AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 vs Intel Xeon 6740P Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear split between two very different processors. The Intel Xeon 6740P dominates in multi-threaded and throughput-oriented workloads, winning 9 of 11 head-to-head tests. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 wins only the single-thread tests, but it does so decisively. The Xeon 6740P is the choice for heavily parallel server and workstation tasks where raw core count and memory bandwidth matter most. The Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 is the choice for workloads that depend on high clock speeds and per-core efficiency, where its 5.50 GHz boost clock and 4.30 GHz base clock give it a clear edge. The Xeon 6740P carries a launch MSRP of $4650, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 has no listed launch MSRP. Neither processor appears to target the same buyer. The Xeon is a 48-core Granite Rapids part on Intel Socket 4710, while the Ryzen is a 16-core Granite Ridge part on AMD Socket AM5.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon 6740P wins every heavily parallel workload in the recorded data. It leads by 125.8% in passmark_find_prime_numbers, by 198.1% in passmark_physics, and by 84.2% in passmark_floating_point_math. Data compression favors the Xeon by 69.2%, encryption by 82.6%, extended instructions by 64.3%, integer math by 59.7%, random string sorting by 84.4%, and multithread by 32.1%. These are not marginal wins. The Xeon is built for throughput. Its 48 cores and 96 threads, combined with 288 MB of shared L3 cache and 409.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth, explain most of these results. The Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 wins only the single-thread tests, scoring 4682 in passmark_single_thread compared to 2975 for the Xeon, a 36.5% advantage. That is a large lead, and it comes from the Ryzen's much higher base and boost clocks. The Ryzen also draws 170 W TDP versus 270 W for the Xeon, which suggests it delivers its single-thread performance with lower peak power demand.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different foundries and use different process nodes. The Xeon 6740P uses a 5 nm process from Intel, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 uses a 4 nm process from TSMC. The Xeon has 48 cores and 96 threads, while the Ryzen has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Xeon is built on the Granite Rapids architecture, specifically the Xeon 6 (Granite Rapids-SP) generation. The Ryzen is built on the Granite Ridge architecture, part of the Ryzen 9 (Zen 5 (Granite Ridge)) generation. The Xeon uses a dual-die design with a die size of 2x 598 mm². The Ryzen also uses a dual-die design but with a much smaller 2x 70.6 mm² die size and 16,630 million transistors. The Xeon has 112 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of L2 cache per core, while the Ryzen has 80 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core. The L3 cache differs dramatically: the Xeon has 288 MB shared, the Ryzen has 64 MB. Memory access is another major split. The Xeon supports eight-channel DDR5 with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Ryzen supports dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s. Both support ECC memory. The Xeon exposes 88 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, while the Ryzen exposes 24 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. The Ryzen includes integrated Radeon Graphics, while the Xeon has no integrated graphics. The Xeon's market segment is Server/Workstation, and the Ryzen's market segment is also Server/Workstation, despite its AM5 socket.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Xeon 6740P wins all multi-threaded tests in the database. It leads by 32.1% in multithread, 69.2% in data compression, 82.6% in data encryption, and 198.1% in physics.

Q: Which processor is faster in single-threaded workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 is faster, scoring 4682 in passmark_single_thread versus 2975 for the Intel Xeon 6740P, a 36.5% advantage.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The Intel Xeon 6740P has 48 cores and 96 threads. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 has 16 cores and 32 threads.

Q: What memory bandwidth do these processors support?

A: The Intel Xeon 6740P supports eight-channel DDR5 with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 supports dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Xeon 6740P and the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 have ECC memory support.

Q: Which processor has more PCIe lanes?

A: The Intel Xeon 6740P has 88 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 has 24 PCIe Gen 5 lanes.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are lopsided in raw count, but the margins tell the real story. The Intel Xeon 6740P wins 9 tests, and the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 wins 2. The Xeon's largest win is in passmark_physics, where it scores 9705 versus 3256 for the Ryzen, a 198.1% lead. That is nearly triple the score. The next biggest gap is in passmark_find_prime_numbers, where the Xeon scores 822 versus 364, a 125.8% lead. Floating point math also heavily favors the Xeon: 296102 versus 160746, a 84.2% lead. Random string sorting shows a 84.4% lead for the Xeon, with scores of 175015 versus 94915. Data encryption favors the Xeon by 82.6%, with scores of 82028 versus 44920. Data compression favors the Xeon by 69.2%, with scores of 1537129 versus 908293. Extended instructions favor the Xeon by 64.3%, with scores of 116992 versus 71210. Integer math favors the Xeon by 59.7%, with scores of 388500 versus 243280. The smallest Xeon win is in multithread, where it scores 88061 versus 66655, a 32.1% lead. The Ryzen's only wins are the single-thread tests, which appear twice in the database under slightly different test names. In both passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread, the Ryzen scores 4682 against the Xeon's 2975, a 36.5% advantage. The Ryzen's single-thread win is substantial, but it is a single data point repeated, while the Xeon's wins span a wide range of workload types.

The average benchmark scores in the database put the Xeon at 176227 and the Ryzen at 145728. The Xeon sits at the 98th percentile versus all CPUs, and the Ryzen also sits at the 98th percentile. Despite the large difference in average score, both are in the top percentile band. The Xeon's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7763 at 179916 with a delta of -2.1%, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX at 182700 with a delta of -3.5%, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX at 171748 with a delta of 2.6%, and the AMD EPYC 7C13 at 167788 with a delta of 5%. The Ryzen 9 PRO 9965's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9965WX at 147009 with a delta of -0.9%, the AMD EPYC 8434P at 146881 with a delta of -0.8%, the AMD EPYC 7643P at 144824 with a delta of 0.6%, and the Intel Xeon w9-3575X at 144323 with a delta of 1%. The Xeon 6740P is slightly below the EPYC 7763 and Threadripper PRO 9975WX, and slightly above the Threadripper PRO 3995WX and EPYC 7C13. The Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 is nearly tied with its nearest rivals, sitting between the EPYC 7643P and the EPYC 8434P.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification. The Intel Xeon 6740P has 48 cores and 96 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Xeon has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The Ryzen has a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The Xeon's TDP is 270 W, the Ryzen's is 170 W. The Xeon uses Intel Socket 4710, the Ryzen uses AMD Socket AM5. The Xeon is built on Granite Rapids with a 5 nm process from Intel. The Ryzen is built on Granite Ridge with a 4 nm process from TSMC. The Xeon has a die size of 2x 598 mm², the Ryzen has a die size of 2x 70.6 mm². The Ryzen has 16,630 million transistors, the Xeon has no listed transistor count. The Xeon has 112 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of L2 per core. The Ryzen has 80 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core. The Xeon has 288 MB of shared L3 cache, the Ryzen has 64 MB of L3 cache. The Xeon supports eight-channel DDR5 memory with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Ryzen supports dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Xeon has 88 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, the Ryzen has 24 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. The Xeon has no integrated graphics, the Ryzen has Radeon Graphics. The Xeon has a launch MSRP of $4650, the Ryzen has no listed launch MSRP. The Xeon's part number is SRV5R, the Ryzen's is 100-000002001. The Xeon was released on 2025-02-23, the Ryzen on 2026-06-29. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. Both are listed as Active in production status. Both are marked as Server/Workstation market segment. Both support ECC memory and DDR5. The Xeon's generation is Xeon 6 (Granite Rapids-SP), and the Ryzen's generation is Ryzen 9 (Zen 5 (Granite Ridge)).