Page Index

EPYC 7282 vs Xeon Gold 6246R

CPUCPUGPUGPU
AMD

EPYC 7282

16 Cores32 Thrd120 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2019

Popular choices:

•••••••••
VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 6246R

16 Cores32 Thrd205 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2020

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

EPYC 7282
16 / 32
30,201
0.0%
brand logoRyzen 7 PRO 5850U
brand logoRyzen 5 5500X3D
brand logoRyzen 7 PRO 6850H
brand logoRyzen 7 PRO 8840HS
brand logoRyzen 9 PRO 7945
brand logoRyzen 9 7950X
brand logoRyzen Threadripper 3990X
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX
Xeon Gold 6246R
16 / 32
30,468
+0.9%
brand logoCore i9-10980HK
brand logoCore i5-12500E
brand logoXeon W-1370P
brand logoCore i9-12900H
brand logoCore i9-14900F
brand logoXeon w7-3465X
brand logoXeon w9-3575X
brand logoXeon w9-3595X

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).
  • ✅Draws 120W instead of 205W, a 85W 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 6246R across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (13,500 vs 16,000).
  • ❌Launch MSRP is still $650 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 6246R mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon Gold 6246R

2020

Why buy it

  • ✅Better for gaming: +46.5% 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).
  • ❌70.8% higher power demand at 205W vs 120W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6246R better than EPYC 7282?
Yes. Xeon Gold 6246R is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 46.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 18.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 0.9% higher 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 6246R is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 46.5% 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 6246R is the better fit. You are getting 18.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Xeon Gold 6246R is still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 7282 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon Gold 6246R is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $650 MSRP, and it gives you a 46.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. EPYC 7282 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (46.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 6246R 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 16 cores / 32 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetEPYC 7282Xeon Gold 6246R
1080p
low159 FPS198 FPS
medium129 FPS156 FPS
high108 FPS126 FPS
ultra86 FPS98 FPS
1440p
low140 FPS162 FPS
medium112 FPS124 FPS
high89 FPS96 FPS
ultra71 FPS76 FPS
4K
low68 FPS74 FPS
medium57 FPS60 FPS
high45 FPS47 FPS
ultra37 FPS38 FPS
Open EPYC 7282Open Xeon Gold 6246R
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetEPYC 7282Xeon Gold 6246R
1080p
low419 FPS505 FPS
medium371 FPS442 FPS
high305 FPS366 FPS
ultra245 FPS326 FPS
1440p
low353 FPS446 FPS
medium319 FPS391 FPS
high270 FPS328 FPS
ultra208 FPS275 FPS
4K
low219 FPS282 FPS
medium201 FPS248 FPS
high171 FPS226 FPS
ultra138 FPS201 FPS
Open EPYC 7282Open Xeon Gold 6246R
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetEPYC 7282Xeon Gold 6246R
1080p
low632 FPS762 FPS
medium514 FPS762 FPS
high458 FPS762 FPS
ultra402 FPS762 FPS
1440p
low493 FPS762 FPS
medium400 FPS720 FPS
high351 FPS665 FPS
ultra305 FPS596 FPS
4K
low367 FPS516 FPS
medium285 FPS423 FPS
high243 FPS372 FPS
ultra197 FPS306 FPS
Open EPYC 7282Open Xeon Gold 6246R
Valorant

Valorant

PresetEPYC 7282Xeon Gold 6246R
1080p
low755 FPS762 FPS
medium755 FPS762 FPS
high664 FPS762 FPS
ultra581 FPS739 FPS
1440p
low663 FPS762 FPS
medium584 FPS762 FPS
high501 FPS673 FPS
ultra427 FPS568 FPS
4K
low475 FPS677 FPS
medium428 FPS592 FPS
high376 FPS511 FPS
ultra323 FPS428 FPS
Open EPYC 7282Open Xeon Gold 6246R
Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7282 and Xeon Gold 6246R

AMD

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.

Intel

Xeon Gold 6246R

The Xeon Gold 6246R 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 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 35.75 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 205 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 30,468 points. Launch price was $3,286.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the EPYC 7282 and Xeon Gold 6246R share an identical 16-core/32-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the EPYC 7282 versus 4.1 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6246R — a 24.7% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6246R (base: 2.8 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The EPYC 7282 uses the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture (7 nm, 14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6246R uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7282 scores 30,201 against the Xeon Gold 6246R's 30,468 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon Gold 6246R. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 13,500 vs 16,000 (16.9% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6246R). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,086 vs 1,293, a 17.4% lead for the Xeon Gold 6246R that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 7,638 vs 9,848 (25.3% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6246R). L3 cache: 64 MB on the EPYC 7282 vs 35.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 6246R.

FeatureEPYC 7282Xeon Gold 6246R
Cores / Threads
16 / 32
16 / 32
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz
4.1 GHz+28%
Base Clock
2.8 GHz
3.4 GHz+21%
L3 Cache
64 MB+79%
35.75 MB
L2 Cache
8 MB
16 MB+100%
Process
7 nm, 14 nm-50%
14 nm
Architecture
Zen 2 (2017−2020)
Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark
30,201
30,468
Cinebench R23 Multi
13,500
16,000+19%
Geekbench 6 Single
1,086
1,293+19%
Geekbench 6 Multi
7,638
9,848+29%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7282 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6246R 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 6246R). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 7282) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 6246R) — the EPYC 7282 offers 80 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3,Rome (EPYC 7282) and Lewisburg (Xeon Gold 6246R).

FeatureEPYC 7282Xeon Gold 6246R
Socket
SP3
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-3200
DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity
4096 GB+300%
1024 GB
RAM Channels
8+33%
6
ECC Support
Yes
Yes
PCIe Lanes
128+167%
48
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon Gold 6246R supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV (EPYC 7282) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon Gold 6246R). Primary use case: EPYC 7282 targets Edge Server / Entry Server, Xeon Gold 6246R targets High-frequency Server / Financial. Direct competitor: EPYC 7282 rivals Xeon Silver 4216; Xeon Gold 6246R rivals EPYC 7302.

FeatureEPYC 7282Xeon Gold 6246R
Integrated GPU
No
No
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
Yes
Virtualization
AMD-V, SEV
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
Edge Server / Entry Server
High-frequency Server / Financial