Intel Xeon 6731P vs Intel Xeon w7-2575X Comparison

The Intel Xeon w7-2575X and Intel Xeon 6731P are both active Intel server/workstation processors occupying the same performance percentile, but they are built on fundamentally different designs. The w7-2575X comes from the Sapphire Rapids generation with 22 cores and 44 threads, while the 6731P is a Granite Rapids part with 32 cores and 64 threads. The benchmark data shows a close overall race, with the 6731P winning 13 of 17 head-to-head tests, yet the w7-2575X takes decisive victories in specific workloads that may matter more to certain buyers. This analysis breaks down where each chip excels and which processor suits which type of workload.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon 6731P has 32 cores and 64 threads, compared to the Intel Xeon w7-2575X’s 22 cores and 44 threads. That is a 10-core and 20-thread advantage for the 6731P.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The w7-2575X has an average benchmark score of 88172, while the 6731P scores 87756. The w7-2575X is 0.5% ahead of the 6731P in this metric, and both sit at the 96th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: Which chip wins in single-threaded performance?

A: The w7-2575X dominates in PassMark single-thread tests with a score of 3300 versus the 6731P’s 2107, a 56.6% advantage. However, in Cinebench R23 single-core, the 6731P wins slightly with 6334 against 6250, a 1.3% margin.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The 6731P supports eight-channel DDR5 memory with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the w7-2575X uses quad-channel DDR5 with 153.6 GB/s. The 6731P offers more than double the memory bandwidth.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. The w7-2575X has an unlocked multiplier, but the 6731P does not. This makes the w7-2575X the only one of the two that allows user-controlled frequency tuning.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The 6731P has 144 MB of shared L3 cache, while the w7-2575X has 45 MB. The 6731P also features a larger die size at 598 mm², compared to the w7-2575X’s unspecified die size.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and process nodes. The w7-2575X is built on Sapphire Rapids using a 10 nm process, while the 6731P is a Granite Rapids part manufactured on a 5 nm node. This node difference is significant; the 6731P’s 5 nm process allows for more transistors in the same area, and the die size is listed at 598 mm² for the 6731P, whereas the w7-2575X’s die size is not provided.

Core and cache layouts diverge sharply. The w7-2575X has 22 cores with 44 threads, each core carrying 80 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2 cache, plus a shared 45 MB L3. The 6731P packs 32 cores with 64 threads, each core having 112 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2, but the L3 jumps to 144 MB shared across all cores. The larger L3 on the 6731P is a major architectural advantage for workloads that repeatedly access large datasets.

Memory subsystems are another key difference. The w7-2575X uses a quad-channel DDR5 memory bus with 153.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the 6731P employs an eight-channel DDR5 setup delivering 409.6 GB/s. PCIe connectivity also favors the 6731P, which supports Gen 5 with 136 lanes (CPU only), versus the w7-2575X’s 64 lanes. Both support ECC memory and have no integrated graphics.

Clock speeds tell a different story. The w7-2575X has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, while the 6731P runs at 2.50 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost. The w7-2575X’s higher clocks, especially the 0.7 GHz boost advantage, explain its single-thread wins in some tests, though the 6731P’s extra cores compensate in multi-threaded workloads.

The w7-2575X uses Intel Socket 4677, while the 6731P fits Intel Socket 4710, meaning they are not interchangeable in the same motherboard. The multipliers also differ: the w7-2575X is unlocked, the 6731P is locked. Release dates are six months apart, with the w7-2575X launching on 2024-08-23 and the 6731P on 2025-02-23.

The Verdict

Pick the Intel Xeon 6731P if your workloads scale with core count and memory bandwidth. It wins 13 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, including all Cinebench tests, and its 32 cores, 64 threads, and eight-channel DDR5 make it the stronger choice for heavily threaded rendering, compression, encryption, and physics simulation. The 6731P’s 144 MB L3 cache and 409.6 GB/s memory bandwidth give it a structural edge in data-intensive server tasks.

Choose the Intel Xeon w7-2575X if you prioritize single-thread performance or need an unlocked multiplier. It wins PassMark single-thread by 56.6% and also leads in floating-point math by 9% and integer math by 10.6%. Its higher boost clock of 4.80 GHz makes it better for lightly threaded applications where raw frequency matters. The w7-2575X is also the more affordable option at launch MSRP of $1689, compared to the 6731P’s launch MSRP of $2700, though both are premium workstation parts.

For most general-purpose server workloads, the 6731P is the safer bet due to its core count and memory bandwidth, but the w7-2575X is not obsolete — it wins in specific math and single-thread scenarios by large margins.

Specification Differences

The two chips differ on nearly every major specification. The w7-2575X has 22 cores and 44 threads, while the 6731P has 32 cores and 64 threads. Base clocks are 3.00 GHz versus 2.50 GHz, and boost clocks are 4.80 GHz versus 4.10 GHz, both favoring the w7-2575X. Thermal design power is close: 250W for the w7-2575X and 245W for the 6731P.

Sockets are incompatible: the w7-2575X uses Intel Socket 4677, while the 6731P requires Intel Socket 4710. Process nodes differ (10 nm vs 5 nm), and the 6731P has a listed die size of 598 mm², while the w7-2575X’s is not specified. Cache configurations are distinct: the w7-2575X has 80 KB L1 per core and 45 MB L3, while the 6731P has 112 KB L1 per core and 144 MB shared L3. Both have 2 MB L2 per core.

Memory support shows the 6731P’s advantage: it uses eight-channel DDR5 with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth versus the w7-2575X’s quad-channel DDR5 at 153.6 GB/s. PCIe lanes are 136 for the 6731P versus 64 for the w7-2575X, both Gen 5. The w7-2575X has an unlocked multiplier; the 6731P is locked. Release dates differ by six months, and the launch MSRP is $1689 for the w7-2575X and $2700 for the 6731P.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The 6731P wins all six Cinebench tests, but the margins are consistently small. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the 6731P scores 4522 against 4463, a 1.3% lead. The same 1.3% delta appears in R15 single-core (638 vs 630), R20 multicore (18845 vs 18596), R20 single-core (2660 vs 2625), R23 multicore (44871 vs 44277), and R23 single-core (6334 vs 6250). These are narrow wins, suggesting the 6731P’s extra cores barely offset the w7-2575X’s higher clocks in Cinebench’s workload.

PassMark tests show a split. The 6731P wins data compression (799474 vs 789817, a 1.2% edge), data encryption (40087 vs 39295, a 2% edge), extended instructions (65656 vs 62498, a 4.8% edge), find prime numbers (541 vs 218, a massive 59.7% lead), multithread (52790 vs 52091, a 1.3% edge), physics (7105 vs 2222, a 68.7% lead), and random string sorting (88019 vs 77986, an 11.4% lead). The physics and prime number results are blowouts, driven by the 6731P’s core count.

The w7-2575X fights back in three PassMark tests. It wins floating-point math with 171427 against 157330, a 9% lead. It takes integer math with 219924 versus 198761, a 10.6% edge. And it crushes the single-thread tests with 3300 against 2107, a 56.6% advantage. These are significant wins, especially the single-thread gap, which reflects the w7-2575X’s 4.80 GHz boost clock.

Overall, the 6731P wins 13 tests to the w7-2575X’s 4. The average benchmark score slightly favors the w7-2575X (88172 vs 87756), but that metric includes the w7-2575X’s large single-thread wins, which do not appear in the head-to-head count’s weighting.

Where Each One Wins

The 6731P is the clear winner for multi-threaded throughput. Its 68.7% lead in PassMark physics and 59.7% lead in find prime numbers show it excels in simulation and number-crunching tasks that use all cores. Data compression and encryption wins (1.2% and 2% respectively) make it a solid choice for file servers and database workloads. The 8.8% lead in random string sorting points to advantages in sorting and text processing. Its eight-channel memory and 144 MB L3 cache support these wins, providing the bandwidth and cache capacity for large data sets.

The w7-2575X wins where single-thread speed matters. Its 56.6% single-thread advantage is the largest margin in any test, and it carries over to floating-point math (9% lead) and integer math (10.6% lead). These wins suggest the w7-2575X is better for legacy or lightly threaded applications, real-time processing, and tasks that rely on high clock speeds. The unlocked multiplier also allows overclocking, potentially extending these leads further, though the data does not include overclocked results.

For mixed workloads, the 6731P’s consistency across Cinebench and most PassMark tests makes it the more versatile processor. The w7-2575X is a specialist that wins big in specific math and single-thread scenarios, but it loses ground in almost every other category. The 6731P’s higher launch MSRP of $2700 versus $1689 reflects its larger core count and memory bandwidth, but the benchmark data shows the w7-2575X still has a place for users who need maximum frequency and single-thread performance.