EPYC 7642 vs Xeon Gold 5512U

AMD

EPYC 7642

48 Cores96 Thrd225 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2019

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 5512U

28 Cores56 Thrd185 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2023

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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 7642

2019

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +10.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • 60% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (59,333 vs 60,367).
  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.4 vs 49.1 PassMark/$ ($4,775 MSRP vs $1,230 MSRP).
  • 21.6% higher power demand at 225W vs 185W.
  • Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Xeon Gold 5512U moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Xeon Gold 5512U

2023

Why buy it

  • +1.7% higher PassMark.
  • Costs $3,545 less on MSRP ($1,230 MSRP vs $4,775 MSRP).
  • Delivers 295.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 49.1 vs 12.4 PassMark/$ ($1,230 MSRP vs $4,775 MSRP).
  • Draws 185W instead of 225W, a 40W reduction.
  • Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7642 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 5512U better than EPYC 7642?
It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, EPYC 7642 is ahead with a 10.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5512U pulls ahead with 1.7% better PassMark. EPYC 7642 also has the bigger cache pool with 387.6% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 53 MB).
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5512U is the better fit. You are getting 1.7% better PassMark, backed by 28 cores and 56 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Xeon Gold 5512U is the smarter buy today. Xeon Gold 5512U is $3,545 cheaper on MSRP at $1,230 MSRP versus $4,775 MSRP, and it gives you 1.7% better PassMark. The trade-off is that EPYC 7642 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 10.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 295.0% better value on MSRP (49.1 vs 12.4 PassMark/$), 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 5512U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2019), a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of TR4, more multi-core headroom with 28 cores / 56 threads instead of 48/96, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 7642Xeon Gold 5512U
1080p
low192 FPS184 FPS
medium172 FPS162 FPS
high138 FPS128 FPS
ultra110 FPS104 FPS
1440p
low157 FPS153 FPS
medium132 FPS129 FPS
high101 FPS98 FPS
ultra82 FPS81 FPS
4K
low72 FPS69 FPS
medium65 FPS62 FPS
high50 FPS48 FPS
ultra40 FPS39 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetEPYC 7642Xeon Gold 5512U
1080p
low427 FPS270 FPS
medium381 FPS241 FPS
high312 FPS200 FPS
ultra249 FPS166 FPS
1440p
low351 FPS227 FPS
medium321 FPS205 FPS
high271 FPS175 FPS
ultra210 FPS140 FPS
4K
low216 FPS141 FPS
medium202 FPS130 FPS
high171 FPS118 FPS
ultra139 FPS98 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetEPYC 7642Xeon Gold 5512U
1080p
low629 FPS777 FPS
medium536 FPS691 FPS
high486 FPS657 FPS
ultra415 FPS581 FPS
1440p
low524 FPS672 FPS
medium446 FPS594 FPS
high394 FPS562 FPS
ultra338 FPS503 FPS
4K
low389 FPS453 FPS
medium312 FPS370 FPS
high274 FPS335 FPS
ultra224 FPS279 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetEPYC 7642Xeon Gold 5512U
1080p
low909 FPS940 FPS
medium829 FPS841 FPS
high715 FPS726 FPS
ultra619 FPS622 FPS
1440p
low714 FPS762 FPS
medium624 FPS666 FPS
high535 FPS572 FPS
ultra455 FPS484 FPS
4K
low505 FPS550 FPS
medium455 FPS493 FPS
high401 FPS435 FPS
ultra346 FPS372 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 7642 and Xeon Gold 5512U

AMD

EPYC 7642

The EPYC 7642 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 48 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 225 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 59,333 points. Launch price was $4,775.

Intel

Xeon Gold 5512U

The Xeon Gold 5512U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Emerald Rapids (2023) architecture. It features 28 cores and 56 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 52.5 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 185 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 60,367 points. Launch price was $1,230.

Processing Power

The EPYC 7642 packs 48 cores / 96 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5512U offers 28 cores / 56 threads — the EPYC 7642 has 20 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the EPYC 7642 versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5512U — a 8.5% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5512U (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The EPYC 7642 uses the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture (7 nm, 14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5512U uses Emerald Rapids (2023) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7642 scores 59,333 against the Xeon Gold 5512U's 60,367 — a 1.7% lead for the Xeon Gold 5512U. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 7642 vs 52.5 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 5512U.

FeatureEPYC 7642Xeon Gold 5512U
Cores / Threads
48 / 96+71%
28 / 56
Boost Clock
3.4 GHz
3.7 GHz+9%
Base Clock
2.4 GHz+14%
2.1 GHz
L3 Cache
256 MB (total)+388%
52.5 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512K (per core)
2 MB (per core)+300%
Process
7 nm, 14 nm
Intel 7 nm
Architecture
Zen 2 (2017−2020)
Emerald Rapids (2023)
PassMark
59,333
60,367+2%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7642 uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 5512U uses LGA4677 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 3200 on the EPYC 7642 versus 4800 on the Xeon Gold 5512U — the Xeon Gold 5512U supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 4096 of RAM. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 7642) vs 80 (Xeon Gold 5512U) — the EPYC 7642 offers 48 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3 (EPYC 7642) and C741 (Xeon Gold 5512U).

FeatureEPYC 7642Xeon Gold 5512U
Socket
TR4
LGA4677
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
3200
4800+50%
Max RAM Capacity
4096
4096
RAM Channels
8
8
ECC Support
Yes
Yes
PCIe Lanes
128+60%
80
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon Gold 5512U supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Direct competitor: EPYC 7642 rivals Xeon Platinum 8380; Xeon Gold 5512U rivals EPYC 9354.

FeatureEPYC 7642Xeon Gold 5512U
Integrated GPU
No
No
IGPU Model
None
None
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
VT-x, VT-d
💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 7642 launched at $4775 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 5512U debuted at $1230. On MSRP ($4775 vs $1230), the Xeon Gold 5512U is $3545 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7642 delivers 12.4 pts/$ vs 49.1 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 5512U — making the Xeon Gold 5512U the 119.2% better value option.

FeatureEPYC 7642Xeon Gold 5512U
MSRP
$4775
$1230-74%
Performance per Dollar
12.4
49.1+296%
Release Date
2019
2023