 (https://aecmag.

com/) 
 (https://aecmag.com/) 

Advertisement

(https://servedbyadbutler.com/redirect.spark?

MID=153703&plid=1993787&setID=351562&channelID=0&CID=730815&banID=520906033&PID=0&te
xtadID=0&tc=0&adSize=300x250&mt=1688441889986981&sw=393&sh=873&spr=2.75&referrer=https
%3A%2F%2Faecmag.com%2Fworkstations%2Fintel-xeon-sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-threadripper-
pro%2F&hc=4538677d68fa93f1e608281a1342fb50695eade4&location=)

Advertisement

(https://servedbyadbutler.com/redirect.spark?
 (https://aecmag.com/) 

(https://aecmag.com/workstations/intel-xeon- (https://aecmag.com/workstations/intel-xeon-
sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-threadripper- sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-threadripper-
pro/attachment/frequency-2/) pro/attachment/watts/)

Engineering simulation

Engineering simulation includes Finite Element

Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics
(CFD). FEA can help predict how a product reacts to
real-world forces or temperatures. CFD can be used to
optimise aerodynamics in cars or predict the impact of
wind on buildings. Both types of software are
extremely demanding computationally.

There are many different types of ‘solvers’ used in FEA

and CFD and each behaves differently, as do different
datasets.

In general, CFD scales very well and studies should

solve much quicker with more CPU cores. Importantly,
CFD can also benefit greatly from memory bandwidth,
as each CPU core can be fed data quicker. This is one
area in which ‘Sapphire Rapids’ can outperform
Threadripper Pro. Both have 8-channel memory, but
‘Sapphire Rapids’ uses faster DDR5 4,800MHz
whereas Threadripper Pro uses DDR4 3,200MHz.

For our testing we used three select workloads from the SPECworkstation 3.1 benchmark
(https://gwpg.spec.org/benchmarks/benchmark/specworkstation-3_1/). This includes two CFD benchmarks
(Rodinia, which represents compressible flow, and WPCcfd, which models combustion and turbulence) and
one FEA benchmark (CalculiX, which models a jet engine turbine’s internal temperature).
 (https://aecmag.com/) 
In Rodinia, the Xeon w9-3495X outperformed the Threadripper Pro 5995WX by a whopping 101%. In
WPCcfd, the lead was smaller but, at 13%, still significant. Performance of both processors were dwarfed by
the dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8490H.

Both Intel processors fared much worse in the Calculix (FEA) test, where the Threadripper Pro 5995WX took
a substantial lead.

Memory bandwidth

In addition to cores, memory bandwidth is one of the main differentiators between workstation processors
and their consumer counterparts.

This is governed largely by the number of memory channels each processor supports, but also by the type of
memory.

Memory channels act as pathways between the system memory and the CPU. The more channels a CPU has,
the faster data can be delivered.

13th Gen Intel Core and the AMD Ryzen 7000 Series have two memory channels, while the Intel Xeon W-
2400 Series has four, and Intel Xeon W-3400 Series, 4th Generation Intel Xeon Scalable and Threadripper
Pro 5000 Series all have eight. To get the full memory bandwidth, all memory channels must be populated
with memory modules, as was the case with all our test machines.

As mentioned earlier, ‘Sapphire Rapids’ Xeons have an advantage over the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 5000
Series as they support faster memory – DDR5 4,800MHz compared to DDR4 3,200MHz.
 (https://aecmag.com/) 

(https://aecmag.com/workstations/intel-xeon- (https://aecmag.com/workstations/intel-xeon-
sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-threadripper- sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-threadripper-
pro/attachment/sisoft/) pro/attachment/leica-4/)

(https://aecmag.com/workstations/intel-xeon- (https://aecmag.com/workstations/intel-xeon-
sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-threadripper- sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-threadripper-
pro/attachment/unreal-4/) pro/attachment/v-ray-4/)

A quick run through the SiSoft Sandra benchmark shows the comparative memory bandwidth one can expect.
The Threadripper Pro 5995WX recorded 139.27 GB/sec, while the Intel Xeon w9-3495X pulled 184.64
GB/sec and the dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8490H went up to 325.6 GB/sec. These figures help explain why
Sapphire Rapids does so well in our memory intensive CFD benchmarks.
To see how memory bandwidth impacts performance in different workflows, we tested the Xeon w9-3495X
 (https://aecmag.com/) 
with a variety of different memory configurations, from 1-channel with a single 32 GB DIMM, all the way up
to 8-channels with 8 x 32 GB DIMMs. Interestingly, even with 6-channels, the Xeon w9-3495X edged out the
Threadripper Pro 5995WX in memory bandwidth, delivering 141.21 GB/sec in SiSoft Sandra.

As most of our benchmarks fit into 32 GB of memory, the fact that we reduced the capacity should have
minimal impact on results, although it can’t be ignored altogether. The exception is our Leica Cyclone Register
360 test, which adjusts the number of cores used in relation to system memory. This is why performance
drops off massively with 32 GB.

As you can see from the charts below, memory bandwidth in the WPCcfd benchmark has a massive impact on
performance. Interestingly, even with 6-channels filled, the Intel Xeon w9-3495X outperforms the AMD
Ryzen Threadripper Pro 5995WX.

Another workflow massively influenced by memory bandwidth is recompiling shaders in Unreal Engine 4.26
which uses all available cores. However, where Threadripper Pro 5995WX loses out in GB/sec it makes up for
in cores and all-core frequency, as it still managed to beat the Xeon w9-3495X in our automotive benchmark.

Performance in CAD (Solidworks), ray trace rendering (V-Ray) and reality modelling (Leica Cyclone Register
360 and Agisoft MetaShape Professional 1.73) appears to be virtually unaffected by memory bandwidth.
There are a couple of caveats in Solidworks. In the simulation test, performance dropped a little when going
from 4-channels to 1-channel. In boolean operations, 1-channel memory actually delivered marginally better
results.
 (https://aecmag.com/) 

(https://aecmag.com/workstations
/intel-xeon-sapphire-rapids-
versus-amd-ryzen-threadripper-
pro/attachment/agi-2/)

(https://aecmag.com/workstations
/intel-xeon-sapphire-rapids-
versus-amd-ryzen-threadripper-
pro/attachment/sw-2/)
(https://aecmag.com/workstations
/intel-xeon-sapphire-rapids-
versus-amd-ryzen-threadripper-
pro/attachment/specworkstation-
2/)

Conclusion

The importance to Intel of ‘Sapphire Rapids’ Xeon W-2400 and Xeon W-3400 being a success cannot be
overstated. For the last few years AMD has had little in the way of competition in workflows that benefit from
many cores or high memory bandwidth. Intel will have certainly felt the impact of Threadripper Pro.

From our tests, however, Sapphire Rapids is not going to be the Threadripper Pro 5000 WX-Series killer we
thought it might be, at least in the broader AEC sector.

In ray trace rendering, the 64-core Threadripper Pro 5995X still has a considerable lead over the 56-core
Xeon w9-3495X. And while Intel may possibly win out at certain price points, simply because it has so many
different models across its Xeon W-2400 and W-3400 families, we certainly don’t expect viz specialists to
move to ‘Sapphire Rapids’ en masse. Plus, as you move down the range, it will face more competition from
13th Gen Intel Core.
But ‘Sapphire Rapids’ does have some big plusses. In single threaded workflows it appears to have a lead over
 (https://aecmag.com/) 
Threadripper Pro, which could make a real difference in some CAD/BIM applications. Better single threaded
performance should also boost 3D frame rates in CPU-limited applications.

The biggest potential benefit for ‘Sapphire Rapids’ comes from engineering simulation, specifically CFD. Our
tests show that ‘Sapphire Rapids’ can deliver a massive performance boost, largely thanks to its superior
memory bandwidth. While solvers and datasets vary, serious users of tools from Ansys, Altair and others
should certainly explore what the Xeon W-3400 and 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors can do for them.
Extremely complex simulations can take hours, even days to run. Cutting this time in half could deliver
monumental benefits to a project.

All of this is exciting, but one can’t help but keep one eye on the future. AMD is expected to launch its next
generation ‘Zen 4’ Threadripper Pro CPUs later this year. And, if rumours of 96-cores and 12-channel
memory (DDR5) become a reality, then any lead Intel might have could be short lived.

    Overclocking ‘Sapphire Rapids’ – pump up the power

Intel’s single socket ‘Sapphire Rapids’ workstation processors can be overclocked. This requires more power
to be pumped into the CPU, which, of course, means more heat and therefore liquid cooling.While none of the

major OEMs get involved with this, UK firm Armari (http://www.armari.com) is an expert.For the Intel Xeon
w9-3495X, Armari has developed a custom water-cooling solution for its 2UR56SR Node, a rack workstation

available through its ‘Ripper Rentals (https://armari.com/ripper-workstation-rentals/)’ cloud workstation

service.It allows the CPU to support up to 500W on all-core boost — a full 150W above its default

TDP.Armari also has a similar offering for the Threadripper Pro 5995WX, the 2UR64TP-RW Node.We put
both machines through their paces in Cinebench R23.The Intel Xeon w9-3495X machine hit 2.88 GHz on all

cores, 0.3 GHz faster than the air-cooled Lenovo ThinkStation P7. This delivered a score of 69,811, equating
to a significant 19% performance uplift.The Threadripper Pro 5995WX machine hit 3.35 GHz on all cores, 0.3
GHz faster than the Scan 3XS GWP-ME A1128T. This delivered a score of 76,117, corresponding to an 8%

performance uplift.Armari also offers an overclocked desktop Threadripper Pro workstation. Read our
review here (https://aecmag.com/workstations/review-armari-magnetar-m64tprw1300g3/).
This article is part of AEC Magazine’s Workstation Special report
 (https://aecmag.com/)
(https://aecmag.com/workstations/summer-2023-workstation-

special-report/)

Scroll down to read and subscribe here (https://register.aecmag.com/)

Featuring

Cloud workstations for CAD, BIM and viz (https://aecmag.com/workstations/cloud-workstations-for-

cad-bim-and-visualisation/) – how the major public cloud providers stack up
Lenovo ThinkStation P7 / PX desktop workstation reviews (https://aecmag.com/workstations/review-
lenovo-thinkstation-p7-and-px/)
‘Sapphire Rapids’ workstation round-up – Dell, HP, BOXX, Scan and Workstation Specialists
Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada Generation professional GPU review (https://aecmag.com/workstations/review-
nvidia-rtx-6000-ada-generation/)
AMD Radeon Pro W7800 / W7900 professional GPUs preview
(https://aecmag.com/workstations/amd-radeon-pro-w7900-and-w7800-workstation-gpus-launch/)
Reimagining the desktop workstation as a remote resource
(https://aecmag.com/workstations/reimagining-the-desktop-workstation/)
The flexible workstation (https://aecmag.com/workstations/the-flexible-workstation/) – supporting
the hybrid workforce
Sustainable cloud workstations (https://aecmag.com/workstations/staying-ahead-of-the-esg-curve/)

Powered by Publish for Free


Related articles: (https://aecmag.com/) 

Hybrid working: what

does it mean for AEC
firms?

(https://aecmag.com/cloud/hybrid-working-what-does-it-mean-for-aec-firms/)

NEWS: HP builds 6-core

Xeon into new Z2
workstation

(https://aecmag.com/news/news-hp-builds-6-core-xeon-into-new-z2-workstation/)

NEWS: Lenovo
previews three new
mobile workstations

(https://aecmag.com/news/news-lenovo-previews-three-new-mobile-workstations/)

Review: Dell Precision

7720

(https://aecmag.com/workstations/review-dell-precision-7720/)
 (https://aecmag.com/) 
Workstation Specialists
WS-184 (11th Gen Intel
Core) review

(https://aecmag.com/workstations/workstation-specialists-ws-184-review-11th-gen-intel-core-cad-bim/)

Scan 3XS GWP-ME

A132R (AMD Ryzen 9
5000) review

(https://aecmag.com/workstations/scan-3xs-gwp-me-a132r-review-ryzen-5000-cad/)

Review: Dell Precision

7540 [Nvidia Quadro
RTX 5000]

(https://aecmag.com/workstations/dell-precision-7540-nvidia-quadro-rtx-5000/)

Review: Fujitsu Celsius

W570power+

(https://aecmag.com/workstations/review-fujitsu-celsius-w570power/)

Advertisement

(https://servedbyadbutler.com/redirect.spark?
MID=153703&plid=2041211&setID=187613&channelID=0&CID=746488&banID=520962500&PID=0&te
 (https://aecmag.com/) 
xtadID=0&tc=0&adSize=728x90&mt=1688441889987847&sw=393&sh=873&spr=2.75&referrer=https%
3A%2F%2Faecmag.com%2Fworkstations%2Fintel-xeon-sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-threadripper-
pro%2F&hc=c3388da841cb0543c4e35d55c68064abe9c319c6&location=)

(https://servedbyadbutler.com/redirect.spark?
MID=153703&plid=1725584&setID=542095&channelID=0&CID=630552&banID=520611971&PID=0&te
xtadID=0&tc=0&adSize=1240x650&mt=1688441889342537&sw=393&sh=873&spr=2.75&referrer=https
%3A%2F%2Faecmag.com%2F&hc=889001a6602db9aa4e3ed1246b5d0e6484ed4e3b&location=)

(https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?
u=https%3A%2F%2Faecmag.com%2Fworkstatio
el-xeon-sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-threadr
pro%2F)
(http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?
text=Intel%20Xeon%20%E2%80%98Sapphire%2
el-xeon-sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-threadr
(http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true
rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-threadripper-
pro%2F&title=Intel%20Xeon%20%E2%80%98Sapp
(https://aecmag.com/workstations/intel-xeon-
sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-
threadripper-pro/)
 (http://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2F
(https://aecmag.com/) 
threadripper-
pro%2F&title=Intel%20Xeon%20%E2%80%98Sapp
(https://aecmag.com/workstations/intel-xeon-
sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-
threadripper-pro/)
(viber://forward?
text=Intel%20Xeon%20%E2%80%98Sapphire%2
ro https%3A%2F%2Faecmag.com%2Fworkstations
pro%2F)
(https://api.whatsapp.com/send?
text=Intel%20Xeon%20%E2%80%98Sapphire%2
ro https%3A%2F%2Faecmag.com%2Fworkstations
pro%2F)
(https://aecmag.com/workstations/intel-xeon-
sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-
threadripper-pro/)
(https://aecmag.com/workstations/intel-xeon-
sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-ryzen-
threadripper-pro/)
0
Shares

Stay informed
Join the AEC community
Newsletter • FREE digital magazine • print magazine

Go
(https
://ww
w.aec
mag.c
om/su
Advertisement
bscrip
tions/
)
 (https://aecmag.com/) 

(https://servedbyadbutler.com/redirect.spark?

MID=153703&plid=1993788&setID=438335&channelID=0&CID=730815&banID=520906033&PID
=0&textadID=0&tc=0&adSize=300x250&mt=1688441889992230&sw=393&sh=873&spr=2.75&ref
errer=https%3A%2F%2Faecmag.com%2Fworkstations%2Fintel-xeon-sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-
ryzen-threadripper-pro%2F&hc=4970fe4d950d5ddb822ebcd3bd5edaee51e206b0&location=)

(https://servedbyadbutler.com/redirect.spark?

MID=153703&plid=2041213&setID=438335&channelID=0&CID=746488&banID=520962501&PID
=0&textadID=0&tc=0&adSize=300x250&mt=1688441889992596&sw=393&sh=873&spr=2.75&ref
errer=https%3A%2F%2Faecmag.com%2Fworkstations%2Fintel-xeon-sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-
ryzen-threadripper-pro%2F&hc=76eca0f1c5c45301aa83c380fba0767bd4c5382a&location=)
 (https://aecmag.com/) 

(https://servedbyadbutler.com/redirect.spark?

MID=153703&plid=1579450&setID=438335&channelID=0&CID=574732&banID=520786629&PID
=0&textadID=0&tc=0&adSize=300x250&mt=1688441889993061&sw=393&sh=873&spr=2.75&ref
errer=https%3A%2F%2Faecmag.com%2Fworkstations%2Fintel-xeon-sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-
ryzen-threadripper-pro%2F&hc=bd784a9341cbfd7e8a3938bea0fd8afa3c1cd8f3&location=)

(https://servedbyadbutler.com/redirect.spark?

MID=153703&plid=2061278&setID=438335&channelID=0&CID=754195&banID=520993482&PID
=0&textadID=0&tc=0&adSize=300x250&mt=1688441889992248&sw=393&sh=873&spr=2.75&ref
errer=https%3A%2F%2Faecmag.com%2Fworkstations%2Fintel-xeon-sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-
ryzen-threadripper-pro%2F&hc=c995ee685c324bd81bf34cb6f5ca08b4e2107357&location=)

LATEST CONTENT

Soben and IES form energy management partnership

(https://aecmag.com/sustainability/soben-and-ies-form-energy-
management-partnership/)
(https://aec
July 3, 2023

Chaos Vantage 2.0 launches for real-time ray tracing

(https://aecmag.com/visualisation/chaos-vantage-2-0-launches-for-real-
(https://aec
time-ray-tracing/)
 June 28, 2023
 (https://aecmag.com/) 
Reality Cloud Studio to ‘democratise reality capture’
(https://aecmag.com/reality-capture-modelling/reality-cloud-studio-to-
(https://aec
democratise-reality-capture/)
June 30, 2023

Cype 2024 focuses on sustainability

(https://aecmag.com/sustainability/cype-2024-focuses-on-sustainability/)
(https://aec July 3, 2023

Concept design iPad app rebrands as Codesign

(https://aecmag.com/concept-design/concept-design-ipad-app-rebrands-as-
(https://aec
codesign/)
June 29, 2023

Advertisement
 (https://aecmag.com/) 

(https://servedbyadbutler.com/redirect.spark?

MID=153703&plid=2041209&setID=467754&channelID=0&CID=746487&banID=520962498&PID
=0&textadID=0&tc=0&adSize=300x600&mt=1688441889984001&sw=393&sh=873&spr=2.75&ref
errer=https%3A%2F%2Faecmag.com%2Fworkstations%2Fintel-xeon-sapphire-rapids-versus-amd-
ryzen-threadripper-pro%2F&hc=e21966f471c0cb1c0892911c413e9852eec14d4e&location=)

© 2008 - 2022 X3DMedia

19 Leyden Street, London, E1 7LE, UK
Tel: +44(0)20 3355 7310