Xeon Gold 6240
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Xeon Gold 6242
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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 6240
2019Why buy it
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (24,918 vs 24,994).
Xeon Gold 6242
2019Why buy it
- ✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
Trade-offs
- ❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.
Xeon Gold 6240
2019Xeon Gold 6242
2019Why buy it
Why buy it
- ✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (24,918 vs 24,994).
Trade-offs
- ❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.
Quick Answers
So, is Xeon Gold 6242 better than Xeon Gold 6240?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
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
| Preset | Xeon Gold 6240 | Xeon Gold 6242 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 182 FPS | 184 FPS |
| medium | 147 FPS | 148 FPS |
| high | 120 FPS | 120 FPS |
| ultra | 93 FPS | 93 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 144 FPS | 146 FPS |
| medium | 114 FPS | 114 FPS |
| high | 92 FPS | 92 FPS |
| ultra | 72 FPS | 72 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 67 FPS | 68 FPS |
| medium | 56 FPS | 57 FPS |
| high | 45 FPS | 45 FPS |
| ultra | 35 FPS | 36 FPS |
Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | Xeon Gold 6240 | Xeon Gold 6242 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 400 FPS | 400 FPS |
| medium | 346 FPS | 346 FPS |
| high | 290 FPS | 288 FPS |
| ultra | 244 FPS | 242 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 346 FPS | 346 FPS |
| medium | 307 FPS | 307 FPS |
| high | 258 FPS | 256 FPS |
| ultra | 215 FPS | 213 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 225 FPS | 224 FPS |
| medium | 200 FPS | 199 FPS |
| high | 179 FPS | 177 FPS |
| ultra | 147 FPS | 146 FPS |
League of Legends
| Preset | Xeon Gold 6240 | Xeon Gold 6242 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 623 FPS | 625 FPS |
| medium | 623 FPS | 625 FPS |
| high | 623 FPS | 625 FPS |
| ultra | 623 FPS | 625 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 623 FPS | 625 FPS |
| medium | 612 FPS | 612 FPS |
| high | 580 FPS | 580 FPS |
| ultra | 512 FPS | 512 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 462 FPS | 462 FPS |
| medium | 361 FPS | 361 FPS |
| high | 322 FPS | 322 FPS |
| ultra | 261 FPS | 261 FPS |
Valorant
| Preset | Xeon Gold 6240 | Xeon Gold 6242 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 623 FPS | 625 FPS |
| medium | 623 FPS | 625 FPS |
| high | 623 FPS | 625 FPS |
| ultra | 576 FPS | 576 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 623 FPS | 625 FPS |
| medium | 598 FPS | 598 FPS |
| high | 517 FPS | 517 FPS |
| ultra | 444 FPS | 444 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 469 FPS | 468 FPS |
| medium | 421 FPS | 421 FPS |
| high | 377 FPS | 377 FPS |
| ultra | 328 FPS | 328 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Gold 6240 and Xeon Gold 6242
Xeon Gold 6240
Xeon Gold 6240
The Xeon Gold 6240 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB. L2 cache: 18 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 24,918 points. Launch price was $2,445.
Xeon Gold 6242
Xeon Gold 6242
The Xeon Gold 6242 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 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: 24,994 points. Launch price was $2,529.
Processing Power
The Xeon Gold 6240 packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6242 offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Xeon Gold 6240 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6240 versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6242 — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). Both are built on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture using a 14 nm process. In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 6240 scores 24,918 against the Xeon Gold 6242's 24,994 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon Gold 6242. L3 cache: 24.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 6240 vs 22 MB on the Xeon Gold 6242.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 6240 | Xeon Gold 6242 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 18 / 36+13% | 16 / 32 |
| Boost Clock | 3.9 GHz | 3.9 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz | 2.8 GHz+8% |
| L3 Cache | 24.75 MB+13% | 22 MB |
| L2 Cache | 18 MB+13% | 16 MB |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 24,918 | 24,994 |
Memory & Platform
Both processors use the LGA3647 socket with PCIe 3.0.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 6240 | Xeon Gold 6242 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA3647 | LGA3647 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
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