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 6421N

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,583 less on MSRP ($2,368 MSRP vs $4,951 MSRP).
✅Delivers 108.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 24.8 vs 11.9 PassMark/$ ($2,368 MSRP vs $4,951 MSRP).
✅Draws 185W instead of 270W, a 85W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (80 vs 64) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (58,797 vs 59,091).

Xeon W-3375

2021

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.9 vs 24.8 PassMark/$ ($4,951 MSRP vs $2,368 MSRP).
❌45.9% higher power demand at 270W vs 185W.
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while Xeon Gold 6421N moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Xeon Gold 6421N

2023

Xeon W-3375

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,583 less on MSRP ($2,368 MSRP vs $4,951 MSRP).
✅Delivers 108.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 24.8 vs 11.9 PassMark/$ ($2,368 MSRP vs $4,951 MSRP).
✅Draws 185W instead of 270W, a 85W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (80 vs 64) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (58,797 vs 59,091).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.9 vs 24.8 PassMark/$ ($4,951 MSRP vs $2,368 MSRP).
❌45.9% higher power demand at 270W vs 185W.
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while Xeon Gold 6421N moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon W-3375 better than Xeon Gold 6421N?

Yes. Xeon W-3375 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.5% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon W-3375 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.8% 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 W-3375 is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 38 cores and 76 threads.

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

Xeon W-3375 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Gold 6421N makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon W-3375 is 109.1% more expensive on MSRP at $4,951 MSRP versus $2,368 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon Gold 6421N is also 108.0% better value on MSRP (24.8 vs 11.9 PassMark/$), 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 6421N is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021) and a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of LGA4189. 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.

Xeon Gold 6421N Benchmark Check

Xeon W-3375 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon W-3375
1080p
low	200 FPS	191 FPS
medium	165 FPS	154 FPS
high	137 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	159 FPS	157 FPS
medium	124 FPS	123 FPS
high	98 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	73 FPS	72 FPS
medium	61 FPS	60 FPS
high	47 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6421N Open Xeon W-3375

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon W-3375
1080p
low	239 FPS	496 FPS
medium	213 FPS	431 FPS
high	177 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	286 FPS
1440p
low	201 FPS	425 FPS
medium	182 FPS	375 FPS
high	157 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	122 FPS	247 FPS
4K
low	125 FPS	264 FPS
medium	116 FPS	237 FPS
high	102 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	174 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6421N Open Xeon W-3375

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon W-3375
1080p
low	956 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	837 FPS	937 FPS
high	793 FPS	880 FPS
ultra	705 FPS	796 FPS
1440p
low	774 FPS	799 FPS
medium	668 FPS	710 FPS
high	623 FPS	667 FPS
ultra	555 FPS	597 FPS
4K
low	495 FPS	514 FPS
medium	391 FPS	424 FPS
high	342 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	279 FPS	305 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6421N Open Xeon W-3375

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon W-3375
1080p
low	923 FPS	932 FPS
medium	832 FPS	847 FPS
high	717 FPS	732 FPS
ultra	619 FPS	633 FPS
1440p
low	715 FPS	732 FPS
medium	627 FPS	644 FPS
high	538 FPS	554 FPS
ultra	460 FPS	480 FPS
4K
low	516 FPS	532 FPS
medium	460 FPS	476 FPS
high	404 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	360 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6421N Open Xeon W-3375

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Gold 6421N and Xeon W-3375

Xeon Gold 6421N

The Xeon Gold 6421N 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 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 60 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 185 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 58,797 points. Launch price was $2,368.

Xeon W-3375

The Xeon W-3375 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2021-07-29. It is based on the Ice Lake-W (2021) architecture. It features 38 cores and 76 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 57 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 270 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 59,091 points. Launch price was $4,499.

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Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 6421N packs 32 cores / 64 threads, while the Xeon W-3375 offers 38 cores / 76 threads — the Xeon W-3375 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6421N versus 4 GHz on the Xeon W-3375 — a 10.5% clock advantage for the Xeon W-3375 (base: 1.8 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Xeon Gold 6421N uses the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Xeon W-3375 uses Ice Lake-W (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 6421N scores 58,797 against the Xeon W-3375's 59,091 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon W-3375. L3 cache: 60 MB on the Xeon Gold 6421N vs 57 MB (total) on the Xeon W-3375.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon W-3375
Cores / Threads	32 / 64	38 / 76+19%
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz	4 GHz+11%
Base Clock	1.8 GHz	2.5 GHz+39%
L3 Cache	60 MB+5%	57 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-30%	10 nm
Architecture	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)	Ice Lake-W (2021)
PassMark	58,797	59,091
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,818
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	17,713

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon Gold 6421N uses the LGA4677 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon W-3375 uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Xeon Gold 6421N versus DDR4-3200 on the Xeon W-3375 — the Xeon Gold 6421N supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 4096 of RAM. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 80 (Xeon Gold 6421N) vs 64 (Xeon W-3375) — the Xeon Gold 6421N offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: C741 (Xeon Gold 6421N) and Intel C621A (Xeon W-3375).

Feature	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon W-3375
Socket	LGA4677	LGA4189
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+119900%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	4096	4096 GB+104857500%
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	80+25%	64

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6421N) vs true (Xeon W-3375). Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 6421N rivals EPYC 9354; Xeon W-3375 rivals EPYC 7543.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon W-3375
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	true

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon Gold 6421N launched at $2368 MSRP, while the Xeon W-3375 debuted at $4951. On MSRP ($2368 vs $4951), the Xeon Gold 6421N is $2583 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon Gold 6421N delivers 24.8 pts/$ vs 11.9 pts/$ for the Xeon W-3375 — making the Xeon Gold 6421N the 70.1% better value option.