Xeon Gold 5512U vs Xeon Gold 5520+

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 Gold 5512U

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 185W instead of 205W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (60,367 vs 61,227).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 49.1 vs 56.5 PassMark/$ ($1,230 MSRP vs $1,083 MSRP).

Xeon Gold 5520+

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $147 less on MSRP ($1,083 MSRP vs $1,230 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 56.5 vs 49.1 PassMark/$ ($1,083 MSRP vs $1,230 MSRP).

Trade-offs

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

Xeon Gold 5512U

2023

Xeon Gold 5520+

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 185W instead of 205W, a 20W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Costs $147 less on MSRP ($1,083 MSRP vs $1,230 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 56.5 vs 49.1 PassMark/$ ($1,083 MSRP vs $1,230 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (60,367 vs 61,227).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 49.1 vs 56.5 PassMark/$ ($1,230 MSRP vs $1,083 MSRP).

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 5520+ better than Xeon Gold 5512U?

Yes. Xeon Gold 5520+ is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 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 Gold 5520+ is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5520+ is the better fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 28 cores and 56 threads.

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

Xeon Gold 5520+ is the smarter buy today. Xeon Gold 5520+ is $147 cheaper on MSRP at $1,083 MSRP versus $1,230 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 15.2% better value on MSRP (56.5 vs 49.1 PassMark/$), 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 5520+ is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 28 cores / 56 threads instead of 28/56. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 Gold 5512U Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 5520+ Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon Gold 5512U	Xeon Gold 5520+
1080p
low	184 FPS	185 FPS
medium	162 FPS	162 FPS
high	128 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	153 FPS
medium	129 FPS	129 FPS
high	98 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	70 FPS
medium	62 FPS	62 FPS
high	48 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 5512U Open Xeon Gold 5520+

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon Gold 5512U	Xeon Gold 5520+
1080p
low	270 FPS	266 FPS
medium	241 FPS	238 FPS
high	200 FPS	197 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	164 FPS
1440p
low	227 FPS	227 FPS
medium	205 FPS	205 FPS
high	175 FPS	175 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	140 FPS
4K
low	141 FPS	141 FPS
medium	130 FPS	130 FPS
high	118 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	98 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 5512U Open Xeon Gold 5520+

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon Gold 5512U	Xeon Gold 5520+
1080p
low	777 FPS	875 FPS
medium	691 FPS	792 FPS
high	657 FPS	748 FPS
ultra	581 FPS	658 FPS
1440p
low	672 FPS	749 FPS
medium	594 FPS	674 FPS
high	562 FPS	633 FPS
ultra	503 FPS	564 FPS
4K
low	453 FPS	506 FPS
medium	370 FPS	425 FPS
high	335 FPS	379 FPS
ultra	279 FPS	316 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 5512U Open Xeon Gold 5520+

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon Gold 5512U	Xeon Gold 5520+
1080p
low	940 FPS	935 FPS
medium	841 FPS	842 FPS
high	726 FPS	728 FPS
ultra	622 FPS	632 FPS
1440p
low	762 FPS	768 FPS
medium	666 FPS	674 FPS
high	572 FPS	579 FPS
ultra	484 FPS	498 FPS
4K
low	550 FPS	561 FPS
medium	493 FPS	504 FPS
high	435 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	372 FPS	383 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 5512U Open Xeon Gold 5520+

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Gold 5512U and Xeon Gold 5520+

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.

Xeon Gold 5520+

The Xeon Gold 5520+ 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 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 52.5 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 205 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 61,227 points. Launch price was $1,640.

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Processing Power

Both the Xeon Gold 5512U and Xeon Gold 5520+ share an identical 28-core/56-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5512U versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5520+ — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5520+ (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). Both are built on the Emerald Rapids (2023) architecture using a Intel 7 nm process. In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5512U scores 60,367 against the Xeon Gold 5520+'s 61,227 — a 1.4% lead for the Xeon Gold 5520+. Both processors carry 52.5 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Xeon Gold 5512U	Xeon Gold 5520+
Cores / Threads	28 / 56	28 / 56
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	4 GHz+8%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	2.2 GHz+5%
L3 Cache	52.5 MB (total)	52.5 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-30%	10 nm
Architecture	Emerald Rapids (2023)	Emerald Rapids (2023)
PassMark	60,367	61,227+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,600
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	25,000

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA4677 socket with PCIe 4.0. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Xeon Gold 5512U versus DDR5-4800 on the Xeon Gold 5520+ — the Xeon Gold 5512U supports 199.6% 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 Gold 5512U) and C741 (Xeon Gold 5520+).

Feature	Xeon Gold 5512U	Xeon Gold 5520+
Socket	LGA4677	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+95900%	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	4096	4096 GB+104857500%
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. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Primary use case: Xeon Gold 5520+ targets Enterprise Server. Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 5512U rivals EPYC 9354; Xeon Gold 5520+ rivals EPYC 9354.

Feature	Xeon Gold 5512U	Xeon Gold 5520+
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	—	Enterprise Server

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Value Analysis

The Xeon Gold 5512U launched at $1230 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 5520+ debuted at $1083. On MSRP ($1230 vs $1083), the Xeon Gold 5520+ is $147 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon Gold 5512U delivers 49.1 pts/$ vs 56.5 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 5520+ — making the Xeon Gold 5520+ the 14.1% better value option.