boost versus 5.60 GHz boost—combined with the Zen 5 architecture's IPC advantage and the Ryzen 9 9900X's 64 MB of L3 cache, produces an overwhelming performance gap. The Xeon Phi's closest results come in random string sorting (4.7% gap) and data compression (17.4% gap), suggesting its many threads help in specific memory-bound workloads, but even there it cannot secure a win.

For users prioritizing single-thread performance, the Ryzen 9 9900X is the clear choice, with an 89.6% advantage in PassMark single-thread and 67.4% in Cinebench single-core tests. For multi-threaded workloads, the Ryzen 9 9900X maintains a 67.3-67.4%