M4 (10 cores) 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.

M4 (10 cores)

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 4W instead of 120W, a 116W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6122, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads.

Xeon Gold 6122

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M4 (10 cores) across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (23,781 vs 23,784).
❌2900% higher power demand at 120W vs 4W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while M4 (10 cores) moves to none and DDR5.

M4 (10 cores)

2024

Xeon Gold 6122

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 4W instead of 120W, a 116W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6122, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M4 (10 cores) across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (23,781 vs 23,784).
❌2900% higher power demand at 120W vs 4W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while M4 (10 cores) moves to none and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is M4 (10 cores) 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 M4 (10 cores) 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, M4 (10 cores) is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 18.2% 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, M4 (10 cores) is the better fit. You are getting 0% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 10 threads.

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

M4 (10 cores) still looks like the safer overall buy. M4 (10 cores) is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 18.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

M4 (10 cores) is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2018), a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of LGA3647, and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 10 threads instead of 20/40. 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.

M4 (10 cores) Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6122 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M4 (10 cores)	Xeon Gold 6122
1080p
low	178 FPS	186 FPS
medium	142 FPS	151 FPS
high	117 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	146 FPS	146 FPS
medium	115 FPS	115 FPS
high	94 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	68 FPS
medium	68 FPS	57 FPS
high	55 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	36 FPS

Open M4 (10 cores)Open Xeon Gold 6122

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M4 (10 cores)	Xeon Gold 6122
1080p
low	440 FPS	211 FPS
medium	362 FPS	188 FPS
high	314 FPS	161 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	136 FPS
1440p
low	385 FPS	183 FPS
medium	330 FPS	166 FPS
high	291 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	120 FPS
4K
low	271 FPS	119 FPS
medium	239 FPS	109 FPS
high	221 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	82 FPS

Open M4 (10 cores)Open Xeon Gold 6122

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M4 (10 cores)	Xeon Gold 6122
1080p
low	595 FPS	595 FPS
medium	595 FPS	559 FPS
high	582 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	508 FPS	439 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	558 FPS
medium	506 FPS	453 FPS
high	459 FPS	411 FPS
ultra	396 FPS	355 FPS
4K
low	450 FPS	405 FPS
medium	355 FPS	315 FPS
high	308 FPS	281 FPS
ultra	244 FPS	225 FPS

Open M4 (10 cores)Open Xeon Gold 6122

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M4 (10 cores)	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	577 FPS	513 FPS
ultra	511 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	517 FPS	471 FPS
medium	459 FPS	421 FPS
high	410 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	363 FPS	325 FPS

Open M4 (10 cores)Open Xeon Gold 6122

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M4 (10 cores) and Xeon Gold 6122

M4 (10 cores)

The M4 (10 cores) is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 7 May 2024 (1 year ago). It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 2.89 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5x. Passmark benchmark score: 23,784 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 M4 (10 cores) packs 10 cores / 10 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6122 offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon Gold 6122 has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the M4 (10 cores) versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6122 — a 17.3% clock advantage for the M4 (10 cores) (base: 2.89 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). In PassMark, the M4 (10 cores) scores 23,784 against the Xeon Gold 6122's 23,781 — a 0% lead for the M4 (10 cores).

Feature	M4 (10 cores)	Xeon Gold 6122
Cores / Threads	10 / 10	20 / 40+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+19%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.89 GHz+61%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	—	28 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB	—
Process	3 nm-79%	14 nm
PassMark	23,784	23,781

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Memory & Platform

The M4 (10 cores) uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6122 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.