AMD EPYC 7702 vs Intel Core 7 150U Comparison

Intel Core 7 150U and AMD EPYC 7702 serve entirely different purposes, and the benchmark data reflects this split decisively. The AMD EPYC 7702 wins all six recorded head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with its largest victory being an 84.8% margin in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The Intel Core 7 150U, however, is a mobile processor with a 15 W TDP, while the EPYC 7702 is a server-class part with a 200 W TDP and 64 cores. The data shows no ambiguity: the EPYC 7702 is the raw performance king, while the Core 7 150U trades that performance for a completely different power and mobility envelope.

Where Each One Wins

The use-case split is stark. The AMD EPYC 7702 wins every single benchmark in the database, across all Cinebench versions and both single-core and multi-core tests. Its multi-core dominance is overwhelming: it scores 5900 in Cinebench R15 multi-core versus 1505.5 for the Intel part, a 74.5% gap. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the EPYC 7702 hits 58539 against the Core 7 150U's 8883, an 84.8% deficit for Intel. This is a processor built for sustained, heavily threaded workloads such as server virtualization, scientific computing, and database processing, where 128 threads and 256 MB of shared L3 cache matter more than clock speed.

The Intel Core 7 150U, by contrast, has no recorded benchmark wins in this comparison. Its strengths lie outside the raw performance metrics captured here. With a 15 W TDP and integrated Iris Xe Graphics 96EU, it is designed for thin-and-light laptops where power draw and heat output are critical constraints. The data shows its single-core scores are far lower than the EPYC 7702: 1875.5 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 8264, a 77.3% difference. However, the Intel part has a much higher boost clock of 5.40 GHz compared to 3.35 GHz on the AMD chip. That boost clock advantage does not translate into benchmark wins in this dataset, but it indicates a different design philosophy: short bursts of speed for responsive everyday tasks, constrained by a tiny power budget.

The EPYC 7702 also wins in memory bandwidth, with a recorded 204.8 GB/s over an eight-channel DDR4 interface, versus the Core 7 150U's dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 support with no bandwidth figure recorded. For workloads that are memory-bound, such as large in-memory databases or high-performance computing, that bandwidth advantage is decisive. The Intel part supports ECC memory? No, it does not, while the EPYC 7702 does, making the AMD chip the only option for error-correcting server memory.

Architecture Differences

The architecture gap is fundamental. The Intel Core 7 150U uses Raptor Lake architecture on a 10 nm process from Intel's own foundry, with a Raptor Lake-U codename. It has 10 cores and 12 threads, a hybrid arrangement typical of modern mobile chips. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. It supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, has no ECC support, and offers PCIe Gen 4 with 8 lanes from the CPU only. Integrated graphics are present as Iris Xe Graphics 96EU, which is essential for a mobile part with no discrete GPU option in many laptops.

The AMD EPYC 7702 is a completely different animal. It uses Zen 2 architecture on a 7 nm process from TSMC, with the Rome codename. It packs 64 cores and 128 threads, a 6.4x core count advantage over the Intel chip. Its cache is massive: 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 256 MB of shared L3. That L3 cache alone is over 21 times larger than the Core 7 150U's 12 MB. The EPYC 7702 supports DDR4 memory only, but over an eight-channel bus with a measured 204.8 GB/s bandwidth. It supports ECC memory, which is non-negotiable for server reliability. It has no integrated graphics, relying on a discrete GPU or a remote management controller. PCIe is Gen 4, with no lane count specified for CPU-only versus the Intel part's 8 lanes.

Transistor count and die size also differ dramatically. The EPYC 7702 has 3,800 million transistors on a 74 mm² die, a figure that reflects the chiplet design of Zen 2. The Intel part has no recorded transistor or die size data. Process node advantages go to AMD: 7 nm versus 10 nm, which typically means better power efficiency per transistor, though the EPYC 7702's 200 W TDP dwarfs the Intel part's 15 W. The Intel chip's base clock is 1.80 GHz with a boost of 5.40 GHz, while the EPYC 7702 runs at a 2000.00 MHz base (2.00 GHz) and 3.35 GHz boost. The Intel part boosts 2.05 GHz higher, but the AMD chip has far more cores to do work.

The Verdict

Choose the AMD EPYC 7702 for any workload where multi-threaded performance and memory bandwidth are the primary metrics. The data is unambiguous: it wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, with multi-core margins ranging from 74.5% to 84.8%. It is also the only option with ECC memory support and an eight-channel memory bus. If the task is server virtualization, heavy compilation, scientific simulation, or data processing at scale, the EPYC 7702 is the correct choice. Its 64 cores and 128 threads provide a 6.4x core advantage and a 10.7x thread advantage over the Intel part. The 200 W TDP is irrelevant in a server chassis but mandatory for this level of throughput.

Choose the Intel Core 7 150U for mobile or power-constrained environments. It has no benchmark wins in this comparison, but that is expected: a 15 W mobile chip is not meant to compete with a 200 W server processor. Its integrated Iris Xe Graphics 96EU provides display output and basic GPU acceleration without a discrete card. Its 5.40 GHz boost clock is the highest in this comparison, which helps with lightly threaded, bursty tasks like web browsing or office productivity, though the EPYC 7702 still wins single-core benchmarks in this dataset. The Intel part supports DDR5 memory, which the EPYC 7702 does not, and it uses the BGA 1744 socket for soldered laptop installation. For a thin-and-light laptop, the Core 7 150U is the only sensible pick; for a rack server, the EPYC 7702 is the only sensible pick.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The AMD EPYC 7702 has 64 cores and 128 threads. The Intel Core 7 150U has 10 cores and 12 threads. The EPYC 7702 has a 6.4x core advantage and a 10.7x thread advantage.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: The AMD EPYC 7702 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core 7 150U does not support ECC memory.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD EPYC 7702 has a recorded memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s over an eight-channel DDR4 bus. The Intel Core 7 150U uses a dual-channel bus supporting DDR4 and DDR5, but no bandwidth figure is recorded in the database.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 7 150U boosts to 5.40 GHz. The AMD EPYC 7702 boosts to 3.35 GHz. The Intel part has a 2.05 GHz higher boost clock.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD EPYC 7702 has 256 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core 7 150U has 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The EPYC 7702's L3 is over 21 times larger.

Q: How many benchmark comparisons does each processor win?

A: The AMD EPYC 7702 wins all 6 recorded head-to-head benchmarks. The Intel Core 7 150U wins 0 benchmarks in this comparison.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD EPYC 7702 sweeps every benchmark in the head-to-head table. The smallest margin is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the EPYC 7702 scores 5900 against the Core 7 150U's 1505.5, a 74.5% difference. That is a massive gap even at its smallest. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the EPYC 7702 scores 24586 versus 5248, a 78.7% margin. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows the largest gap: 58539 versus 8883, an 84.8% deficit for Intel. These multi-core results scale almost linearly with core count, which is expected given the 64-core versus 10-core difference.

Single-core results are closer in percentage terms but still decisively favor AMD. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the EPYC 7702 scores 832 versus 254, a 69.5% difference. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 3470 versus 740, a 78.7% margin. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 8264 versus 1875.5, a 77.3% gap. The Intel part's 5.40 GHz boost clock does not help it win any single-core test, suggesting that the EPYC 7702's Zen 2 architecture delivers higher instructions-per-clock at lower frequencies, or that the Core 7 150U is thermally limited in the test environment. The data shows no single-core scenario where Intel comes out ahead.

The average benchmark scores tell a similar story. The Core 7 150U has an average benchmark score of 17395, while the EPYC 7702 averages 16932. Interestingly, the Intel part has a slightly higher average score despite losing every head-to-head test, because it has more recorded benchmarks. The Core 7 150U has 19 benchmark entries, including PassMark tests for data compression, encryption, and integer math, while the EPYC 7702 has only 6 Cinebench entries. The percentile rankings are nearly identical: the Core 7 150U sits at the 71st percentile of all CPUs, the EPYC 7702 at the 70th percentile. Their nearest rivals also overlap in average score: the Core 7 150U's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 4500 with a 0.4% delta, while the EPYC 7702's nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-1240U with a -0.1% delta.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every measurable specification. The most obvious difference is core count: 10 cores for Intel versus 64 cores for AMD, with 12 threads versus 128 threads. The base clock is 1.80 GHz for Intel and 2000.00 MHz for AMD, while the boost clock is 5.40 GHz for Intel and 3.35 GHz for AMD. TDP ranges from 15 W for Intel to 200 W for AMD, a 13.3x difference. The Intel part uses the BGA 1744 socket, the AMD part uses Socket SP3.

Architecture and process node also diverge completely. Intel uses Raptor Lake on a 10 nm process from Intel's own foundry. AMD uses Zen 2 on a 7 nm process from TSMC. The AMD chip has 3,800 million transistors on a 74 mm² die, while Intel has no recorded transistor or die size data. Cache configurations are radically different: Intel has 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core, plus 12 MB shared L3; AMD has 96 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core, plus 256 MB shared L3.

Memory support differs as well. The Intel Core 7 150U supports DDR4 and DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration, with no ECC support. The AMD EPYC 7702 supports DDR4 only, but in an eight-channel configuration with a recorded 204.8 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support. PCIe is Gen 4 for both, but Intel specifies 8 lanes from the CPU only, while AMD lists Gen 4 with no lane count. The Intel part has integrated Iris Xe Graphics 96EU; the AMD part has no integrated graphics. The market segment is mobile for Intel and server/workstation for AMD. Release dates differ by over four years: Intel launched on 2024-01-07, AMD on 2019-08-06. Both are marked as Active in production status, and neither has a recorded launch MSRP.