Core i7-11700KF vs Xeon Gold 6122

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.

Core i7-11700KF

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +40.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 28 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6122, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $374 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 6122 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon Gold 6122

2018

Why buy it

✅+75% larger total L3 cache (28 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads.
✅Draws 120W instead of 125W, a 5W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-11700KF across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (23,781 vs 23,811).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Core i7-11700KF

2021

Xeon Gold 6122

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +40.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Why buy it

✅+75% larger total L3 cache (28 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads.
✅Draws 120W instead of 125W, a 5W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 28 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6122, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $374 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 6122 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-11700KF across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (23,781 vs 23,811).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-11700KF better than Xeon Gold 6122?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Gold 6122 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-11700KF is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-11700KF is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 40.9% 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, Core i7-11700KF is the better fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i7-11700KF is the smarter buy today. Core i7-11700KF is at an unclear MSRP at $374 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 40.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (63.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Core i7-11700KF is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2018), more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 20/40, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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.

Core i7-11700KF Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6122 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-11700KF	Xeon Gold 6122
1080p
low	301 FPS	186 FPS
medium	264 FPS	151 FPS
high	222 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	247 FPS	146 FPS
medium	195 FPS	115 FPS
high	159 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	68 FPS
medium	136 FPS	57 FPS
high	105 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i7-11700KF Open Xeon Gold 6122

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-11700KF	Xeon Gold 6122
1080p
low	595 FPS	211 FPS
medium	529 FPS	188 FPS
high	454 FPS	161 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	136 FPS
1440p
low	594 FPS	183 FPS
medium	493 FPS	166 FPS
high	421 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	361 FPS	120 FPS
4K
low	400 FPS	119 FPS
medium	342 FPS	109 FPS
high	320 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	82 FPS

Open Core i7-11700KF Open Xeon Gold 6122

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-11700KF	Xeon Gold 6122
1080p
low	595 FPS	595 FPS
medium	595 FPS	559 FPS
high	595 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	567 FPS	439 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	558 FPS
medium	595 FPS	453 FPS
high	546 FPS	411 FPS
ultra	468 FPS	355 FPS
4K
low	582 FPS	405 FPS
medium	482 FPS	315 FPS
high	425 FPS	281 FPS
ultra	354 FPS	225 FPS

Open Core i7-11700KF Open Xeon Gold 6122

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-11700KF	Xeon Gold 6122
1080p
low	595 FPS	595 FPS
medium	595 FPS	595 FPS
high	595 FPS	595 FPS
ultra	595 FPS	577 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	595 FPS
medium	595 FPS	595 FPS
high	595 FPS	513 FPS
ultra	595 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	595 FPS	471 FPS
medium	565 FPS	421 FPS
high	510 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	325 FPS

Open Core i7-11700KF Open Xeon Gold 6122

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-11700KF and Xeon Gold 6122

Core i7-11700KF

The Core i7-11700KF is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 23,811 points. Launch price was $299.

Xeon Gold 6122

The Xeon Gold 6122 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 28 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 23,781 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-11700KF packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6122 offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon Gold 6122 has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-11700KF versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6122 — a 29.9% clock advantage for the Core i7-11700KF (base: 3.6 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i7-11700KF is built on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i7-11700KF scores 23,811 against the Xeon Gold 6122's 23,781 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-11700KF. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i7-11700KF vs 28 MB on the Xeon Gold 6122.

Feature	Core i7-11700KF	Xeon Gold 6122
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	20 / 40+150%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+35%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+100%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	28 MB+75%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	—
PassMark	23,811	23,781
Cinebench R23 Multi	15,011	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,287	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	10,874	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-11700KF uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6122 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-11700KF	Xeon Gold 6122
Socket	LGA1200	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—