AMD EPYC and Intel Xeon are two leading processor families for dedicated servers, each offering advantages depending on the workload. Neither is universally better. The right choice depends on your desired performance, the characteristics of your workload, and your infrastructure budget.
For organizations planning a dedicated server deployment, choosing the right processor is an important decision. Whether migrating workloads from the public cloud or expanding existing infrastructure, teams need server configurations that reliably meet their performance requirements while keeping long-term costs manageable.
In this guide, we'll compare AMD EPYC vs. Intel Xeon processors for dedicated servers, examining performance and pricing. We'll also break down how to choose between options to help you determine the right processor for your dedicated server.
AMD EPYC vs. Intel Xeon: Key differences
AMD EPYC and Intel Xeon are two major families of server processors made by AMD and Intel, respectively. Both are widely used in dedicated servers and designed to handle demanding business applications.
AMD EPYC dedicated servers are generally known for offering high-core-count options and strong multi-core performance, while Intel Xeon processors have a long-established presence in enterprise servers and strong single-core performance.
Both offer processors across a range of performance levels and price points, so the best choice depends on specific models being compared and the requirements of your workload.
AMD EPYC vs. Intel Xeon: Performance comparison
Both AMD EPYC and Intel Xeon offer high-performance server processors, but their strengths vary depending on the workload and processor generation.
To provide a fair comparison, we'll examine single-core and multi-core performance using AMD's EPYC 9005 and Intel's Xeon 6 series as reference points. Both processor families were introduced in 2024 and represent comparable generations of enterprise server technology.
Keep in mind, while newer processors generally offer better performance, previous-generation models can still meet the needs of many workloads at a lower cost, making them worth considering when choosing a dedicated server.
Category | AMD EPYC 9005 | Intel Xeon 6 |
Year introduced | 2024 | 2024 |
Maximum core count | 192 cores | 128 P-cores or 288 E-cores |
Single-core performance (high-frequency models) | Strong; EPYC 9575F scored 4,176 in PassMark benchmark | Slight edge in cited benchmark; Xeon 6369P scored 4,303 |
Multi-core performance (128-core models) | Higher throughput in SPEC benchmark; EPYC 9755 scored 2,840 | Xeon 6980P scored 2,510 |
Memory support | Up to 12 DDR5 channels, 6,400 MT/s | Up to 12 DDR5 channels, 6,400 MT/s; select models support 8,800 MT/s MRDIMM |
Lowest-priced model | EPYC 9015 (8 cores): $527 | Xeon 6315P (4 cores): $239 |
Processor pricing (32-core models) | EPYC 9335: $3,178 | Xeon 6530P: $2,502 |
Best suited for | High-throughput applications, intensive computing, workload consolidation | Workloads benefiting from strong per-core performance or specific Intel optimizations |
Single-core performance
Single-core performance measures how quickly a processor can execute tasks using a single CPU core. It’s particularly important for latency-sensitive applications and workloads that cannot effectively distribute processing across multiple cores.
Both AMD EPYC 9005 and Intel Xeon 6 offer high-frequency processors designed for demanding applications.
Here's how two of the highest-clocked models from each family compare in clock speed and single-thread performance:
AMD EPYC 9005: The EPYC 9575F offers a maximum boost clock of 5.0 GHz and a PassMark single-thread score of 4,176.
Intel Xeon 6: The Xeon 6369P offers a maximum turbo frequency of 5.7 GHz and a PassMark single-thread score of 4,303.
Intel's Xeon 6369P scores approximately 3% higher in this benchmark, giving it a slight edge in single-thread performance. Results will vary by processor model and workload.
Multi-core performance
Multi-core performance measures how well a processor handles work distributed across multiple CPU cores. It matters for workloads that run many processes simultaneously, including virtualization, data processing, and applications serving large numbers of concurrent requests.
Performance depends on both the number of available cores and how much work those cores can handle.
Here's how two 128-core models compare in published SPEC CPU2017 integer throughput benchmarks:
AMD EPYC 9005: The 128-core EPYC 9755 achieved a SPEC CPU2017 Integer Rate base score of 2,840.
Intel Xeon 6: The 128-core Xeon 6980P achieved a SPEC CPU2017 Integer Rate base score of 2,510.
The AMD EPYC 9755 delivered approximately 13% higher multi-core throughput in these benchmark results, giving it the advantage in this comparison.
AMD EPYC vs. Intel Xeon: Cost comparison
Teams choosing a dedicated server often don’t have the luxury of making their selection on performance alone. Cost plays a role in the decision as well, as teams need to be sure their infrastructure costs are sustainable in the long term.
Dedicated server pricing
Leasing a dedicated server from a bare metal provider means you don't have to purchase an AMD EPYC or Intel Xeon processor yourself. However, the cost of the underlying hardware can influence the monthly or hourly rental price a provider offers.
According to published manufacturer pricing, Intel Xeon 6 is less expensive than AMD EPYC 9005 when comparing these two 32-core models:
AMD EPYC 9005: The 32-core EPYC 9335 is priced at $3,178.
Intel Xeon 6: The 32-core Xeon 6530P is priced at $2,502.
The Intel processor is approximately 21% less expensive in this comparison, although pricing advantages vary across models.
For dedicated server customers, however, processor pricing is only one part of how much a bare metal server costs. Actual rental rates also depend on the provider, RAM, storage, and networking included in the configuration.
Processor generation also affects pricing. Older AMD EPYC and Intel Xeon servers may be available at lower rental rates, making them worth considering for workloads that don't require the latest hardware.
Price-to-performance
Calculating price-to-performance is one of the most reliable ways to determine which dedicated server offers the best value for your infrastructure spend. Rather than comparing rental prices alone, it considers how much computing performance you're getting for your money.
To evaluate price-to-performance, compare the monthly rental cost of each server against its performance in benchmarks relevant to your workload, such as those cited earlier in this article.
For an even more accurate comparison, you can test your own applications on each configuration to measure how much work each server can handle relative to its cost.
A more expensive server may ultimately offer better value if it can handle more work or reduce the number of servers needed for your deployment.
How to choose between AMD EPYC and Intel Xeon dedicated servers
The right choice between AMD EPYC and Intel Xeon depends on your workload's performance requirements and the cost of available dedicated server configurations.
When to choose AMD EPYC
AMD EPYC is a strong choice for demanding workloads that benefit from high processing capacity. The latest EPYC processors offer competitive single-core performance, high core counts, and strong multi-core performance.
Consider AMD EPYC if you:
Run applications that require substantial processing power or handle large numbers of simultaneous requests.
Need high core counts and memory capacity for demanding workloads.
Want strong price-to-performance, particularly for workloads that make heavy use of CPU resources.
When to choose Intel Xeon
Intel Xeon is also a competitive option, with some high-frequency models offering an edge in single-core performance over comparable AMD processors.
Earlier-generation Xeon servers can offer good value for workloads that don't require the latest hardware, particularly when available at lower rental rates.
Consider Intel Xeon if you:
Run applications that benefit from strong single-core performance and find a Xeon model that performs better for your workload.
Can get the performance and capacity you need from an Intel Xeon configuration at a lower monthly rental cost.
AMD EPYC and Intel Xeon dedicated servers at Rackdog
Rackdog offers dedicated servers powered by AMD EPYC and Intel Xeon processors, with configurations suited to a range of performance requirements and budgets.
Our AMD dedicated server lineup includes configurations for a range of performance requirements:
AMD EPYC 4565P: 16-core processor with 192 GB RAM, offering strong single-core performance for applications that benefit from high clock speeds.
AMD EPYC 9374F: 32-core processor with 1 TB RAM, suited to demanding workloads requiring substantial processing power and memory capacity.
AMD EPYC 9575F: 64-core processor with 1.1 TB RAM and boost speeds up to 5.0 GHz, offering strong single-core and multi-core performance for compute-intensive workloads.
Rackdog also offers Intel Xeon dedicated servers, including dual-processor configurations that provide an affordable option for workloads with more modest performance requirements.
All configurations include dedicated hardware, full root access, and unmetered bandwidth without egress fees.
Explore our AMD EPYC dedicated servers or browse all available bare metal servers to find a configuration that fits your workload and budget.