AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX vs Intel Xeon Gold 6326 Comparison

The Intel Xeon Gold 6326 and AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX are both workstation-class processors, yet the benchmark data reveals a consistent pattern: the AMD part leads in every recorded Cinebench test. The margin is narrow but uniform, with the Threadripper PRO 3945WX winning all six head-to-head comparisons by exactly 2 percent.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 2869 against the Intel’s 2812, a 2 percent advantage. The single-core result mirrors this: 404 versus 396, again a 2 percent gap. Moving to Cinebench R20, the AMD processor posts 11956 in multi-core and 1687 in single-core, while the Xeon Gold 6326 records 11719 and 1654, respectively. The same 2 percent delta appears in Cinebench R23, where the Threadripper PRO 3945WX reaches 28469 multi-core and 4019 single-core, compared to the Xeon’s 27904 and 3939. Across all six tests, the AMD part’s smallest lead is 5 points (single-core R15), and its largest is 565 points (multi-core R23).

The average benchmark score tells a slightly different story. The Xeon Gold 6326 holds a higher overall average, 8071, versus the Threadripper PRO 3945WX’s 7741. However, that figure includes Geekbench results from the AMD chip, which are not present for the Intel part. The Xeon’s nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Xeon Platinum 8180M with an average score of 8110 (0.5 percent higher), the Intel Core i3-8100 at 8123 (0.6 percent higher), and the AMD EPYC 7302 at 8139 (0.8 percent higher). The Threadripper PRO 3945WX sits near the Intel Core i9-10980XE, which scores 7910, putting the AMD part 2.1 percent ahead, and it also edges out the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX by 2.2 percent and the Intel Core i5-6500 by 2.3 percent. Both CPUs share the same 64th percentile ranking among all CPUs in the database, meaning they occupy identical positions relative to the broader market.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The clean sweep in Cinebench favors AMD, but the margins are small enough that real-world differences will depend on workload scaling. The most substantial win for the Threadripper PRO 3945WX comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where its 28469 score outpaces the Xeon Gold 6326’s 27904. That 565-point gap translates to a 2 percent improvement, which is meaningful for long render jobs but not transformative. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the AMD part scores 11956 versus 11719, a 237-point difference, while Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a 57-point lead (2869 against 2812).

Single-core results are equally consistent. The Threadripper PRO 3945WX leads by 8 points in Cinebench R15 (404 versus 396), by 33 points in Cinebench R20 (1687 versus 1654), and by 80 points in Cinebench R23 (4019 versus 3939). Each of these represents a 2 percent advantage. The data shows no test where the Intel Xeon Gold 6326 closes the gap, so the AMD processor’s higher boost clock and newer architecture appear to deliver a measurable, if modest, edge across the board.

The Xeon Gold 6326 does not win a single head-to-head benchmark. Its 16 cores and 32 threads do not translate into a multi-core advantage in these tests, likely because the Threadripper PRO 3945WX’s higher per-core performance offsets its lower core count. The average benchmark scores place the Xeon higher, but that is driven by the absence of Geekbench data for the Intel part, not by superior Cinebench performance. For users relying solely on Cinebench as a proxy for rendering or simulation workloads, the AMD chip is the clear pick.

The Verdict

The data suggests that the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX is the better choice for Cinebench-centric workloads. It wins every recorded multi-core and single-core test, and its 2 percent lead is consistent across all three Cinebench versions. The Xeon Gold 6326, despite having 16 cores versus the AMD’s 12, cannot overcome the Threadripper PRO’s higher clock speeds in these benchmarks. Users prioritizing single-threaded responsiveness or lightly threaded tasks will also favor the AMD part, as it leads in every single-core test by the same 2 percent margin.

The Xeon Gold 6326 remains viable for systems that require Intel’s platform features, such as its specific socket or memory configuration, but the benchmark results do not show a performance reason to choose it over the Threadripper PRO 3945WX. The AMD chip’s higher TDP (280 watts versus 185 watts) suggests it draws more power, but the recorded data does not include efficiency metrics, so that trade-off remains qualitative. Both processors occupy the same 64th percentile, indicating equivalent standing in the overall database, yet the head-to-head results favor AMD without exception.

For buyers deciding between these two, the Threadripper PRO 3945WX offers the better measured performance in Cinebench, and its 64 MB of L3 cache (versus the Xeon’s 24 MB) may benefit cache-sensitive applications, though the database does not quantify that effect. The Xeon Gold 6326, with its higher average benchmark score, might appeal to those looking at a broader spectrum of tests, but the available data only covers Cinebench for the Intel part, making direct comparisons outside that suite impossible.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX scores 28469, while the Intel Xeon Gold 6326 scores 27904, giving AMD a 2 percent lead.

Q: How large is the single-core performance gap?

A: The AMD chip leads by 2 percent in every single-core test: 404 versus 396 in R15, 1687 versus 1654 in R20, and 4019 versus 3939 in R23.

Q: Does the Intel Xeon Gold 6326 win any benchmark in the head-to-head comparison?

A: No, the data shows zero wins for the Intel part. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX wins all six recorded Cinebench tests.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The Intel Xeon Gold 6326 has an average score of 8071, while the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX averages 7741. The Intel part’s average is higher, but it lacks Geekbench results that are recorded for the AMD chip.

Q: How do these CPUs compare to their nearest rivals in the database?

A: The Xeon Gold 6326 sits within 0.9 percent of the AMD EPYC 7302 (8139) and Intel Xeon Gold 5318Y (8147). The Threadripper PRO 3945WX is 2.1 percent ahead of the Intel Core i9-10980XE (7910) and 2.3 percent ahead of the Intel Core i5-6500 (7569).

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Xeon Gold 6326 and AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX support ECC memory.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in core and thread counts, clock speeds, thermal design power, and socket requirements. The Intel Xeon Gold 6326 features 16 cores and 32 threads with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX has 12 cores and 24 threads, but its clocks are higher: 4.00 GHz base and 4.30 GHz boost. The Intel part carries a TDP of 185 watts, while the AMD chip is rated at 280 watts.

The cache hierarchy also diverges. The Xeon Gold 6326 uses 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Threadripper PRO 3945WX matches the L1 size at 64 KB per core but halves L2 to 512 KB per core, while its L3 cache is 64 MB, more than double the Intel’s. Memory support is identical in bandwidth, with both offering eight-channel DDR4 and 204.8 GB/s, but the PCIe lane count differs: the Xeon provides 64 Gen 4 lanes, while the AMD part provides 128 Gen 4 lanes.

The release dates place the Intel chip in April 2021 and the AMD chip in July 2020. The Intel Xeon Gold 6326 uses the Intel Socket 4189, whereas the Threadripper PRO 3945WX uses the AMD Socket WRX8. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and both lack integrated graphics. The AMD part has a part number (100-000000168), while the Intel part does not list one. The Xeon Gold 6326 is built on a 10 nm process by Intel, while the Threadripper PRO 3945WX uses a 7 nm process from TSMC, with 7,600 million transistors and a die size of 2x 74 mm².

Architecture Differences

The architectural split is fundamental. The Intel Xeon Gold 6326 is based on Ice Lake, specifically the Ice Lake-SP generation, and uses Intel’s 10 nm process node. It is manufactured by Intel’s own foundry. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX belongs to the Ryzen Threadripper 3000 series, built on the Zen 2 architecture with the codename Castle Peak. AMD relies on TSMC’s 7 nm process, which allows a smaller die size of 2x 74 mm² and a transistor count of 7,600 million.

The core design philosophies differ as well. The Intel chip spreads 16 cores across its Ice Lake architecture, while the AMD chip concentrates 12 cores on the Zen 2 design with higher base and boost clocks. The L3 cache allocation is the most visible architectural difference: the Xeon Gold 6326 offers 24 MB of shared L3, whereas the Threadripper PRO 3945WX provides 64 MB, a 40 MB advantage that likely contributes to its single-core performance despite fewer cores.

Both processors support DDR4 memory with eight-channel buses and identical 204.8 GB/s bandwidth, and both enable ECC. The PCIe implementation differs, with the AMD chip offering 128 Gen 4 lanes compared to the Intel’s 64. This makes the Threadripper PRO 3945WX more suited to multi-GPU or heavy I/O configurations, while the Xeon Gold 6326 is more conservative in that regard. The production status for both is listed as Active, and both target the server and workstation market segment.