Intel Xeon 6740P vs Intel Xeon 674X Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two Granite Rapids processors into clearly different roles. The Intel Xeon 6740P wins 14 of the 16 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Xeon 674X takes only 2. That lopsided count tells the story: the 6740P is the throughput specialist, the 674X is the single-thread speed specialist.

The 6740P dominates every multithreaded workload in the database. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 74851 sits 4.6% above the 674X's 71566. The gap widens dramatically in PassMark's compute-heavy suites. Data compression shows the 6740P at 1537129 versus 1236272, a 24.3% advantage. Integer math jumps to a 25.7% lead (388500 vs 308968). The largest margin appears in random string sorting, where the 6740P scores 175015 against 127529, a 37.2% gap. Physics testing also favors the 6740P heavily: 9705 vs 7586, a 27.9% difference.

The 674X claims the single-thread crown. PassMark single-thread testing records 3933 for the 674X versus 2975 for the 6740P, a 24.4% advantage in the 674X's favor. That is the only category where the 674X wins, but it wins by a substantial margin that points to very different design priorities.

For workloads that scale across many cores, the 6740P is the clear choice. For lightly threaded tasks that depend on raw clock speed, the 674X has the edge. The data shows no middle ground: the 6740P wins all multithreaded tests, the 674X wins the single-thread tests.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the Granite Rapids architecture, the 5 nm process node, and the 2x 598 mm² die configuration. The socket is identical (Intel Socket 4710), and both support DDR5 memory over an eight-channel bus with 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth. ECC memory is supported on both. Neither has integrated graphics.

The core counts diverge sharply. The 6740P packs 48 cores and 96 threads, while the 674X has 28 cores and 56 threads. That 20-core difference explains much of the multithreaded performance gap. The 6740P also carries 288 MB of shared L3 cache, exactly double the 674X's 144 MB. Per-core L1 and L2 caches are identical at 112 KB and 2 MB per core respectively.

Clock speeds flip the advantage. The 674X runs a 3.00 GHz base clock and boosts to 4.90 GHz. The 6740P sits at 2.10 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost. The 674X's 1.10 GHz higher boost clock directly explains its single-thread victory. Both parts are rated at 270 W TDP, so the 674X delivers its higher clocks within the same power envelope by using fewer active cores.

PCIe lane counts differ. The 6740P provides Gen 5 with 88 lanes (CPU only), while the 674X provides Gen 5 with 128 lanes (CPU only). That makes the 674X more capable for I/O-heavy workstation configurations that need many expansion devices.

The 6740P is listed under the Xeon 6 (Granite Rapids-SP) generation, while the 674X belongs to the Xeon 600 (Granite Rapids-WS) generation. The 674X has an unlocked multiplier, the 6740P does not. The 6740P's part number is SRV5R, the 674X's is SA2CZ. Both are active production parts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results show a consistent 4.6% advantage for the 6740P across every test, single-core and multi-core alike. R15 multi-core scores 7544 vs 7213, R15 single-core 1065 vs 1018. R20 multi-core 31437 vs 30057, single-core 4438 vs 4243. R23 multi-core 74851 vs 71566. The consistency of that 4.6% delta across all five Cinebench tests suggests a stable architectural efficiency edge, not a workload-specific quirk.

PassMark tells a different story. The multithreaded PassMark score is a modest 4.6% win for the 6740P (88061 vs 84196), but the specialized compute tests show far larger gaps. The 6740P leads by 24.3% in data compression, 34% in data encryption (82028 vs 61195), 20.1% in extended instructions (116992 vs 97373), 18.6% in prime number finding (822 vs 693), 21.4% in floating-point math (296102 vs 243877), 25.7% in integer math, and 27.9% in physics. Random string sorting is the biggest outlier at 37.2% (175015 vs 127529).

The PassMark single-thread result is the 674X's only bright spot, and it is a bright one: 3933 vs 2975, a 24.4% margin. That is the largest single delta in either direction across the entire benchmark set. The 674X's higher boost clock clearly pays off when only one or two threads are active.

The database also places both chips in context against their nearest rivals. The 6740P averages 176227 across all benchmarks, sitting 2.1% behind the AMD EPYC 7763 (179916), 2.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX (171748), 3.5% behind the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX (182700), and 5% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7C13 (167788). Its percentile ranking is 98 among all CPUs.

The 674X averages 143103. That places it 0.2% behind the Intel Xeon 6732P (143444), 0.4% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965X3D (143735), 0.8% behind the Intel Xeon w9-3575X (144323), and 1.2% behind the AMD EPYC 7643P (144824). Its percentile ranking is also 98. The 674X sits in a tightly packed cluster where the nearest rivals are all within 1.2%, while the 6740P faces a wider spread of 7.1 percentage points across its rival group.

The Verdict

The recorded data supports a straightforward split. The Intel Xeon 6740P is the choice for multithreaded throughput. Its 48 cores, 288 MB of L3 cache, and consistent 4.6% to 37.2% wins across all multithreaded PassMark and Cinebench tests make it the stronger part for rendering, simulation, data compression, encryption, and any workload that scales across many threads. The 34% lead in data encryption and 37.2% lead in random string sorting are particularly relevant for database and compression-heavy server workloads.

The Intel Xeon 674X is the choice for single-thread performance and I/O expansion. Its 24.4% single-thread advantage is decisive, and its 128 PCIe Gen 5 lanes exceed the 6740P's 88 lanes. The unlocked multiplier also gives it headroom for manual tuning, assuming the cooling and power delivery can handle it. Its 28 cores and 144 MB of L3 cache are still substantial, but the data shows it trails the 6740P by 4.6% in Cinebench multi-core and by much larger margins in PassMark compute tests.

The 6740P's launch MSRP is $4650. The 674X's launch MSRP is $2199.

For a dual-socket-capable server rack filled with parallel workloads, the 6740P justifies its position. For a workstation that needs fast single-thread response, many PCIe devices, and overclocking flexibility, the 674X is the recorded data's answer. There is no all-round winner; the benchmark results simply separate them by workload type.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multithreaded benchmarks?

A: The Intel Xeon 6740P wins every multithreaded test in the database. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 74851 versus 71566 for the 674X, a 4.6% lead. PassMark multithread also goes to the 6740P at 88061 versus 84196.

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: The 674X leads by 24.4% in PassMark single-thread testing, scoring 3933 versus the 6740P's 2975. Interestingly, the 6740P edges out the 674X by 4.6% in Cinebench single-core tests (1065 vs 1018 in R15, 4438 vs 4243 in R20).

Q: What causes the 674X's single-thread advantage?

A: The 674X has a 3.00 GHz base clock and 4.90 GHz boost clock, while the 6740P runs at 2.10 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost. Both are rated at 270 W TDP, and both use the same 5 nm Granite Rapids architecture.

Q: How do these chips compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The 6740P averages 176227, which is 2.1% behind the AMD EPYC 7763, 2.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX, 3.5% behind the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX, and 5% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7C13. The 674X averages 143103, sitting within 1.2% of four rivals including the Intel Xeon 6732P, AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965X3D, Intel Xeon w9-3575X, and AMD EPYC 7643P.

Q: Which processor has more PCIe lanes?

A: The 674X provides Gen 5 with 128 lanes, while the 6740P provides Gen 5 with 88 lanes. The 674X is also multiplier-unlocked, whereas the 6740P is not.

Q: What is the cache difference between them?

A: The 6740P has 288 MB of shared L3 cache, while the 674X has 144 MB. Both have 112 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2 per core. The 6740P has 48 cores and 96 threads, while the 674X has 28 cores and 56 threads.