
Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
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Xeon Gold 6248
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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.
Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
2018Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +3.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
Trade-offs
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $899 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 6248 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.
- ❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.
Xeon Gold 6248
2019Why buy it
- ✅Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.
- ✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 2950X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (19,000 vs 21,444).
Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
2018Xeon Gold 6248
2019Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +3.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
Why buy it
- ✅Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.
- ✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.
Trade-offs
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $899 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 6248 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.
- ❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 2950X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (19,000 vs 21,444).
Quick Answers
So, is Ryzen Threadripper 2950X better than Xeon Gold 6248?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
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
| Preset | Ryzen Threadripper 2950X | Xeon Gold 6248 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 200 FPS | 186 FPS |
| medium | 175 FPS | 151 FPS |
| high | 143 FPS | 123 FPS |
| ultra | 115 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 157 FPS | 146 FPS |
| medium | 131 FPS | 115 FPS |
| high | 106 FPS | 92 FPS |
| ultra | 86 FPS | 72 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 83 FPS | 68 FPS |
| medium | 74 FPS | 57 FPS |
| high | 59 FPS | 45 FPS |
| ultra | 46 FPS | 36 FPS |

Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | Ryzen Threadripper 2950X | Xeon Gold 6248 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 532 FPS | 401 FPS |
| medium | 463 FPS | 349 FPS |
| high | 395 FPS | 290 FPS |
| ultra | 351 FPS | 244 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 471 FPS | 348 FPS |
| medium | 417 FPS | 310 FPS |
| high | 359 FPS | 259 FPS |
| ultra | 307 FPS | 215 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 302 FPS | 227 FPS |
| medium | 267 FPS | 202 FPS |
| high | 247 FPS | 179 FPS |
| ultra | 213 FPS | 147 FPS |

League of Legends
| Preset | Ryzen Threadripper 2950X | Xeon Gold 6248 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 737 FPS | 738 FPS |
| medium | 630 FPS | 738 FPS |
| high | 584 FPS | 730 FPS |
| ultra | 509 FPS | 648 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 632 FPS | 705 FPS |
| medium | 525 FPS | 605 FPS |
| high | 471 FPS | 573 FPS |
| ultra | 410 FPS | 506 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 461 FPS | 455 FPS |
| medium | 371 FPS | 357 FPS |
| high | 332 FPS | 318 FPS |
| ultra | 274 FPS | 259 FPS |

Valorant
| Preset | Ryzen Threadripper 2950X | Xeon Gold 6248 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 737 FPS | 738 FPS |
| medium | 737 FPS | 738 FPS |
| high | 714 FPS | 663 FPS |
| ultra | 636 FPS | 576 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 737 FPS | 682 FPS |
| medium | 667 FPS | 598 FPS |
| high | 570 FPS | 516 FPS |
| ultra | 500 FPS | 442 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 515 FPS | 469 FPS |
| medium | 468 FPS | 421 FPS |
| high | 415 FPS | 377 FPS |
| ultra | 364 FPS | 327 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen Threadripper 2950X and Xeon Gold 6248


Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
The Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 August 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the ZEN+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 29,462 points. Launch price was $899.

Xeon Gold 6248
Xeon Gold 6248
The Xeon Gold 6248 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 27.5 MB. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 29,535 points. Launch price was $3,072.
Processing Power
The Ryzen Threadripper 2950X packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6248 offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon Gold 6248 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6248 — a 12% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Ryzen Threadripper 2950X uses the ZEN+ (2018−2019) architecture (12 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6248 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X scores 29,462 against the Xeon Gold 6248's 29,535 — a 0.2% lead for the Xeon Gold 6248. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 21,444 vs 19,000 (12.1% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,255 vs 1,327, a 5.6% lead for the Xeon Gold 6248 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 8,814 vs 15,277 (53.7% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6248). L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X vs 27.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 6248.
| Feature | Ryzen Threadripper 2950X | Xeon Gold 6248 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 16 / 32 | 20 / 40+25% |
| Boost Clock | 4.4 GHz+13% | 3.9 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.5 GHz+40% | 2.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 32 MB+16% | 27.5 MB |
| L2 Cache | 512K (per core) | 20 MB+3900% |
| Process | 12 nm-14% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | ZEN+ (2018−2019) | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 29,462 | 29,535 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 21,444+13% | 19,000 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,255 | 1,327+6% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 8,814 | 15,277+73% |
Memory & Platform
The Ryzen Threadripper 2950X uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6248 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2933 memory speed. The Xeon Gold 6248 supports up to 1024 GB of RAM compared to 256 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 2950X) vs 6 (Xeon Gold 6248). PCIe lanes: 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 2950X) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 6248) — the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Socket TR4 / X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 2950X) and C620 (Xeon Gold 6248).
| Feature | Ryzen Threadripper 2950X | Xeon Gold 6248 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | TR4 | LGA3647 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+33% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2933 | DDR4-2933 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 256 GB | 1024 GB+300% |
| RAM Channels | 4 | 6+50% |
| ECC Support | Yes | Yes |
| PCIe Lanes | 64+33% | 48 |
Advanced Features
Only the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon Gold 6248 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper 2950X) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon Gold 6248). Primary use case: Xeon Gold 6248 targets General Purpose Enterprise Server. Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 6248 rivals EPYC 7352.
| Feature | Ryzen Threadripper 2950X | Xeon Gold 6248 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | Yes | No |
| AVX-512 | No | Yes |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | General Purpose Enterprise Server |
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