AMD EPYC 9184X vs Intel Xeon 6511P Comparison

The Intel Xeon 6511P and AMD EPYC 9184X are both 16-core, 32-thread server processors built on 5 nm processes. Both sit in the 94th percentile of all CPUs in the database, yet their benchmark profiles diverge sharply. The Intel part averages 71051 points across all recorded tests, while the AMD part averages 68202 points. In direct head-to-head testing, the Xeon wins 10 of 17 tests, the EPYC wins 7.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most consistent advantage for the Intel Xeon 6511P appears in Cinebench. Across all six Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core and single-core tests, the Xeon leads by exactly 1.7%. For example, in Cinebench R23 multi-core the Xeon scores 41196 against the EPYC's 40515, and in single-core it scores 5815 against 5719. This uniform margin suggests a per-clock efficiency advantage in rendering workloads, despite the EPYC's higher base clock.

Beyond Cinebench, the Xeon's largest win is in Passmark floating point math, where it scores 127307 versus 95476, a 33.3% lead. It also wins Passmark extended instructions by 16.5% (50730 vs 43562), data compression by 4.2% (640808 vs 614873), and integer math by 3.2% (162524 vs 157483). These results indicate that the Xeon is particularly strong in arithmetic-heavy and instruction-diverse workloads.

The AMD EPYC 9184X counters with decisive wins in several Passmark subtests. It leads data encryption by 15.9% (37376 vs 31429), find prime numbers by 33.8% (465 vs 308), physics by 29.9% (6674 vs 4678), and random string sorting by 15.1% (79913 vs 67809). The EPYC also wins Passmark multithread by 4.1% (47665 vs 45687) and Passmark single-thread by 9.8% (2822 vs 2545). The single-thread result is notable because both processors boost to 4.20 GHz, yet the EPYC's higher base clock of 3.55 GHz (versus 2.30 GHz) likely contributes to its advantage in this specific test.

Overall, the Xeon takes 10 wins to the EPYC's 7. The Xeon's average benchmark score of 71051 is 4.2% higher than the EPYC's 68202. However, the EPYC's wins are concentrated in workloads that often rely on large caches or specialized instruction paths, which may matter more in certain server environments.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the larger L3 cache?

A: The AMD EPYC 9184X has 768 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Xeon 6511P has 72 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor supports more memory channels?

A: The AMD EPYC 9184X supports twelve-channel memory, while the Intel Xeon 6511P supports eight-channel. The AMD part also has higher memory bandwidth at 460.8 GB/s versus 409.6 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock?

A: The AMD EPYC 9184X has a base clock of 3.55 GHz, while the Intel Xeon 6511P has 2.30 GHz. Both boost to 4.20 GHz.

Q: Which processor has a higher TDP?

A: The AMD EPYC 9184X has a TDP of 320 W, while the Intel Xeon 6511P has 150 W.

Q: Which processor has more PCIe lanes?

A: The Intel Xeon 6511P has 136 Gen 5 lanes, while the AMD EPYC 9184X has 128 Gen 5 lanes.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Xeon 6511P averages 71051 points, while the AMD EPYC 9184X averages 68202 points.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on 5 nm processes, but the foundries differ: Intel fabricates the Xeon 6511P in-house, while TSMC produces the EPYC 9184X. The Xeon uses the Granite Rapids architecture (codename Granite Rapids, generation Xeon 6), while the EPYC uses Zen 4 (codename Genoa-X, generation EPYC 9004 series). The EPYC's die is composed of 8x 72 mm² chiplets and contains 90,160 million transistors; the Xeon's transistor count and die size are not recorded in the database.

Cache hierarchies are markedly different. The Xeon has 112 KB of L1 per core and 2 MB of L2 per core, while the EPYC has 64 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2 per core. The L3 cache is the biggest divergence: 72 MB shared on the Xeon versus 768 MB shared on the EPYC. This 10.7x difference in L3 capacity is the most striking architectural gap.

Memory support also differs. The Xeon uses an eight-channel DDR5 interface with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the EPYC uses a twelve-channel interface with 460.8 GB/s. Both support ECC memory. PCIe connectivity is close: the Xeon offers 136 Gen 5 lanes, the EPYC 128. Sockets are incompatible: Intel Socket 4710 for the Xeon, AMD Socket SP5 for the EPYC.

The EPYC has a much higher base clock (3.55 GHz vs 2.30 GHz) and a higher TDP (320 W vs 150 W). The Xeon was released on 2025-02-23, while the EPYC launched on 2023-06-12. The Xeon has a part number (SRVU9), while the EPYC's part number is not recorded. Neither processor has integrated graphics, and both are locked (multiplier unlocked: false).

The Verdict

The data shows that the Intel Xeon 6511P wins the majority of head-to-head tests, including all Cinebench variants and several Passmark workloads. Its average benchmark score is 4.2% higher than the EPYC's (71051 vs 68202). The Xeon is particularly strong in floating point math, extended instructions, and data compression, where it leads by 33.3%, 16.5%, and 4.2% respectively. It also has a significantly lower TDP (150 W vs 320 W) and more PCIe lanes (136 vs 128), which may be advantageous in power-constrained or I/O-heavy deployments.

The AMD EPYC 9184X, however, dominates in encryption, prime number finding, physics, random string sorting, and single-thread Passmark. Its 768 MB L3 cache and 460.8 GB/s memory bandwidth are far larger than the Xeon's 72 MB and 409.6 GB/s, which could benefit workloads that repeatedly access large data sets. The EPYC also has a higher base clock (3.55 GHz vs 2.30 GHz), though both boost to 4.20 GHz.

For users prioritizing Cinebench rendering, floating point math, and general integer performance, the Xeon 6511P is the stronger choice based on the recorded benchmarks. For encryption, physics simulation, and cache-sensitive tasks, the EPYC 9184X leads. Both processors sit in the 94th percentile, so either is a high-end server option. The launch MSRP is $815 for the Xeon and $4928 for the EPYC.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Xeon 6511P | AMD EPYC 9184X |

|-------|------------------|----------------|

| Base clock | 2.30 GHz | 3.55 GHz |

| TDP | 150 W | 320 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 4710 | AMD Socket SP5 |

| Architecture | Granite Rapids | Zen 4 |

| Codename | Granite Rapids | Genoa-X |

| Generation | Xeon 6 (Granite Rapids-SP) | EPYC (Zen 4 (Genoa)) |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not recorded | 90,160 million |

| Die size | Not recorded | 8x 72 mm² |

| L1 cache (per core) | 112 KB | 64 KB |

| L2 cache (per core) | 2 MB | 1 MB |

| L3 cache (shared) | 72 MB | 768 MB |

| Memory bus | Eight-channel | Twelve-channel |

| Memory bandwidth | 409.6 GB/s | 460.8 GB/s |

| PCIe lanes | 136 (Gen 5) | 128 (Gen 5) |

| Release date | 2025-02-23 | 2023-06-12 |

| Launch MSRP | $815 | $4928 |

| Part number | SRVU9 | Not recorded |

| Integrated graphics | N/A | Not recorded |