CPU Comparison
Intel Xeon 6787P vs Intel Xeon 6980P
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Xeon 6787P is an 86-core, 172-thread server processor based on the Granite Rapids-SP (Redwood Cove) P-core architecture, targeting high-throughput data center, HPC, and AI inference workloads with 8-channel DDR5/MRDIMM support and 88 PCIe 5.0 lanes.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Gaming
Virtualization
Efficiency
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- AMX and DL Boost accelerate CPU‑side inference and low‑precision math
- Best used as a complement to dedicated AI accelerators rather than a replacement
- Intel benchmarks show up to ~2.2× ResNet‑50, ~1.9× BERT‑Large, and up to ~2.5× DLRM inference vs Xeon 8592+ with MRDIMM.
- Up to ~3.7× AI inference vs AMD EPYC 9654 in some Intel‑published comparisons.
- AMX and AVX‑512‑FP16 accelerate int8/bf16 inference; software stack (oneAPI, OpenVINO) is mature on Linux.
Content Creation
Gaming
- Server-focused SKU with no integrated graphics
- Can be paired with GPUs for GPU‑limited workloads, but client CPUs or specialized GPUs are better for pure gaming
- Server‑oriented CPU with no integrated graphics and no gaming‑specific tuning.
- Single‑thread performance is adequate for light game server workloads but not a design target.
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- 86 cores and 172 threads for massive parallelism
- 8‑channel DDR5/MRDIMM with high bandwidth and capacity
- 88 PCIe 5.0 lanes and CXL 2.0 for I/O‑heavy servers
- Integrated QAT, DLB, DSA, IAA, AMX accelerators
- Intel 3 process and Redwood Cove IPC gains vs prior Xeons
Cons
- 350 W TDP requires robust cooling and power
- High platform cost (CPU + DDR5/MRDIMM + platform)
- Overkill for small business or light workloads
- No integrated graphics and limited client‑use ecosystem
- New platform; early BIOS/firmware maturity considerations
Pros
- 128 P‑cores / 256 threads for massive parallel throughput
- 12‑channel DDR5‑6400 and MRDIMM‑8800 memory bandwidth
- 96 PCIe 5.0 lanes with CXL 2.0 per socket
- Strong AI/HPC performance with AMX and AVX‑512‑FP16
- Mature Linux and compiler support (GCC/LLVM ‑march=graniterapids)
- Integrated accelerators reduce need for discrete PCIe cards
Cons
- 500 W TDP demands high‑end cooling and power design
- Very high CPU and platform cost compared to EPYC alternatives
- 96 PCIe lanes trail AMD’s 128‑lane EPYC offerings
- No integrated graphics; not suitable for graphical workloads
- New LGA7529 platform with limited motherboard ecosystem initially
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Xeon 6787P
- AMD EPYC 9754 (Bergamo, 128 cores, 256 threads)Rival
Cloud‑optimized / High‑density server
- AMD EPYC 9005 series (Turin, up to 192 Zen 5 cores)Rival
High‑end server / AI / HPC
- Intel Xeon 6980P (128 cores, Granite Rapids‑AP)Rival
High‑core‑count server / HPC
- Intel Xeon 6780E (144 E‑cores, Sierra Forest)Rival
Scale‑out / Cloud‑native
- Intel Xeon Platinum 8592+ (5th Gen, 64 cores)Rival
Previous‑gen enterprise server
Fewer cores (64) but similar platform and lower price if 86 cores are not required.
Compare head-to-headHigher core count (128) for workloads that can leverage more threads in a single socket.
Compare head-to-head- AMD EPYC 9754Alt
Higher core density (128 Zen 4c cores) for cloud‑native workloads where TCO matters more than per‑core performance.
- AMD EPYC 9005 seriesAlt
Latest Zen 5/5c cores with higher IPC and core counts, strong alternative for new server deployments.
- Intel Xeon Platinum 8592+Alt
Lower‑cost 5th‑gen option with good performance if Granite Rapids features are not required.
Intel Xeon 6980P
- AMD EPYC 9755Rival
128‑core 2S Data Center / AI
- AMD EPYC 9654Rival
96‑core 2S Data Center / HPC
- Intel Xeon Platinum 8592+Rival
64‑core 2S Data Center
- Compare head-to-headIntel Xeon w9‑3595XRival
High‑end workstation / single‑socket server
- AMD EPYC 9575FRival
High‑frequency 64‑core 2S for per‑core licensing
- Intel Xeon 6 E‑core (Sierra Forest) SKUsAlt
Better perf/watt and density for scale‑out cloud workloads that don’t require P‑core frequency.
Our Verdict on Each
An extremely powerful dual-socket server CPU with huge core counts, strong per-thread performance, and rich integrated acceleration, best suited for new data center builds where its platform cost and power can be justified.
Best for: New dual‑socket server builds for VM‑heavy, database, HPC, or AI inference where 86 cores and 8‑channel memory can be fully utilized.
Read the full reviewA flagship Xeon 6 P‑core SKU that restores Intel’s competitiveness at the top of the server stack, with huge core counts, strong AI and HPC performance, and mature software support, though at very high platform cost and power.
Best for: 2S HPC or AI clusters where per‑socket throughput, memory bandwidth, and PCIe connectivity are critical, and where software is optimized for AMX/AVX‑512.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Xeon 6787P or Intel Xeon 6980P?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Xeon 6980P comes out ahead with a score of 8.8/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Xeon 6787P or Intel Xeon 6980P?
For gaming, the Intel Xeon 6787P leads with a gaming performance score of 50/100 among Intel Xeon 6787P and Intel Xeon 6980P.
Which uses less power?
The Intel Xeon 6787P has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Xeon 6787P (350 W), Intel Xeon 6980P (500 W).
Do Intel Xeon 6787P and Intel Xeon 6980P use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Xeon 6787P: FCLGA4710, Intel Xeon 6980P: FCLGA7529), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which has more cores?
The Intel Xeon 6980P has the most cores. Core counts: Intel Xeon 6787P (86 cores), Intel Xeon 6980P (128 cores).
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Xeon 6787P posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Xeon 6787P (0). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.