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 5520+

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $5,457 less on MSRP ($1,083 MSRP vs $6,540 MSRP).
✅Delivers 493.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 56.5 vs 9.5 PassMark/$ ($1,083 MSRP vs $6,540 MSRP).
✅Draws 205W instead of 270W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Platinum 8454H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (61,227 vs 62,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (53 MB vs 83 MB).

Xeon Platinum 8454H

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+57.1% larger total L3 cache (83 MB vs 53 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.5 vs 56.5 PassMark/$ ($6,540 MSRP vs $1,083 MSRP).
❌31.7% higher power demand at 270W vs 205W.

Xeon Gold 5520+

2023

Xeon Platinum 8454H

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $5,457 less on MSRP ($1,083 MSRP vs $6,540 MSRP).
✅Delivers 493.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 56.5 vs 9.5 PassMark/$ ($1,083 MSRP vs $6,540 MSRP).
✅Draws 205W instead of 270W, a 65W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+57.1% larger total L3 cache (83 MB vs 53 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Platinum 8454H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (61,227 vs 62,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (53 MB vs 83 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.5 vs 56.5 PassMark/$ ($6,540 MSRP vs $1,083 MSRP).
❌31.7% higher power demand at 270W vs 205W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Platinum 8454H better than Xeon Gold 5520+?

Yes. Xeon Platinum 8454H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 8.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.8% 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 Platinum 8454H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 8.1% 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 Platinum 8454H is the better fit. You are getting 1.8% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 57.1% larger total L3 cache (83 MB vs 53 MB).

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

Xeon Platinum 8454H is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Gold 5520+ makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon Platinum 8454H is 503.9% more expensive on MSRP at $6,540 MSRP versus $1,083 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon Gold 5520+ is also 493.0% better value on MSRP (56.5 vs 9.5 PassMark/$), 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 Platinum 8454H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 57.1% larger total L3 cache (83 MB vs 53 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 32 cores / 64 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 5520+ Benchmark Check

Xeon Platinum 8454H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon Gold 5520+	Xeon Platinum 8454H
1080p
low	185 FPS	186 FPS
medium	162 FPS	168 FPS
high	129 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	109 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	153 FPS
medium	129 FPS	129 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	71 FPS
medium	62 FPS	63 FPS
high	48 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	40 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 5520+Open Xeon Platinum 8454H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon Gold 5520+	Xeon Platinum 8454H
1080p
low	266 FPS	250 FPS
medium	238 FPS	224 FPS
high	197 FPS	186 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	148 FPS
1440p
low	227 FPS	205 FPS
medium	205 FPS	187 FPS
high	175 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	124 FPS
4K
low	141 FPS	128 FPS
medium	130 FPS	119 FPS
high	118 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	83 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 5520+Open Xeon Platinum 8454H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon Gold 5520+	Xeon Platinum 8454H
1080p
low	875 FPS	811 FPS
medium	792 FPS	735 FPS
high	748 FPS	700 FPS
ultra	658 FPS	624 FPS
1440p
low	749 FPS	724 FPS
medium	674 FPS	651 FPS
high	633 FPS	608 FPS
ultra	564 FPS	547 FPS
4K
low	506 FPS	486 FPS
medium	425 FPS	397 FPS
high	379 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	316 FPS	294 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 5520+Open Xeon Platinum 8454H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon Gold 5520+	Xeon Platinum 8454H
1080p
low	935 FPS	1084 FPS
medium	842 FPS	965 FPS
high	728 FPS	823 FPS
ultra	632 FPS	679 FPS
1440p
low	768 FPS	891 FPS
medium	674 FPS	765 FPS
high	579 FPS	650 FPS
ultra	498 FPS	536 FPS
4K
low	561 FPS	646 FPS
medium	504 FPS	567 FPS
high	445 FPS	496 FPS
ultra	383 FPS	415 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 5520+Open Xeon Platinum 8454H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Gold 5520+ and Xeon Platinum 8454H

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.

Xeon Platinum 8454H

The Xeon Platinum 8454H 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 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 82.5 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 270 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 62,347 points. Launch price was $6,540.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 5520+ packs 28 cores / 56 threads, while the Xeon Platinum 8454H offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Xeon Platinum 8454H has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5520+ versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon Platinum 8454H — a 16.2% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5520+ (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5520+ uses the Emerald Rapids (2023) architecture (10 nm), while the Xeon Platinum 8454H uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5520+ scores 61,227 against the Xeon Platinum 8454H's 62,347 — a 1.8% lead for the Xeon Platinum 8454H. L3 cache: 52.5 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 5520+ vs 82.5 MB on the Xeon Platinum 8454H.

Feature	Xeon Gold 5520+	Xeon Platinum 8454H
Cores / Threads	28 / 56	32 / 64+14%
Boost Clock	4 GHz+18%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz+5%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	52.5 MB (total)	82.5 MB+57%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Emerald Rapids (2023)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	61,227	62,347+2%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,600	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	25,000	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA4677 socket with PCIe 4.0. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the Xeon Gold 5520+ versus 4800 on the Xeon Platinum 8454H — the Xeon Platinum 8454H supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 4096 GB of RAM. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 80 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: C741 (Xeon Gold 5520+) and C741 (Xeon Platinum 8454H).

Feature	Xeon Gold 5520+	Xeon Platinum 8454H
Socket	LGA4677	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	4800+95900%
Max RAM Capacity	4096 GB+104857500%	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	80	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 Gold 5520+ targets Enterprise Server. Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 5520+ rivals EPYC 9354; Xeon Platinum 8454H rivals EPYC 9354.

Feature	Xeon Gold 5520+	Xeon Platinum 8454H
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	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon Gold 5520+ launched at $1083 MSRP, while the Xeon Platinum 8454H debuted at $6540. On MSRP ($1083 vs $6540), the Xeon Gold 5520+ is $5457 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon Gold 5520+ delivers 56.5 pts/$ vs 9.5 pts/$ for the Xeon Platinum 8454H — making the Xeon Gold 5520+ the 142.3% better value option.