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 6740E

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 250W instead of 300W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.5 vs 16.7 PassMark/$ ($5,265 MSRP vs $4,491 MSRP).

Xeon Platinum 8461V

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $774 less on MSRP ($4,491 MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 16.7 vs 14.5 PassMark/$ ($4,491 MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon 6740E across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (74,982 vs 76,167).
❌20% higher power demand at 300W vs 250W.

Xeon 6740E

2024

Xeon Platinum 8461V

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 250W instead of 300W, a 50W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Costs $774 less on MSRP ($4,491 MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 16.7 vs 14.5 PassMark/$ ($4,491 MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.5 vs 16.7 PassMark/$ ($5,265 MSRP vs $4,491 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon 6740E across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (74,982 vs 76,167).
❌20% higher power demand at 300W vs 250W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon 6740E better than Xeon Platinum 8461V?

Yes. Xeon 6740E is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 4.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.6% 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 6740E is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 4.8% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon 6740E is the better fit. You are getting 1.6% better PassMark, backed by 96 cores and 96 threads.

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

Xeon 6740E is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Platinum 8461V makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon 6740E is 17.2% more expensive on MSRP at $5,265 MSRP versus $4,491 MSRP, and it gives you a 4.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon Platinum 8461V is also 15.4% better value on MSRP (16.7 vs 14.5 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Xeon 6740E is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023) and more multi-core headroom with 96 cores / 96 threads instead of 48/96. 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 6740E Benchmark Check

Xeon Platinum 8461V Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Platinum 8461V
1080p
low	189 FPS	191 FPS
medium	152 FPS	172 FPS
high	121 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	114 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	156 FPS
medium	119 FPS	132 FPS
high	91 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	73 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	71 FPS	71 FPS
medium	59 FPS	64 FPS
high	46 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	40 FPS

Open Xeon 6740E Open Xeon Platinum 8461V

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Platinum 8461V
1080p
low	437 FPS	282 FPS
medium	378 FPS	250 FPS
high	306 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	241 FPS	169 FPS
1440p
low	359 FPS	230 FPS
medium	319 FPS	208 FPS
high	266 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	203 FPS	141 FPS
4K
low	222 FPS	143 FPS
medium	201 FPS	131 FPS
high	168 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	99 FPS

Open Xeon 6740E Open Xeon Platinum 8461V

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Platinum 8461V
1080p
low	934 FPS	814 FPS
medium	831 FPS	737 FPS
high	779 FPS	703 FPS
ultra	693 FPS	624 FPS
1440p
low	746 FPS	723 FPS
medium	655 FPS	651 FPS
high	614 FPS	608 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	547 FPS
4K
low	479 FPS	486 FPS
medium	378 FPS	397 FPS
high	334 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	272 FPS	294 FPS

Open Xeon 6740E Open Xeon Platinum 8461V

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Platinum 8461V
1080p
low	918 FPS	1027 FPS
medium	830 FPS	909 FPS
high	715 FPS	782 FPS
ultra	610 FPS	657 FPS
1440p
low	710 FPS	843 FPS
medium	620 FPS	721 FPS
high	530 FPS	618 FPS
ultra	450 FPS	515 FPS
4K
low	509 FPS	609 FPS
medium	455 FPS	533 FPS
high	400 FPS	471 FPS
ultra	344 FPS	395 FPS

Open Xeon 6740E Open Xeon Platinum 8461V

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon 6740E and Xeon Platinum 8461V

Xeon 6740E

The Xeon 6740E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 June 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Sierra Forest (2024) architecture. It features 96 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 4 MB (per module). Built on Intel 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4710. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 76,167 points. Launch price was $5,265.

Xeon Platinum 8461V

The Xeon Platinum 8461V 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 48 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 97.5 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 300 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 74,982 points. Launch price was $4,491.

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Processing Power

The Xeon 6740E packs 96 cores / 96 threads, while the Xeon Platinum 8461V offers 48 cores / 96 threads — the Xeon 6740E has 48 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Xeon 6740E versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Platinum 8461V — a 14.5% clock advantage for the Xeon Platinum 8461V (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Xeon 6740E uses the Sierra Forest (2024) architecture (Intel 3 nm), while the Xeon Platinum 8461V uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon 6740E scores 76,167 against the Xeon Platinum 8461V's 74,982 — a 1.6% lead for the Xeon 6740E. L3 cache: 96 MB (total) on the Xeon 6740E vs 97.5 MB on the Xeon Platinum 8461V.

Feature	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Platinum 8461V
Cores / Threads	96 / 96+100%	48 / 96
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	3.7 GHz+16%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+9%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	96 MB (total)	97.5 MB+2%
L2 Cache	4 MB (per module)+100%	2 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 3 nm-57%	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Sierra Forest (2024)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	76,167+2%	74,982

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon 6740E uses the LGA4710 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Platinum 8461V uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 6400 on the Xeon 6740E versus 4800 on the Xeon Platinum 8461V — the Xeon 6740E supports 28.6% 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. Both provide 80 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: C741 (Xeon 6740E) and C741 (Xeon Platinum 8461V).

Feature	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Platinum 8461V
Socket	LGA4710	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	6400+33%	4800
Max RAM Capacity	4096	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	80	80

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, TDX (Xeon 6740E) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Platinum 8461V). Direct competitor: Xeon 6740E rivals EPYC 9005; Xeon Platinum 8461V rivals EPYC 9454.

Feature	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Platinum 8461V
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, TDX	VT-x, VT-d

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Value Analysis

The Xeon 6740E launched at $5265 MSRP, while the Xeon Platinum 8461V debuted at $4491. On MSRP ($5265 vs $4491), the Xeon Platinum 8461V is $774 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon 6740E delivers 14.5 pts/$ vs 16.7 pts/$ for the Xeon Platinum 8461V — making the Xeon Platinum 8461V the 14.3% better value option.