EPYC 7282 vs Xeon Gold 5220R

CPU

GPU

EPYC 7282

16 Cores32 Thrd120 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2019

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Xeon Gold 5220R

24 Cores48 Thrd150 WWMax: 4 GHz2020

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

EPYC 7282

16 / 32

30,201

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX

Xeon Gold 5220R

24 / 48

30,372

+0.6%

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

EPYC 7282

2019

Why buy it

✅+79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Costs $1,130 less on MSRP ($650 MSRP vs $1,780 MSRP).
✅Delivers 172.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 46.5 vs 17.1 PassMark/$ ($650 MSRP vs $1,780 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 150W, a 30W reduction.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 5220R across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (30,201 vs 30,372).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon Gold 5220R

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.1 vs 46.5 PassMark/$ ($1,780 MSRP vs $650 MSRP).
❌25% higher power demand at 150W vs 120W.

EPYC 7282

2019

Xeon Gold 5220R

2020

Why buy it

✅+79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Costs $1,130 less on MSRP ($650 MSRP vs $1,780 MSRP).
✅Delivers 172.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 46.5 vs 17.1 PassMark/$ ($650 MSRP vs $1,780 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 150W, a 30W reduction.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 5220R across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (30,201 vs 30,372).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.1 vs 46.5 PassMark/$ ($1,780 MSRP vs $650 MSRP).
❌25% higher power demand at 150W vs 120W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 5220R better than EPYC 7282?

Yes. Xeon Gold 5220R is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 22.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.6% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon Gold 5220R is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 22.6% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5220R is the better fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Xeon Gold 5220R is still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 7282 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon Gold 5220R is 173.8% more expensive on MSRP at $1,780 MSRP versus $650 MSRP, and it gives you a 22.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. EPYC 7282 is also 172.3% better value on MSRP (46.5 vs 17.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon Gold 5220R is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2019), more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 16/32, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

EPYC 7282 Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 5220R Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 7282	Xeon Gold 5220R
1080p
low	159 FPS	196 FPS
medium	129 FPS	158 FPS
high	108 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	140 FPS	157 FPS
medium	112 FPS	123 FPS
high	89 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	71 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	72 FPS
medium	57 FPS	60 FPS
high	45 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	38 FPS

Open EPYC 7282 Open Xeon Gold 5220R

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 7282	Xeon Gold 5220R
1080p
low	419 FPS	233 FPS
medium	371 FPS	207 FPS
high	305 FPS	174 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	145 FPS
1440p
low	353 FPS	200 FPS
medium	319 FPS	180 FPS
high	270 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	208 FPS	123 FPS
4K
low	219 FPS	125 FPS
medium	201 FPS	114 FPS
high	171 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	86 FPS

Open EPYC 7282 Open Xeon Gold 5220R

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 7282	Xeon Gold 5220R
1080p
low	632 FPS	759 FPS
medium	514 FPS	759 FPS
high	458 FPS	759 FPS
ultra	402 FPS	753 FPS
1440p
low	493 FPS	759 FPS
medium	400 FPS	676 FPS
high	351 FPS	635 FPS
ultra	305 FPS	569 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	492 FPS
medium	285 FPS	406 FPS
high	243 FPS	357 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	292 FPS

Open EPYC 7282 Open Xeon Gold 5220R

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 7282	Xeon Gold 5220R
1080p
low	755 FPS	759 FPS
medium	755 FPS	759 FPS
high	664 FPS	703 FPS
ultra	581 FPS	613 FPS
1440p
low	663 FPS	716 FPS
medium	584 FPS	628 FPS
high	501 FPS	539 FPS
ultra	427 FPS	466 FPS
4K
low	475 FPS	521 FPS
medium	428 FPS	465 FPS
high	376 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	323 FPS	351 FPS

Open EPYC 7282 Open Xeon Gold 5220R

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7282 and Xeon Gold 5220R

EPYC 7282

The EPYC 7282 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 30,201 points. Launch price was $650.

Xeon Gold 5220R

The Xeon Gold 5220R is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 35.75 MB. L2 cache: 24 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2667. Passmark benchmark score: 30,372 points. Launch price was $1,555.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 7282 packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5220R offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon Gold 5220R has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the EPYC 7282 versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5220R — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5220R (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The EPYC 7282 uses the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture (7 nm, 14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5220R uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7282 scores 30,201 against the Xeon Gold 5220R's 30,372 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon Gold 5220R. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,086 vs 1,327, a 20% lead for the Xeon Gold 5220R that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 64 MB on the EPYC 7282 vs 35.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 5220R.

Feature	EPYC 7282	Xeon Gold 5220R
Cores / Threads	16 / 32	24 / 48+50%
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	4 GHz+25%
Base Clock	2.8 GHz+27%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB+79%	35.75 MB
L2 Cache	8 MB	24 MB+200%
Process	7 nm, 14 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Zen 2 (2017−2020)	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark	30,201	30,372
Cinebench R23 Multi	13,500	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,086	1,327+22%
Geekbench 6 Multi	7,638	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7282 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 5220R uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The EPYC 7282 supports up to 4096 GB of RAM compared to 1024 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (EPYC 7282) vs 6 (Xeon Gold 5220R). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 7282) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 5220R) — the EPYC 7282 offers 80 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3,Rome (EPYC 7282) and C620 (Xeon Gold 5220R).

Feature	EPYC 7282	Xeon Gold 5220R
Socket	SP3	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2667
Max RAM Capacity	4096 GB+300%	1024 GB
RAM Channels	8+33%	6
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+167%	48

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Xeon Gold 5220R supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV (EPYC 7282) vs Yes (Xeon Gold 5220R). Primary use case: EPYC 7282 targets Edge Server / Entry Server. Direct competitor: EPYC 7282 rivals Xeon Silver 4216.

Feature	EPYC 7282	Xeon Gold 5220R
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV	Yes
Target Use	Edge Server / Entry Server	—

💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 7282 launched at $650 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 5220R debuted at $1780. On MSRP ($650 vs $1780), the EPYC 7282 is $1130 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7282 delivers 46.5 pts/$ vs 17.1 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 5220R — making the EPYC 7282 the 92.6% better value option.