Xeon Gold 6150 vs Xeon Gold 6226R

Intel

Xeon Gold 6150

18 Cores36 Thrd165 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2017

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 6226R

16 Cores32 Thrd150 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2020

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

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 6150

2017

Why buy it

  • +0.6% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $3,358 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 6226R mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon Gold 6226R

2020

Why buy it

  • Draws 150W instead of 165W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (26,278 vs 26,447).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6226R better than Xeon Gold 6150?
It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Xeon Gold 6226R is ahead with a 0.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6150 pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6150 is the better fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Xeon Gold 6226R is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Gold 6150 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon Gold 6226R is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $3,358 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon Gold 6150 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.6% better PassMark. Xeon Gold 6150 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (7.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Gold 6226R is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetXeon Gold 6150Xeon Gold 6226R
1080p
low182 FPS184 FPS
medium146 FPS148 FPS
high119 FPS120 FPS
ultra93 FPS93 FPS
1440p
low144 FPS146 FPS
medium114 FPS114 FPS
high91 FPS92 FPS
ultra72 FPS72 FPS
4K
low67 FPS68 FPS
medium56 FPS57 FPS
high45 FPS45 FPS
ultra35 FPS36 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetXeon Gold 6150Xeon Gold 6226R
1080p
low400 FPS400 FPS
medium346 FPS346 FPS
high291 FPS288 FPS
ultra244 FPS242 FPS
1440p
low346 FPS346 FPS
medium307 FPS307 FPS
high259 FPS256 FPS
ultra216 FPS213 FPS
4K
low225 FPS224 FPS
medium200 FPS199 FPS
high180 FPS177 FPS
ultra148 FPS146 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetXeon Gold 6150Xeon Gold 6226R
1080p
low661 FPS657 FPS
medium661 FPS657 FPS
high661 FPS657 FPS
ultra655 FPS656 FPS
1440p
low661 FPS657 FPS
medium612 FPS612 FPS
high580 FPS580 FPS
ultra512 FPS512 FPS
4K
low462 FPS462 FPS
medium361 FPS361 FPS
high322 FPS322 FPS
ultra261 FPS261 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetXeon Gold 6150Xeon Gold 6226R
1080p
low661 FPS657 FPS
medium661 FPS657 FPS
high661 FPS657 FPS
ultra577 FPS576 FPS
1440p
low661 FPS657 FPS
medium598 FPS599 FPS
high516 FPS517 FPS
ultra443 FPS444 FPS
4K
low469 FPS469 FPS
medium421 FPS422 FPS
high377 FPS377 FPS
ultra327 FPS328 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Gold 6150 and Xeon Gold 6226R

Intel

Xeon Gold 6150

The Xeon Gold 6150 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 25 April 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB. L2 cache: 18 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 26,447 points. Launch price was $3,358.

Intel

Xeon Gold 6226R

The Xeon Gold 6226R is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 22 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 26,278 points. Launch price was $1,300.

Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 6150 packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6226R offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Xeon Gold 6150 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6150 versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6226R — a 5.3% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6226R (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Xeon Gold 6150 uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6226R uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 6150 scores 26,447 against the Xeon Gold 6226R's 26,278 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon Gold 6150. L3 cache: 24.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 6150 vs 22 MB on the Xeon Gold 6226R.

FeatureXeon Gold 6150Xeon Gold 6226R
Cores / Threads
18 / 36+13%
16 / 32
Boost Clock
3.7 GHz
3.9 GHz+5%
Base Clock
2.7 GHz
2.9 GHz+7%
L3 Cache
24.75 MB+13%
22 MB
L2 Cache
18 MB+13%
16 MB
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark
26,447
26,278
🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA3647 socket with PCIe 3.0.

FeatureXeon Gold 6150Xeon Gold 6226R
Socket
LGA3647
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0