AMD EPYC 7502 + EPYC 7742 Linux Performance Benchmarks

Now that you have read our AMD EPYC "Rome" 7002 series overview, here is a look at the initial performance benchmarks from our testing over the past few weeks. This testing focused on the new AMD EPYC 7502 and EPYC 7742 processors in both single (1P) and dual (2P) socket configurations using AMD's Daytona server reference platform. Tests were done on Ubuntu Linux and compared to previous AMD EPYC processors as well as Intel Xeon Scalable.

The AMD EPYC 7742 is the Rome processor at the top of their stack with 64 cores / 128 threads, 2.25GHz base frequency, 3.4GHz boost frequency, and a 225 Watt TDP. The EPYC 7502 meanwhile comes in at 32 cores / 64 threads, similar to the previous top-end Naples EPYC 7601, while having a 2.5GHz base frequency and 3.35GHz boost frequency. The EPYC 7502 has a 180 Watt TDP while being one step below their flagship 32-core part as the EPYC 7542, which tops out at a 2.9GHz base with 3.4GHz boost but at a 225 Watt TDP similar to the 7742 model.

The EPYC 7742 is the processor we have been testing the most so far in both 1P and 2P configurations and its performance has been nothing short of remarkable considering how far AMD has come with their Zen processors over a few short years. In comparison to AMD's Naples flagship CPU, the EPYC 7601, there is twice the number of cores/threads, the base clock is slightly higher, the boost clock is 200MHz higher, there is four times the amount of L3 cache, faster DDR4 memory, PCI Express 4.0 support, and the TDP is only 25% higher which isn't that bad when considering the core difference alone.

The EPYC 7742 aims to compete with Intel's Xeon Platinum 8280 processor, which as a reminder is just 28 cores / 56 threads, 2.7GHz base frequency, 4.0GHz turbo frequency, 38.5MB cache, six channel DDR4-2933 memory support, and has a 205 Watt TDP for this 14nm Cascadelake part. So on paper at least, the Xeon Platinum 8280 has a slightly lower TDP, the base frequency is higher at 2.7GHz against the 7742's 2.25GHz base frequency, the boost frequency is also 600MHz higher on the Intel side but AMD has many more cores/threads, a much larger cache, and eight channel DDR4-3200 support over six-channel DDR4-2933 support with Cascadelake. There is also the difference of PCI Express 4.0 and more PCIe lanes in general than Intel's current server processors.

While AMD's 7742 has more than double the number of cores (and threads) as the Xeon Platinum 8280, it's actually cheaper. The EPYC 7742 will command a retail price around $6,950 USD to the 8280's $10k USD unit pricing.

The EPYC 7502 meanwhile will come to market at $2,600 (and the EPYC 7542 at $3,400). The EPYC 7502 as a 32-core / 64-thread processor that can outperform the EPYC 7601 is incredibly competitive pricing. On the Intel side, the EPYC 7502 32-core / 64-thread pricing comes in between the Xeon Scalable Gold 6138 at $2,300 and the Xeon Scalable Gold 6142 at $3,100. The Gold 6138 is just an eight-core + HT part while the Gold 6142 is just 16-cores plus Hyper Threading.