Intel Xeon 6740P vs Intel Xeon 6741P Comparison

The Intel Xeon 6741P and Intel Xeon 6740P are two 48-core Granite Rapids parts aimed at the same dual-socket server space, but the benchmark data makes it clear they are not equals. The 6741P wins every single head-to-head test in the database, making the choice between them largely a matter of how much performance you need versus how much power you want to feed it. This analysis breaks down exactly where the 6741P pulls ahead, what the architectural differences are, and which workload profile fits each chip.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern across the benchmark suite is the consistency of the 6741P’s lead. In every Cinebench test, the delta is a flat 14.3%. That includes Cinebench R15 multicore (8624 vs 7544), R15 singlecore (1217 vs 1065), R20 multicore (35935 vs 31437), R20 singlecore (5073 vs 4438), and R23 multicore (85561 vs 74851). The fact that the single-threaded margin matches the multi-threaded margin exactly suggests this is not a scaling advantage from extra cores — both chips have 48 — but a pure clock-speed advantage. The 6741P runs a 2.50 GHz base clock versus 2.10 GHz on the 6740P, and both boost to 3.80 GHz, so the 6741P simply sustains higher frequency across the board.

The PassMark results tell a more varied story, with the 6741P’s lead ranging from a modest 1.3% to a massive 51.1%. The smallest gap is in random string sorting, where the 6741P scores 177322 against 175015 — a nearly negligible difference. That test appears to be less sensitive to clock speed and more dependent on memory latency or cache behavior, which are identical between the two parts. On the other end, the largest gap is in find prime numbers, where the 6741P posts 1242 versus 822, a 51.1% blowout. This is a heavily integer-math-oriented workload, and the 6741P’s higher base clock clearly pays off in that specific pattern.

Other PassMark results fall in between. Data compression shows an 18.2% lead (1816408 vs 1537129), floating point math is 21% ahead (358423 vs 296102), and integer math is 17.9% ahead (458058 vs 388500). Extended instructions also favor the 6741P by 22% (142682 vs 116992). The physics test is another outlier, with the 6741P winning 13890 to 9705, a 43.1% margin. Notably, data encryption shows the smallest of the larger gaps at 9.4% (89746 vs 82028), suggesting that encryption workloads are less clock-bound. In total, the 6741P wins 16 out of 16 head-to-head tests. The average benchmark score difference is also substantial: 194901 for the 6741P versus 176227 for the 6740P, a gap of roughly 10.6% in overall performance.

Looking at the rival landscape, the 6741P sits at the 99th percentile of all CPUs, while the 6740P sits at the 98th. The 6741P’s nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 9335, has an average score of 194228, which is just 0.3% behind. The Intel Xeon 678X is 0.7% behind, and the 6740E is 3.8% behind. The 6740P, meanwhile, is 2.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7763 (which scores 179916) and 2.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX (171748). This means the 6741P is competing at the very top of the server heap, while the 6740P is a step down, more comparable to last-generation EPYC parts.

Architecture Differences

Both the Intel Xeon 6741P and the Intel Xeon 6740P are built on the Granite Rapids architecture, using the same 5 nm process node from Intel. They share the same die size of 2x 598 mm², the same codename, and the same generation (Xeon 6, Granite Rapids-SP). The core configuration is identical: 48 cores and 96 threads. The cache hierarchy is also exactly the same, with 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a large 288 MB shared L3 cache. Memory support is identical as well, with DDR5, an eight-channel memory bus, and a peak bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s. ECC memory is supported on both.

The key architectural difference is the base clock: 2.50 GHz on the 6741P versus 2.10 GHz on the 6740P. The boost clock is the same at 3.80 GHz, and the TDP reflects the higher sustained frequency — 300 watts for the 6741P versus 270 watts for the 6740P. This is a straightforward binning story: the 6741P is the higher-power, higher-frequency part, while the 6740P trades frequency for a 30-watt lower power envelope. The other major difference is PCIe lane count. The 6741P provides 136 lanes of Gen 5 (CPU only), while the 6740P provides 88 lanes. This is a substantial difference for systems that need many NVMe drives or high-bandwidth accelerators. Both parts use the Intel Socket 4710, and both have no integrated graphics.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Xeon 6741P is faster. In Cinebench R15 singlecore, it scores 1217 versus 1065, a 14.3% lead. In PassMark single-thread, it scores 3195 versus 2975, a 7.4% lead. The identical boost clock of 3.80 GHz means the advantage comes from the higher 2.50 GHz base clock sustaining performance.

Q: How much more power does the 6741P consume?

A: The 6741P has a TDP of 300 watts, while the 6740P has a TDP of 270 watts. That is a 30-watt difference, which is the price of the 6741P’s higher base clock. For dense multi-socket servers, this could affect cooling and power delivery requirements.

Q: Do both CPUs support the same amount of memory bandwidth?

A: Yes. Both support DDR5 with an eight-channel memory bus and have a peak bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s. They also share the same 288 MB of shared L3 cache, so memory-bound workloads should behave similarly between the two.

Q: Is the PCIe lane count different between the two?

A: Yes. The 6741P offers 136 lanes of PCIe Gen 5 (CPU only), while the 6740P offers 88 lanes. This is a significant difference for systems that need to attach many expansion cards or high-speed storage devices.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each CPU?

A: The 6741P has an average benchmark score of 194901, putting it in the 99th percentile of all CPUs. The 6740P has an average score of 176227, putting it in the 98th percentile. The 6741P’s nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 9335, scores 194228, just 0.3% lower.

Q: In which workload does the 6741P have the largest advantage?

A: The largest margin is in PassMark find prime numbers, where the 6741P scores 1242 versus 822, a 51.1% lead. The smallest margin is in PassMark random string sorting, where the 6741P leads by only 1.3% (177322 vs 175015).

Specification Differences

The two CPUs are identical in core count, thread count, architecture, process node, cache sizes, memory support, and socket. The differences are limited to four key fields.

• Base Clock: 2.50 GHz on the 6741P versus 2.10 GHz on the 6740P.
• TDP: 300 watts on the 6741P versus 270 watts on the 6740P.
• PCIe Lanes: 136 lanes (Gen 5, CPU only) on the 6741P versus 88 lanes on the 6740P.
• Launch MSRP: $4421 for the 6741P versus $4650 for the 6740P.

The part numbers also differ (SRVEY for the 6741P, SRV5R for the 6740P), and the 6741P has a higher average benchmark score (194901 vs 176227) and a higher percentile ranking (99th vs 98th). The 6740P has no benchmark wins in the head-to-head comparison.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon 6741P wins in every benchmark category. It is the stronger choice for any workload that is sensitive to clock speed, which includes most single-threaded tasks and many integer-heavy operations. The 51.1% lead in find prime numbers and the 43.1% lead in physics indicate that scientific computing and simulation workloads will see outsized benefits. The 22% lead in extended instructions and 21% lead in floating point math also point to HPC and data analytics workloads running noticeably faster on the 6741P. The higher PCIe lane count (136 vs 88) is a major advantage for systems that need to populate many Gen 5 NVMe drives or multiple high-end GPUs, as it reduces the need for additional PCIe switches.

The Intel Xeon 6740P does not win any benchmark category, so its strength is not performance. Its advantage is the lower 270-watt TDP, which makes it easier to cool and power in dense chassis. The 1.3% gap in random string sorting suggests that some memory-latency-bound workloads will see almost no difference between the two, making the 6740P a rational choice for those specific tasks if power is a concern. It also has a lower launch MSRP of $4650, though the 6741P is priced at $4421, so the price difference is not in the 6740P’s favor. For systems that are limited by power or cooling capacity rather than raw compute, the 6740P’s 30-watt lower TDP could be the deciding factor.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon 6741P outperforms the Intel Xeon 6740P in every single benchmark test, with an average score advantage of nearly 11%. It is a strictly faster processor, and the 14.3% flat lead across all Cinebench tests confirms that the higher 2.50 GHz base clock delivers consistent gains in both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads. For any application where CPU performance is the bottleneck, the 6741P is the correct choice, especially for scientific computing, integer math, and floating point workloads where the lead exceeds 20%.

The case for the 6740P rests entirely on its 270-watt TDP, which is 30 watts lower than the 6741P. In a large server deployment with hundreds of sockets, that power difference can translate into meaningful savings on cooling and electricity. It also has fewer PCIe lanes, but for workloads that do not need them, that is irrelevant. The 6740P’s nearest rivals are older AMD EPYC parts, while the 6741P competes with the newest EPYC 9335, so the 6740P is effectively a lower-bin part for power-conscious buyers. If you can tolerate the higher power draw and have the cooling headroom, the 6741P is the clear winner. If you are building a power-density-constrained system, the 6740P is a capable fallback that will not embarrass itself in memory-bound tasks, but it is a compromise, not a preference.