Intel Xeon E7-8880 v2 vs AMD EPYC 7251

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon E7-8880 v2 and AMD EPYC 7251 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark.

Intel Xeon E7-8880 v2

AMD EPYC 7251

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E7-8880 v2

7 more cores, run more applications at once: 15 vs 8
14 more threads: 30 vs 16
Around 7% higher clock speed: 3.10 GHz vs 2.9 GHz
Around 74% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 25966 vs 14935

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	15 vs 8
Number of threads	30 vs 16
Maximum frequency	3.10 GHz vs 2.9 GHz
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	8 vs 2
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	25966 vs 14935

Reasons to consider the AMD EPYC 7251

Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 14 nm vs 22 nm
Around 8% lower typical power consumption: 120 Watt vs 130 Watt
Around 27% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1671 vs 1316

Specifications (specs)
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm vs 22 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	120 Watt vs 130 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1671 vs 1316

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon E7-8880 v2
CPU 2: AMD EPYC 7251

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1316

1671

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

25966

14935

Name	Intel Xeon E7-8880 v2	AMD EPYC 7251
PassMark - Single thread mark	1316	1671
PassMark - CPU mark	25966	14935

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon E7-8880 v2	AMD EPYC 7251
Essentials
Architecture codename	Ivy Bridge	Zen
Launch date	Q1'14	June 2017
Place in performance rating	1279	1272
Processor Number	E7-8880V2
Series	Intel® Xeon® Processor E7 v2 Family	AMD EPYC 7000 Series
Status	Launched
Vertical segment	Server	Server
Family		AMD EPYC
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	2.50 GHz	2.1 GHz
Bus Speed	8 GT/s QPI
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	14 nm
Maximum core temperature	73°C
Maximum frequency	3.10 GHz	2.9 GHz
Number of cores	15	8
Number of QPI Links	3
Number of threads	30	16
Die size		192 mm
L1 cache		96 KB (per core)
L2 cache		512 KB (per core)
L3 cache		32 MB
Transistor count		4800 million
Unlocked
Memory
Max memory channels	4	8
Maximum memory bandwidth	85 GB/s	307 GB/s
Maximum memory size	1.5 TB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333/1600	DDR4
Supported memory frequency		2400 MHz
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	8	2
Package Size	52mm x 45mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA2011	TR4
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt	120 Watt
Socket Count		1P/2P
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	32
PCI Express revision	3.0	x128
PCIe configurations	x4, x8, x16
Scalability	S8S
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® OS Guard
Intel® Secure Key technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Instruction Replay Technology
Intel® TSX-NI
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)	46-bit
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)