Intel Xeon 6740E vs Intel Xeon 6980P Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data splits these two Intel Xeon 6 parts into distinct personalities. The Intel Xeon 6980P wins 6 of the 17 recorded tests, while the Intel Xeon 6740E takes 11, but the margin and nature of those wins tell the real story.

The 6740E's victories are consistent but narrow in the Cinebench suite. It beats the 6980P by 2.4% in Cinebench R15 multicore (6525 vs 6367), by 2.4% in R20 multicore (27191 vs 26533), and by 2.4% in R23 multicore (64741 vs 63175). Single-core results follow the same pattern: R15 single-core shows 921 vs 898 (2.5% ahead), R20 single-core shows 3838 vs 3745 (2.4% ahead), and R23 single-core shows 9140 vs 8918 (2.4% ahead). These are small but consistent margins, suggesting the 6740E's higher base clock of 2.40 GHz versus 2.00 GHz gives it an edge in lightly threaded and moderately threaded workloads.

The 6980P strikes back hard in specialized compute tasks. Its most dramatic win is in PassMark extended instructions, where it scores 214794 versus 78968, a massive 172% advantage. Floating point math shows a 62.2% lead (501720 vs 309333), integer math is 39.3% ahead (637476 vs 457614), and data compression is 32.3% ahead (2364519 vs 1786845). Random string sorting favors the 6980P by 9.1% (240792 vs 220684), and finding prime numbers gives it a 5.5% edge (555 vs 526).

The 6740E also wins in PassMark multithread (76167 vs 74324, a 2.4% margin), single-thread (1997 vs 1681, a 15.8% margin), data encryption (137106 vs 125246, an 8.7% margin), and physics (7608 vs 3350, a massive 56% advantage). That physics result is striking: the 6740E more than doubles the 6980P's score, likely reflecting its higher per-core clock and efficient core design.

Architecture Differences

These two processors come from different Intel Xeon 6 families. The Intel Xeon 6980P uses Granite Rapids architecture with the Granite Rapids-AP generation label, while the Intel Xeon 6740E uses Sierra Forest architecture with Sierra Forest-SP generation. Both are built on Intel's 5 nm process, but the die layouts differ considerably: the 6980P uses a 3x 598 mm² multi-die configuration, while the 6740E uses a single 578 mm² die.

Core counts and threading diverge sharply. The 6980P has 128 cores and 256 threads, while the 6740E has 96 cores but only 96 threads, meaning it lacks simultaneous multithreading. This helps explain why the 6740E can match or beat the 6980P in Cinebench despite having fewer cores: each of its threads gets the full core's execution resources. The 6980P relies on thread-level parallelism to saturate its wider core count.

Cache hierarchies follow different philosophies. The 6980P has 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a massive 504 MB of shared L3. The 6740E has 96 KB of L1 per core, 4 MB of L2 per module, and only 96 MB of shared L3. The 6980P's 504 MB L3 is over five times larger, which directly feeds its dominance in data compression, integer math, and extended instruction workloads where working sets exceed cache capacity.

Memory channels and bandwidth also differ. The 6980P supports twelve-channel DDR5 with 614.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the 6740E uses eight-channel DDR5 with 409.6 GB/s. PCIe lane counts differ as well: the 6980P provides 96 Gen 5 lanes, the 6740E provides 88. Both support ECC memory and have no integrated graphics.

Clock speeds reflect the design split. The 6980P runs a 2.00 GHz base and 3.90 GHz boost, while the 6740E runs a 2.40 GHz base and 3.20 GHz boost. The 6980P's higher boost clock helps its burst performance in single-threaded tests, though the 6740E's higher base clock gives it steadier performance at lower loads. Thermal design power tells the power story: the 6980P is rated at 500 W, the 6740E at 250 W, exactly half. Sockets are incompatible: the 6980P uses Intel Socket 7529, the 6740E uses Intel Socket 4710.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks overall?

A: The Intel Xeon 6740E wins 11 of 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Xeon 6980P wins 6. However, the 6980P's wins come with much larger margins in several compute-heavy workloads.

Q: Why does the 6740E win Cinebench despite having fewer cores?

A: The 6740E has 96 cores and 96 threads, so every thread gets a dedicated core without sharing. The 6980P has 128 cores and 256 threads, meaning two threads share each core. The 6740E also has a higher base clock of 2.40 GHz versus 2.00 GHz, which helps in moderately threaded Cinebench workloads.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: PassMark extended instructions shows the largest delta, with the 6980P scoring 214794 versus 78968 for the 6740E, a 172% advantage. This suggests the 6980P's core architecture is far better suited to advanced instruction sets.

Q: How do memory specifications compare?

A: The 6980P supports twelve-channel DDR5 with 614.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the 6740E supports eight-channel DDR5 with 409.6 GB/s. The 6980P also has 504 MB of shared L3 cache versus 96 MB on the 6740E.

Q: Are these processors from the same generation?

A: Both are Xeon 6 parts, but from different families. The 6980P is Granite Rapids-AP, and the 6740E is Sierra Forest-SP. They use different sockets, so they are not interchangeable in the same motherboard.

Q: Which has better single-threaded performance?

A: The 6740E wins PassMark single-thread by 15.8% (1997 vs 1681) and wins every Cinebench single-core test by about 2.4%. Its higher base clock and non-threaded core design give it the edge in lightly threaded tasks.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon 6980P | Intel Xeon 6740E |

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

| Cores | 128 | 96 |

| Threads | 256 | 96 |

| Base clock | 2.00 GHz | 2.40 GHz |

| Boost clock | 3.90 GHz | 3.20 GHz |

| TDP | 500 W | 250 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 7529 | Intel Socket 4710 |

| Architecture | Granite Rapids | Sierra Forest |

| Generation | Xeon 6 (Granite Rapids-AP) | Xeon 6 (Sierra Forest-SP) |

| Die size | 3x 598 mm² | 578 mm² |

| L1 cache | 112 KB (per core) | 96 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 2 MB (per core) | 4 MB (per module) |

| L3 cache | 504 MB (shared) | 96 MB (shared) |

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

| Memory bandwidth | 614.4 GB/s | 409.6 GB/s |

| PCIe lanes | Gen 5, 96 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 88 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Release date | 2024-09-23 | 2024-06-02 |

| Launch MSRP | $12460 | $5265 |

| Part number | SRPL2Q5SM | SRPFV |

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture of two different server strategies. The Intel Xeon 6980P is built for raw compute density: 128 cores, 256 threads, 504 MB of L3, and twelve-channel memory bandwidth. It dominates workloads that scale with core count and cache capacity. The Intel Xeon 6740E is built for efficiency with 96 non-threaded cores, a higher base clock, and half the TDP at 250 W. It wins the majority of benchmark tests, but its margins are mostly small, between 2.4% and 15.8%, with one notable exception in physics at 56%.

The 6980P's wins are not just larger, they are transformative. A 172% lead in extended instructions, 62.2% in floating point math, and 39.3% in integer math means that for certain computational workloads, the 6980P is in a different class entirely. The 6740E's wins in Cinebench and PassMark multithread are consistent but modest, never exceeding 2.5% outside of physics and single-thread tests.

The launch MSRP difference is substantial, with the 6980P listed at $12460 and the 6740E at $5265, but the performance gap in specific tasks justifies the premium for users who need those capabilities. The 6740E offers a more balanced profile with lower power consumption and better single-thread performance, making it a strong general-purpose server part.

Where Each One Wins

Choose the Intel Xeon 6980P for data compression workloads, where it leads by 32.3%, and for any task involving extended instruction sets, where its 172% advantage is decisive. Floating point math and integer math workloads also favor the 6980P by 62.2% and 39.3% respectively. Its 504 MB of L3 cache and twelve-channel memory bandwidth make it the pick for large in-memory datasets and scientific computing that stresses cache and memory throughput. The 6980P wins in random string sorting by 9.1% and prime number finding by 5.5%, so it also suits algorithmic tasks that benefit from massive core counts and deep cache hierarchies.

Choose the Intel Xeon 6740E for general server duties where Cinebench-style rendering and multithreaded productivity matter, since it wins those by small but consistent margins. Its 15.8% single-thread advantage makes it better for mixed workloads that include lightly threaded applications. The physics test shows a 56% lead for the 6740E, which suggests it handles simulation and physics-based workloads far more efficiently. Data encryption is 8.7% faster on the 6740E, making it a reasonable pick for security and encryption-heavy server roles. At 250 W TDP, it also draws half the power of the 6980P, which matters in dense server racks where thermal and power budgets are constrained. The 6740E's 96 non-threaded cores provide predictable per-thread performance without the contention that comes with the 6980P's 256 threads sharing 128 cores.