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 6520P

2025

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 144 MB vs 60 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.
✅Costs $1,312 less on MSRP ($1,295 MSRP vs $2,607 MSRP).
✅Delivers 105.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 49.4 vs 24.0 PassMark/$ ($1,295 MSRP vs $2,607 MSRP).
✅10% more PCIe lanes (88 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

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

Xeon Gold 6438Y+

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 205W instead of 210W, a 5W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (60 MB vs 144 MB).
❌Lower PassMark (62,660 vs 64,010).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 24.0 vs 49.4 PassMark/$ ($2,607 MSRP vs $1,295 MSRP).

Xeon 6520P

2025

Xeon Gold 6438Y+

2023

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 144 MB vs 60 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.
✅Costs $1,312 less on MSRP ($1,295 MSRP vs $2,607 MSRP).
✅Delivers 105.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 49.4 vs 24.0 PassMark/$ ($1,295 MSRP vs $2,607 MSRP).
✅10% more PCIe lanes (88 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 205W instead of 210W, a 5W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (60 MB vs 144 MB).
❌Lower PassMark (62,660 vs 64,010).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 24.0 vs 49.4 PassMark/$ ($2,607 MSRP vs $1,295 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon 6520P better than Xeon Gold 6438Y+?

Yes. Xeon 6520P is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2.2% 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 6520P is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.1% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 144 MB vs 60 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon 6520P is the better fit. You are getting 2.2% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 140% larger total L3 cache (144 MB vs 60 MB).

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

Xeon 6520P is the smarter buy today. Xeon 6520P is $1,312 cheaper on MSRP at $1,295 MSRP versus $2,607 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 105.6% better value on MSRP (49.4 vs 24.0 PassMark/$), 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 6520P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 144 MB L3 cache instead of 60 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 32/64. 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 6520P Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6438Y+ Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon 6520P	Xeon Gold 6438Y+
1080p
low	188 FPS	200 FPS
medium	165 FPS	165 FPS
high	131 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	155 FPS	159 FPS
medium	131 FPS	124 FPS
high	100 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	73 FPS
medium	63 FPS	61 FPS
high	49 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	40 FPS	39 FPS

Open Xeon 6520P Open Xeon Gold 6438Y+

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon 6520P	Xeon Gold 6438Y+
1080p
low	520 FPS	263 FPS
medium	460 FPS	233 FPS
high	375 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	161 FPS
1440p
low	425 FPS	225 FPS
medium	383 FPS	203 FPS
high	321 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	256 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	262 FPS	140 FPS
medium	239 FPS	128 FPS
high	212 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	98 FPS

Open Xeon 6520P Open Xeon Gold 6438Y+

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon 6520P	Xeon Gold 6438Y+
1080p
low	910 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	838 FPS	961 FPS
high	791 FPS	906 FPS
ultra	698 FPS	822 FPS
1440p
low	782 FPS	831 FPS
medium	716 FPS	739 FPS
high	673 FPS	685 FPS
ultra	601 FPS	615 FPS
4K
low	528 FPS	531 FPS
medium	444 FPS	437 FPS
high	396 FPS	378 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	310 FPS

Open Xeon 6520P Open Xeon Gold 6438Y+

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon 6520P	Xeon Gold 6438Y+
1080p
low	985 FPS	916 FPS
medium	887 FPS	832 FPS
high	767 FPS	717 FPS
ultra	666 FPS	621 FPS
1440p
low	804 FPS	721 FPS
medium	700 FPS	634 FPS
high	603 FPS	543 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	470 FPS
4K
low	580 FPS	525 FPS
medium	521 FPS	469 FPS
high	462 FPS	411 FPS
ultra	398 FPS	354 FPS

Open Xeon 6520P Open Xeon Gold 6438Y+

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon 6520P and Xeon Gold 6438Y+

Xeon 6520P

The Xeon 6520P 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 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 144 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4710. Thermal design power (TDP): 210 Watt. Memory support: DDR5(6400MT/s). Passmark benchmark score: 64,010 points. Launch price was $1,295.

Xeon Gold 6438Y+

The Xeon Gold 6438Y+ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 60 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 205 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 62,660 points. Launch price was $3,141.

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Processing Power

The Xeon 6520P packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6438Y+ offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Xeon Gold 6438Y+ has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon 6520P versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6438Y+ — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Xeon 6520P uses the Granite Rapids (2024−2025) architecture (Intel 3 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6438Y+ uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon 6520P scores 64,010 against the Xeon Gold 6438Y+'s 62,660 — a 2.1% lead for the Xeon 6520P. L3 cache: 144 MB (total) on the Xeon 6520P vs 60 MB on the Xeon Gold 6438Y+.

Feature	Xeon 6520P	Xeon Gold 6438Y+
Cores / Threads	24 / 48	32 / 64+33%
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+20%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	144 MB (total)+140%	60 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 3 nm-70%	10 nm
Architecture	Granite Rapids (2024−2025)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	64,010+2%	62,660
Geekbench 6 Single	1,900	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	25,000	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon 6520P uses the LGA4710 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Gold 6438Y+ uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-6400 on the Xeon 6520P versus 4800 on the Xeon Gold 6438Y+ — the Xeon Gold 6438Y+ supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6438Y+ supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 4 TB — 199.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 88 (Xeon 6520P) vs 80 (Xeon Gold 6438Y+) — the Xeon 6520P offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FCLGA4710 (Xeon 6520P) and C741 (Xeon Gold 6438Y+).

Feature	Xeon 6520P	Xeon Gold 6438Y+
Socket	LGA4710	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400	4800+95900%
Max RAM Capacity	4 TB+104857500%	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	88+10%	80

🔧

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. Primary use case: Xeon 6520P targets Server. Direct competitor: Xeon 6520P rivals EPYC 9254; Xeon Gold 6438Y+ rivals EPYC 9354.

Feature	Xeon 6520P	Xeon Gold 6438Y+
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Server	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon 6520P launched at $1295 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6438Y+ debuted at $2607. On MSRP ($1295 vs $2607), the Xeon 6520P is $1312 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon 6520P delivers 49.4 pts/$ vs 24.0 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6438Y+ — making the Xeon 6520P the 69.1% better value option.