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.

Xeon 6517P

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.9% higher average FPS across 20 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (72 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Costs $1,304 less on MSRP ($1,195 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 112.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 40.8 vs 19.3 PassMark/$ ($1,195 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 190W instead of 250W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Xeon W-3345

2021

Why buy it

✅45.5% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 88) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon 6517P across 20 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (48,140 vs 48,810).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 72 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 19.3 vs 40.8 PassMark/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs $1,195 MSRP).
❌31.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 190W.

Xeon 6517P

2025

Xeon W-3345

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.9% higher average FPS across 20 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (72 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Costs $1,304 less on MSRP ($1,195 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 112.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 40.8 vs 19.3 PassMark/$ ($1,195 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 190W instead of 250W, a 60W reduction.

Why buy it

✅45.5% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 88) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon 6517P across 20 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (48,140 vs 48,810).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 72 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 19.3 vs 40.8 PassMark/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs $1,195 MSRP).
❌31.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 190W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon 6517P better than Xeon W-3345?

Yes. Xeon 6517P is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 4.9% average FPS lead across 20 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.4% 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 6517P is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 4.9% more average FPS across 20 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon 6517P is the better fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (72 MB vs 36 MB).

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

Xeon 6517P is the smarter buy today. Xeon 6517P is $1,304 cheaper on MSRP at $1,195 MSRP versus $2,499 MSRP, and it gives you a 4.9% average FPS lead across 20 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 112.0% better value on MSRP (40.8 vs 19.3 PassMark/$), 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 6517P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2021), a healthier platform with LGA4710 and DDR5 instead of LGA4189, 100% larger total L3 cache (72 MB vs 36 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 24/48. 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.

Xeon 6517P Benchmark Check

Xeon W-3345 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon 6517P	Xeon W-3345
1080p
low	192 FPS	194 FPS
medium	153 FPS	155 FPS
high	123 FPS	127 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	157 FPS	159 FPS
medium	122 FPS	124 FPS
high	95 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	72 FPS	73 FPS
medium	60 FPS	60 FPS
high	47 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	39 FPS

Open Xeon 6517P Open Xeon W-3345

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon 6517P	Xeon W-3345
1080p
low	559 FPS	497 FPS
medium	488 FPS	431 FPS
high	396 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	353 FPS	285 FPS
1440p
low	483 FPS	425 FPS
medium	426 FPS	376 FPS
high	357 FPS	309 FPS
ultra	299 FPS	245 FPS
4K
low	302 FPS	264 FPS
medium	270 FPS	237 FPS
high	244 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	220 FPS	174 FPS

Open Xeon 6517P Open Xeon W-3345

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon 6517P	Xeon W-3345
1080p
low	1025 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	986 FPS	973 FPS
high	910 FPS	914 FPS
ultra	824 FPS	826 FPS
1440p
low	859 FPS	841 FPS
medium	755 FPS	744 FPS
high	697 FPS	699 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	626 FPS
4K
low	541 FPS	540 FPS
medium	442 FPS	444 FPS
high	389 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	320 FPS

Open Xeon 6517P Open Xeon W-3345

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon 6517P	Xeon W-3345
1080p
low	1022 FPS	938 FPS
medium	916 FPS	847 FPS
high	782 FPS	732 FPS
ultra	672 FPS	635 FPS
1440p
low	788 FPS	735 FPS
medium	689 FPS	645 FPS
high	586 FPS	554 FPS
ultra	504 FPS	481 FPS
4K
low	563 FPS	534 FPS
medium	501 FPS	477 FPS
high	441 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	377 FPS	362 FPS

Open Xeon 6517P Open Xeon W-3345

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon 6517P and Xeon W-3345

Xeon 6517P

The Xeon 6517P is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Granite Rapids (2024−2025) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 72 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4710. Thermal design power (TDP): 190 Watt. Memory support: DDR5(6400MT/s). Passmark benchmark score: 48,810 points. Launch price was $1,195.

Xeon W-3345

The Xeon W-3345 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-W (2021) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 48,140 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Xeon 6517P packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon W-3345 offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon W-3345 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Xeon 6517P versus 4 GHz on the Xeon W-3345 — a 4.9% clock advantage for the Xeon 6517P (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Xeon 6517P uses the Granite Rapids (2024−2025) architecture (Intel 3 nm), while the Xeon W-3345 uses Ice Lake-W (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon 6517P scores 48,810 against the Xeon W-3345's 48,140 — a 1.4% lead for the Xeon 6517P. L3 cache: 72 MB (total) on the Xeon 6517P vs 36 MB (total) on the Xeon W-3345.

Feature	Xeon 6517P	Xeon W-3345
Cores / Threads	16 / 32	24 / 48+50%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+5%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+7%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	72 MB (total)+100%	36 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 3 nm-70%	10 nm
Architecture	Granite Rapids (2024−2025)	Ice Lake-W (2021)
PassMark	48,810+1%	48,140

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon 6517P uses the LGA4710 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon W-3345 uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 6400 on the Xeon 6517P versus 3200 on the Xeon W-3345 — the Xeon 6517P supports 66.7% 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: 88 (Xeon 6517P) vs 128 (Xeon W-3345) — the Xeon W-3345 offers 40 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Granite Rapids-SP (Xeon 6517P) and SP3,C621A (Xeon W-3345).

Feature	Xeon 6517P	Xeon W-3345
Socket	LGA4710	LGA4189
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	6400+100%	3200
Max RAM Capacity	4096	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	88	128+45%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Direct competitor: Xeon 6517P rivals EPYC 9554; Xeon W-3345 rivals Xeon Platinum 8362.

Feature	Xeon 6517P	Xeon W-3345
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon 6517P launched at $1195 MSRP, while the Xeon W-3345 debuted at $2499. On MSRP ($1195 vs $2499), the Xeon 6517P is $1304 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon 6517P delivers 40.8 pts/$ vs 19.3 pts/$ for the Xeon W-3345 — making the Xeon 6517P the 71.8% better value option.