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Intel Granite Rapids-WS 18-core Xeon 654 matches Xeon 3465X but trails AMD Threadripper 9955WX in benchmarks

Thursday, December 25, 2025 at 05:18 PM

Performance benchmarks for the Intel 18-core Xeon 654 Granite Rapids-WS processor show it performing on par with the 28-core Xeon 3465X, though it lags behind the 16-core AMD Threadripper 9955WX.

Context

Intel’s upcoming 18-core Xeon 654 workstation processor, part of the Granite Rapids-WS lineup, has shown significant architectural gains by matching the performance of the older 28-core Xeon 3465X. This indicates a substantial jump in per-core efficiency for the company's latest silicon. However, early benchmarks show the chip still trails AMD’s forthcoming 16-core Threadripper 9955WX. Despite having fewer cores, the AMD processor maintains a performance lead, suggesting that Intel has yet to fully reclaim the performance crown in the high-end workstation and professional segment. For investors, these results highlight the persistent competitive pressure on Intel as it attempts to regain enterprise market share. While Granite Rapids marks a necessary technical improvement, AMD’s Zen 5 architecture continues to offer superior efficiency for heavy professional and AI-adjacent workloads. With both product lines launching between late 2024 and early 2025, the focus remains on whether Intel can translate these architectural gains into meaningful volume and margin recovery against a dominant AMD workstation roadmap.

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