Intel Xeon 6527P vs Intel Xeon 6730P Comparison

The Intel Xeon 6730P and Intel Xeon 6527P are both active, Granite Rapids-based server processors on the Intel Socket 4710 platform, released on the same date. The data shows a clear split: the 6730P leverages its higher core count for parallel throughput, while the 6527P counters with superior single-thread performance and clock speeds. Despite the 6730P having 32 cores to the 6527P’s 24, the benchmark results reveal a nuanced picture where the 6527P wins more individual tests, though the 6730P’s victories are often by larger margins.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in PassMark’s extended instructions test, where the Intel Xeon 6730P scores 96,204 against the Intel Xeon 6527P’s 71,600. That is a 34.4% advantage for the 6730P, the largest delta in any head-to-head comparison. The 6730P also dominates prime number finding, scoring 686 versus 508, a 35% lead. These are compute-heavy workloads that scale directly with core count and memory bandwidth, and the 6730P’s 32 cores and 288 MB of shared L3 cache provide a decisive edge.

Floating-point math follows the same pattern. The 6730P posts 226,838 versus 195,005 for the 6527P, a 16.3% win. Integer math is closer but still favors the 6730P: 290,740 versus 268,985, an 8.1% margin. Data compression also goes to the 6730P, with a score of 1,138,470 against 1,030,818, a 10.4% advantage. Physics performance favors the 6730P as well, 8,606 versus 8,037, a 7.1% lead.

The Intel Xeon 6527P, however, wins the majority of the head-to-head tests, taking 11 of 17. Its most significant victory is in single-threaded performance, where it scores 3,539 versus 2,995 for the 6730P, a 15.4% advantage. Random string sorting also goes decisively to the 6527P: 131,597 versus 113,919, a 13.4% lead. These results reflect the 6527P’s higher base clock of 3.00 GHz and boost clock of 4.20 GHz, compared to 2.50 GHz and 3.80 GHz for the 6730P.

The 6527P also wins the Cinebench suite across the board, though by narrow margins. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 63,278 versus 62,996, a 0.4% difference. Single-core R23 shows 8,933 versus 8,893, also 0.4%. The pattern repeats in R20 and R15: the 6527P leads by 0.4% to 0.5% in both multi-core and single-core tests. PassMark multi-thread is nearly identical, with the 6527P ahead 74,445 versus 74,113, a 0.4% margin. Data encryption is another 6527P win, 60,333 versus 55,964, a 7.2% advantage.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the same fundamental architecture: Granite Rapids, built on Intel’s 5 nm process node, with the foundry listed as Intel. Neither has integrated graphics, and both support DDR5 memory with an eight-channel bus and 409.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth. ECC memory is supported on both. PCIe connectivity is identical: Gen 5 with 88 lanes (CPU only). Both are server/workstation parts with locked multipliers.

The core configuration differs significantly. The 6730P has 32 cores and 64 threads, while the 6527P has 24 cores and 48 threads. Per-core cache is the same: 112 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2 per core. The L3 cache, however, is not proportional. The 6730P has 288 MB of shared L3, exactly double the 6527P’s 144 MB. This is a notable architectural distinction, as the 6730P offers more cache per core (9 MB per core) compared to the 6527P (6 MB per core).

The die size differs. The 6730P is listed as “2x 598 mm²,” indicating a dual-die configuration, while the 6527P is a single 598 mm² die. This explains the 6730P’s higher core count and larger L3 cache. Clock speeds are the other major architectural difference: the 6527P has a 0.50 GHz higher base clock and a 0.40 GHz higher boost clock. Power envelopes are similar, with the 6730P rated at 250 W TDP and the 6527P at 255 W TDP, a negligible difference given the core disparity.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon 6730P is the clear choice for workloads that scale with core count and cache capacity. Its wins in extended instructions, prime number finding, and floating-point math indicate strength in scientific computing, simulation, and any code that leverages AVX-512 or similar vectorized instruction sets. The 34.4% lead in extended instructions is particularly telling — this is not a marginal advantage but a fundamental throughput difference. Data compression also favors the 6730P, making it suitable for database workloads, file servers, and data analytics pipelines that compress or deduplicate large datasets.

The Intel Xeon 6527P wins where latency and single-thread speed matter most. Its 15.4% lead in PassMark single-thread performance is substantial, driven by the higher boost clock. Random string sorting, which involves pointer chasing and memory access patterns, favors the 6527P by 13.4%. This suggests the 6527P is better suited for transactional workloads, real-time processing, and applications with serial bottlenecks or poor multi-thread scaling. Its wins in data encryption (7.2%) also point to strengths in security-focused tasks, though the 6730P’s 64 threads can still handle parallel encryption workloads well.

The Cinebench results are nearly identical, with the 6527P winning by 0.4% across the board. This indicates that for typical 3D rendering or video encoding tasks that use all available cores, the two processors are effectively interchangeable, with the 6527P’s clock speed offsetting the 6730P’s extra cores. The PassMark multi-thread score reinforces this: 74,445 versus 74,113, a 0.4% difference that is within noise.

Specification Differences

The table below highlights only the fields where the two processors differ:

| Specification | Intel Xeon 6730P | Intel Xeon 6527P |

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

| Cores | 32 | 24 |

| Threads | 64 | 48 |

| Base Clock | 2.50 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.80 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| TDP | 250 W | 255 W |

| Die Size | 2x 598 mm² | 598 mm² |

| L3 Cache | 288 MB (shared) | 144 MB (shared) |

| Launch MSRP | $3726 | $2878 |

| Part Number | SRV5R | SRVNY |

The 6730P offers 33% more cores and 100% more L3 cache, but at a 29% higher launch MSRP. The 6527P counters with higher clocks and a lower TDP despite having fewer cores. Both share the same socket, memory support, PCIe lanes, and release date.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Xeon 6730P has 32 cores and 64 threads, while the Intel Xeon 6527P has 24 cores and 48 threads.

Q: What is the largest performance difference between the two?

A: The 6730P leads by 34.4% in PassMark extended instructions (96,204 vs 71,600), while the 6527P leads by 15.4% in PassMark single-thread performance (3,539 vs 2,995).

Q: Do they use the same memory?

A: Yes, both support DDR5 with an eight-channel bus, 409.6 GB/s bandwidth, and ECC memory.

Q: How does the L3 cache compare?

A: The 6730P has 288 MB of shared L3 cache, exactly double the 6527P’s 144 MB.

Q: Which CPU is better for Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The 6527P wins, scoring 63,278 versus 62,996 for the 6730P, a 0.4% difference.

Q: Are both CPUs on the same socket?

A: Yes, both use Intel Socket 4710 and are part of the Granite Rapids architecture on a 5 nm process.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear trade-off. The Intel Xeon 6730P is the throughput king, winning 6 of 17 head-to-head tests but often by double-digit margins. Its 32 cores and 288 MB of L3 cache deliver a 34.4% advantage in extended instructions and a 35% lead in prime number finding. Any workload that can saturate all cores will see a significant benefit from the 6730P, especially in scientific computing, data compression, and floating-point-heavy simulation.

The Intel Xeon 6527P, despite having fewer cores, wins 11 of 17 tests. Its 15.4% single-thread advantage and 13.4% lead in random string sorting make it the better choice for latency-sensitive applications, database transactions, and software that does not scale well across cores. The Cinebench results show that for rendering workloads, the 6527P’s higher clocks compensate for the core deficit, making it effectively equal to the 6730P.

For buyers optimizing for raw parallel compute capacity, the 6730P is the data-backed choice. For those prioritizing single-thread responsiveness and a lower launch MSRP, the 6527P is equally justified. The 6730P’s average benchmark score of 124,756 versus 115,190 for the 6527P reflects its overall throughput advantage, but the 6527P’s score is still within the 97th percentile of all CPUs. Both are top-tier server parts; the correct pick depends entirely on whether the workload scales with cores or clocks.