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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Neither AMD EPYC nor Intel Xeon is the right choice for every data center. The answer depends on the exact processor and server configuration, the workload you need to run, and the cost of operating and supporting the system over its service life. Compare complete, validated server configurations—not brand names or core counts alone.
What the current product information tells you
AMD’s October 10, 2024 announcement for EPYC 5th Gen lists the EPYC 9965 with 192 cores and a 500 W thermal design power (TDP). AMD’s launch comparison also listed a CPU price of $14,813. That is a dated manufacturer-published price, not a current street price or a quote for a complete server.
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Intel positions Xeon 6+ for cloud-native, networking, and data center workloads. Its product page, accessed October 7, 2026, describes a family maximum of up to 288 E-cores per socket and lists hardware security features including TDX and SGX. These are family-level claims; confirm the features, availability, and supported configuration for the specific SKU and server you are considering.
Those figures describe different product families and are not a direct performance comparison. Core count does not establish how quickly a server will complete your workload, how much memory or I/O it can support, or what it will cost to run.
#1 Best Overall
- Powered by AMD EPYC 4000 series processors up to maximum 120W TDP: Delivers exceptional performance and reliability, with DDR5 5600MHz ECC/non-ECC UDIMM memory.
- Graphics Support: Supports one NVIDIA RTX A1000/A400 GPU, ideal for rendering and AI workloads.
- Storage Options: Supports two hot-swappable 2.5" SATA drive bays, and additional two internal 2.5" SATA or NVMe U.2 drive tray, enhancing storage flexibility and performance.
- Network Connectivity: Dual 2.5Gb LAN ports for fast, high-bandwidth, and low-latency connections.
- I/O Options: 10Gbps USB Type-C, USB Type-A, and an internal Type-A port (for security kits), providing versatile connectivity for various needs.
Compare the factors that affect your decision
| Decision factor | What to evaluate | Evidence to collect |
|---|---|---|
| Workload performance | Database transactions, virtualization density, HPC, cloud-native services, or AI inference—whichever is material to your data center. | Results from the same workload and software versions on candidate systems with documented configurations and tuning. |
| Consolidation and licensing | How many servers and licensed cores are needed to meet capacity, performance, and resilience targets. | Your software licensing rules and a capacity model for the proposed complete systems. |
| Power and cooling | System energy at representative utilization, plus cooling requirements and rack or facility limits. | Measured system-level consumption under your expected operating conditions. Processor TDP alone is not data center power draw. |
| Platform capability | Memory type, capacity and bandwidth; I/O; accelerators; socket configuration; and required security features. | The exact processor’s specifications and the OEM’s validated server configuration. |
| Operations and lifecycle | Compatibility with your fleet, management and firmware processes, software certification, supply, support, and migration effort. | Confirmation from your software vendors and server supplier, plus an estimate of deployment and ongoing operational work. |
| Total cost | Acquisition and operating costs across the planned service life, including licenses, support, power, cooling, and migration. | Comparable quotes and a model using your deployment size, utilization, and service-life assumptions. |
How to use performance claims
Vendor benchmark results can help identify configurations worth testing, but they are not a workload-independent verdict. AMD’s internal testing dated July 20, 2026, reports up to 2.9x Redis 8.8 request throughput for an EPYC 9996 with 256 cores versus a Xeon 6980P with 128 cores. AMD describes the test as using KVM, Ubuntu 24.04, Redis 8.8, workload aggregation, and other configuration details. The result is specific to that vendor test and setup.
In the same dated testing, AMD reports up to 2.6x MySQL 8.4.10 online transaction processing throughput for those processor models using a HammerDB TPROC-C-derived workload. AMD says that workload is not comparable to published TPC benchmark results. Neither result predicts performance in a differently configured server or in your application.
Rank #2
- HPE ProLiant DL145 Gen11 – P87460-005 – SMART CHOICE MODEL – COMPACT EDGE SOLUTION: Preconfigured and factory-tested for fast deployment and cost efficiency. Includes AMD EPYC 8024P (8 cores, 2.40 GHz), 16GB DDR5 ECC SmartMemory, 2 SFF chassis, 480GB SATA 6G Read Intensive SSD, Broadcom 1GbE OCP NIC, and single 700W Platinum PSU—ideal for IoT gateways, retail POS, and light virtualization.
- PERFORMANCE AND MEMORY – EFFICIENT FOR LIGHT WORKLOADS: The AMD EPYC 8024P delivers 8 cores at 2.40 GHz for edge compute tasks. Includes 16GB DDR5 RDIMM ECC (1x16GB) and supports up to 768GB across six DIMM slots—ideal for small-scale virtualization and real-time analytics.
- STORAGE – READY FOR OS AND DATA Includes one HPE 480GB SATA 6G Read Intensive SSD for quick deployment. Supports additional SFF drives for storage flexibility—perfect for edge workloads and local data storage.
- ENTERPRISE DESIGN – POWER AND CONNECTIVITY: Single 700W Platinum hot-plug power supply ensures reliable power delivery. Broadcom BCM5719 OCP NIC offers four 1GbE ports for edge networking and connectivity.
- SECURITY AND MANAGEMENT – BUILT-IN PROTECTION: HPE iLO6 with Intelligent Provisioning, TPM 2.0, Silicon Root of Trust, and secure boot protect against threats. Compatible with HPE OneView and Compute Ops Management for simplified lifecycle management.
AMD’s disclosures list test details such as memory, operating system and kernel, firmware, software, and tuning, and warn that results may vary or may not translate directly to physical deployments. When comparing vendor results, check that the systems, software, settings, and workload are sufficiently alike. Prefer independent submissions when they cover the relevant configurations, or run a proof of concept with your own representative workload.
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Include licensing and operating costs in the comparison
A lower processor count or a faster benchmark result does not automatically mean a lower-cost deployment. Calculate how many complete servers each option needs to satisfy the same capacity and resilience requirements, then include software licensing, memory, support, power, cooling, and migration. A platform that consolidates more work may reduce some costs, but the outcome depends on your licensing terms and operating conditions.
Rank #3
- Powerful AMD EPYC Performance – Powered by AMD EPYC 4244P processor with up to 6 cores, delivering exceptional performance for virtualization, business applications, databases, and growing workloads.
- Memory – Supports DDR5 ECC UDIMM memory for higher bandwidth, improved efficiency, and automatic error correction to help maximize system reliability and reduce data corruption. This build comes with 16GB DDR5 RAM.
- Scalability and Flexibility – Tower servers are designed for easy upgrades and expansion, making them an ideal choice for development teams and growing businesses. They provide a dedicated environment for software development, testing, and deployment. This server is sold without an operating system, allowing you to select and install the OS and software that best fit your specific needs during setup.
- Designed for Small Business and Remote Offices – Quiet tower design with enterprise-grade reliability makes it ideal for file sharing, collaboration, backup, virtualization, and office applications without requiring a dedicated server room.
- Easy to Manage – Features multiple networking options and room for future upgrades, helping protect your investment as your business grows. This server is designed to run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
AMD’s January 18, 2023 internal scenario models 2,000 virtual machines over three years, comparing two-socket EPYC 9654 systems with two-socket Xeon Platinum 8490H systems. It assumes 1 core and 8 GB of memory per VM and specifies VMware licensing assumptions. Treat the scenario as an illustration of how consolidation and licensing can affect a model—not as a savings guarantee or a current quote for your environment.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose a server through a repeatable evaluation
- Set the target. Define the workload, required throughput or capacity, response-time goals, availability needs, and planned service life.
- Apply platform gates. Remove any processor-and-server combinations that fail required memory, I/O, accelerator, security, socket, software-certification, or OEM-validation requirements.
- Shortlist exact configurations. Record the processor SKU, socket count, memory population, firmware, operating system, and other settings for each candidate. Do not compare one brand’s family maximum with another brand’s unspecified system.
- Test representative work. Run the same application, data, software versions, and relevant operating conditions on each candidate, and retain the system configuration and tuning details with the results.
- Model the whole deployment. Estimate the number of servers required and compare acquisition, licensing, support, energy, cooling, and migration costs over the same time horizon.
- Confirm operational fit. Check availability, support arrangements, software certification, firmware and management workflows, and the effort required to integrate and operate the selected systems.
What can—and cannot—be concluded
The available manufacturer information describes Intel Xeon 6+ positioning and stated capabilities, AMD EPYC specifications and vendor-run benchmark results, and one AMD-produced TCO scenario. It does not provide an independent, apples-to-apples test suite covering current Xeon 6+ and EPYC systems across workloads, a complete neutral feature matrix, or current transaction pricing. Make the decision using the exact OEM-validated servers and workload tests that matter to your data center; the evidence here does not establish a universal EPYC or Xeon winner.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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