Intel Xeon Gold 5218R vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Xeon Gold 5218R or Intel Xeon Gold 5218R – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Xeon Gold 5218R features 20 processor cores and has the capability to manage 40 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2020 and belongs to the 2 generation of the Intel Xeon Gold series.
To use the Intel Xeon Gold 5218R, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 3647 socket.
The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X features 32 processor cores and has the capability to manage 64 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2019 and belongs to the 3 generation of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper series.
To use the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X, you'll need a motherboard with a TRX4 (sTRX4) socket.
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Xeon Gold 5218R Name AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
Intel Xeon Gold Family AMD Ryzen Threadripper
2 Generation 3
Intel Xeon Gold 5200/6200 Group AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Xeon Gold 5218R has 20 CPU cores and can calculate 40 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Xeon Gold 5218R is 2.1 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.0 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X has 32 CPU cores and can calculate 64 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X is 3.7 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.5 GHz.
4.0 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 4.5 GHz
No Overclocking Yes
normal Core architecture normal
2.1 GHz Frequency 3.7 GHz
40 Threads 64
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
20 CPU Cores 32
20x Cores 32x
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Xeon Gold 5218R does not have integrated graphics.
The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X does not have integrated graphics.
-- GPU frequency --
-- Release date --
-- Direct X --
GPU name
-- Technology --
-- Max. displays --
-- Shaders --
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
-- Execution units --
-- Generation --
-- GPU (Turbo) --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- AVC --
-- VC-1 --
-- VP9 --
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) --
-- h264 --
-- VP8 --
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) --
-- JPEG --
-- AV1 --
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 1.0 TB distributed across 6 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 2.0 TB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
6 Memory channels 4
1.0 TB Max. Memory 2.0 TB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
Yes ECC Yes
128.1 GB/s Bandwidth 102.4 GB/s
DDR4-2666 Memory type DDR4-3200
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 125 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 280 W watts.
-- Tjunction max 95 °C
125 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 280 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Xeon Gold 5218R is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 27.5 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X is manufactured using a 7 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 128.0 MB cache.
Q1/2020 Release date Q4/2019
-- Part Number --
0 bytes L2-Cache 16.0 MB
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization AMD-V, SVM
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX-512 ISA extensions SSE4a, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, FMA3, AVX2
Monolithic Chip design Chiplet
Cascade Lake Architecture Castle Peak (Zen 2)
14 nm Technology 7 nm
LGA 3647 Socket TRX4 (sTRX4)
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
1273 $ Release price 1969 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
27.5 MB L3-Cache 128.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
32C 64T @ 3.7 GHz
22727
22727
Intel Xeon Gold 5218R
20C 40T @ 2.1 GHz
13548
13548

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
32C 64T @ 3.7 GHz
1724
1724
Intel Xeon Gold 5218R
20C 40T @ 2.1 GHz
1178
1178