EPYC 7601 vs Xeon Gold 6238R

CPU

GPU

EPYC 7601

32 Cores64 Thrd180 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2017

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Xeon Gold 6238R

28 Cores56 Thrd165 WWMax: 4 GHz2020

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

EPYC 7601

32 / 64

35,059

+0.9%

Ryzen 7 5800HS

Ryzen 7 3800XT

Ryzen 9 PRO 7940HS

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Ryzen 9 8940HX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Xeon Gold 6238R

28 / 56

34,751

0.0%

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 7601

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 39 MB).
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon Gold 6238R

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 165W instead of 180W, a 15W reduction.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (34,751 vs 35,059).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (39 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $2,612 MSRP, while EPYC 7601 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

EPYC 7601

2017

Xeon Gold 6238R

2020

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 39 MB).
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 165W instead of 180W, a 15W reduction.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (34,751 vs 35,059).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (39 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $2,612 MSRP, while EPYC 7601 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6238R better than EPYC 7601?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Xeon Gold 6238R is ahead with a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7601 pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark. EPYC 7601 also has the bigger cache pool with 66.2% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 39 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7601 is the better fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 66.2% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 39 MB).

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

Xeon Gold 6238R is the smarter buy today. Xeon Gold 6238R is at an unclear MSRP at $2,612 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 7601 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.9% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (13.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Xeon Gold 6238R is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017) and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 7601 Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6238R Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 7601	Xeon Gold 6238R
1080p
low	187 FPS	196 FPS
medium	165 FPS	158 FPS
high	132 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	157 FPS
medium	127 FPS	123 FPS
high	97 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	71 FPS	72 FPS
medium	63 FPS	60 FPS
high	48 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	38 FPS

Open EPYC 7601 Open Xeon Gold 6238R

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 7601	Xeon Gold 6238R
1080p
low	207 FPS	233 FPS
medium	188 FPS	207 FPS
high	160 FPS	174 FPS
ultra	131 FPS	145 FPS
1440p
low	178 FPS	200 FPS
medium	163 FPS	180 FPS
high	141 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	111 FPS	123 FPS
4K
low	112 FPS	125 FPS
medium	103 FPS	114 FPS
high	92 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	86 FPS

Open EPYC 7601 Open Xeon Gold 6238R

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 7601	Xeon Gold 6238R
1080p
low	620 FPS	869 FPS
medium	518 FPS	869 FPS
high	466 FPS	833 FPS
ultra	399 FPS	753 FPS
1440p
low	517 FPS	761 FPS
medium	432 FPS	676 FPS
high	378 FPS	635 FPS
ultra	325 FPS	569 FPS
4K
low	383 FPS	492 FPS
medium	308 FPS	406 FPS
high	270 FPS	357 FPS
ultra	220 FPS	292 FPS

Open EPYC 7601 Open Xeon Gold 6238R

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 7601	Xeon Gold 6238R
1080p
low	834 FPS	869 FPS
medium	759 FPS	816 FPS
high	652 FPS	703 FPS
ultra	565 FPS	613 FPS
1440p
low	667 FPS	716 FPS
medium	584 FPS	628 FPS
high	500 FPS	539 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	466 FPS
4K
low	475 FPS	521 FPS
medium	427 FPS	465 FPS
high	375 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	322 FPS	351 FPS

Open EPYC 7601 Open Xeon Gold 6238R

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7601 and Xeon Gold 6238R

EPYC 7601

The EPYC 7601 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Naples (2017−2018) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 35,059 points. Launch price was $4,200.

Xeon Gold 6238R

The Xeon Gold 6238R 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 28 cores and 56 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 38.5 MB. L2 cache: 28 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 34,751 points. Launch price was $2,612.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 7601 packs 32 cores / 64 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6238R offers 28 cores / 56 threads — the EPYC 7601 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the EPYC 7601 versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6238R — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6238R (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The EPYC 7601 uses the Naples (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6238R uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7601 scores 35,059 against the Xeon Gold 6238R's 34,751 — a 0.9% lead for the EPYC 7601. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 7601 vs 38.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 6238R.

Feature	EPYC 7601	Xeon Gold 6238R
Cores / Threads	32 / 64+14%	28 / 56
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	4 GHz+25%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)+66%	38.5 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	28 MB+5500%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Naples (2017−2018)	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark	35,059	34,751
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	21,433

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7601 uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6238R uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 2666 on the EPYC 7601 versus DDR4-2933 on the Xeon Gold 6238R — the EPYC 7601 supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7601 supports up to 2048 of RAM compared to 1 TB — 199.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (EPYC 7601) vs 6 (Xeon Gold 6238R). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 7601) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 6238R) — the EPYC 7601 offers 80 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3 (EPYC 7601) and C621,C622,C624,C627,C628 (Xeon Gold 6238R).

Feature	EPYC 7601	Xeon Gold 6238R
Socket	TR4	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	2666+66550%	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	2048	1 TB+52428700%
RAM Channels	8+33%	6
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+167%	48

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon Gold 6238R supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V, SVM (EPYC 7601) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon Gold 6238R). Primary use case: Xeon Gold 6238R targets Server. Direct competitor: EPYC 7601 rivals Xeon Platinum 8180; Xeon Gold 6238R rivals Xeon Gold 6248R.