Intel Xeon Silver 4215R vs AMD EPYC 7281

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon Silver 4215R and AMD EPYC 7281 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 Silver 4215R

AMD EPYC 7281

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon Silver 4215R

CPU is newer: launch date 2 year(s) 8 month(s) later
Around 48% higher clock speed: 4.00 GHz vs 2.7 GHz
Around 31% lower typical power consumption: 130 Watt vs 155/170 Watt
Around 20% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1945 vs 1626
Around 11% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 24102 vs 21621

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	24 Feb 2020 vs June 2017
Maximum frequency	4.00 GHz vs 2.7 GHz
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt vs 155/170 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1945 vs 1626
PassMark - CPU mark	24102 vs 21621

Reasons to consider the AMD EPYC 7281

Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
8 more cores, run more applications at once: 16 vs 8
16 more threads: 32 vs 16
3x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
2.9x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later

Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	16 vs 8
Number of threads	32 vs 16
L1 cache	96 KB (per core) vs 512 KB
L3 cache	32 MB vs 11 MB

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon Silver 4215R
CPU 2: AMD EPYC 7281

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1945

1626

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

24102

21621

Name	Intel Xeon Silver 4215R	AMD EPYC 7281
PassMark - Single thread mark	1945	1626
PassMark - CPU mark	24102	21621

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon Silver 4215R	AMD EPYC 7281
Essentials
Architecture codename	Cascade Lake	Zen
Launch date	24 Feb 2020	June 2017
Launch price (MSRP)	$794
Place in performance rating	893	1099
Processor Number	4215R
Series	2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable Processors	AMD EPYC 7000 Series
Status	Launched
Vertical segment	Server	Server
Family		AMD EPYC
Performance
Base frequency	3.20 GHz	2.1 GHz
L1 cache	512 KB	96 KB (per core)
L2 cache	8 MB	512 KB (per core)
L3 cache	11 MB	32 MB
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm	14 nm
Maximum core temperature	79°C
Maximum frequency	4.00 GHz	2.7 GHz
Number of cores	8	16
Number of threads	16	32
Number of Ultra Path Interconnect (UPI) Links	2
64 bit support
Die size		192 mm
Transistor count		4800 million
Unlocked
Memory
Max memory channels	6	8
Maximum memory size	1 TB
Supported memory frequency	2400 MHz	2400/2666 MHz
Supported memory types	DDR4-2400	DDR4
Maximum memory bandwidth		307/341 GB/s
Compatibility
Package Size	76.0mm x 56.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA3647	TR4
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt	155/170 Watt
Max number of CPUs in a configuration		2
Socket Count		1P/2P
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	48
PCI Express revision	3.0	x128
Scalability	2S
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Run Sure Technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Mode-based Execute Control (MBE)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Instruction set extensions	Intel SSE4.2, Intel AVX, Intel AVX2, Intel AVX-512
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® Volume Management Device (VMD)
Number of AVX-512 FMA Units	1
Speed Shift technology
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™)