Xeon Gold 6421N vs Xeon Gold 6442Y

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

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $510 less on MSRP ($2,368 MSRP vs $2,878 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 24.8 vs 20.3 PassMark/$ ($2,368 MSRP vs $2,878 MSRP).
✅Draws 185W instead of 225W, a 40W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6442Y across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Xeon Gold 6442Y

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (58,534 vs 58,797).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 20.3 vs 24.8 PassMark/$ ($2,878 MSRP vs $2,368 MSRP).
❌21.6% higher power demand at 225W vs 185W.

Xeon Gold 6421N

2023

Xeon Gold 6442Y

2023

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $510 less on MSRP ($2,368 MSRP vs $2,878 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 24.8 vs 20.3 PassMark/$ ($2,368 MSRP vs $2,878 MSRP).
✅Draws 185W instead of 225W, a 40W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6442Y across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (58,534 vs 58,797).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 20.3 vs 24.8 PassMark/$ ($2,878 MSRP vs $2,368 MSRP).
❌21.6% higher power demand at 225W vs 185W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6421N better than Xeon Gold 6442Y?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Xeon Gold 6442Y is ahead with a 9.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6421N pulls ahead with 0.4% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6421N is the better fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads.

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

Xeon Gold 6421N is the smarter buy today. Xeon Gold 6421N is $510 cheaper on MSRP at $2,368 MSRP versus $2,878 MSRP, and it gives you 0.4% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Xeon Gold 6442Y is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 9.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 22.1% better value on MSRP (24.8 vs 20.3 PassMark/$), 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?

Xeon Gold 6421N is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 32 cores / 64 threads instead of 24/48. 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.

Xeon Gold 6421N Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6442Y Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon Gold 6442Y
1080p
low	200 FPS	200 FPS
medium	165 FPS	165 FPS
high	137 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	159 FPS	159 FPS
medium	124 FPS	124 FPS
high	98 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	73 FPS	73 FPS
medium	61 FPS	61 FPS
high	47 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6421N Open Xeon Gold 6442Y

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon Gold 6442Y
1080p
low	239 FPS	512 FPS
medium	213 FPS	443 FPS
high	177 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	294 FPS
1440p
low	201 FPS	431 FPS
medium	182 FPS	381 FPS
high	157 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	122 FPS	250 FPS
4K
low	125 FPS	268 FPS
medium	116 FPS	241 FPS
high	102 FPS	211 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	176 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6421N Open Xeon Gold 6442Y

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon Gold 6442Y
1080p
low	956 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	837 FPS	998 FPS
high	793 FPS	940 FPS
ultra	705 FPS	853 FPS
1440p
low	774 FPS	875 FPS
medium	668 FPS	775 FPS
high	623 FPS	718 FPS
ultra	555 FPS	645 FPS
4K
low	495 FPS	558 FPS
medium	391 FPS	458 FPS
high	342 FPS	396 FPS
ultra	279 FPS	325 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6421N Open Xeon Gold 6442Y

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon Gold 6442Y
1080p
low	923 FPS	985 FPS
medium	832 FPS	887 FPS
high	717 FPS	767 FPS
ultra	619 FPS	659 FPS
1440p
low	715 FPS	763 FPS
medium	627 FPS	669 FPS
high	538 FPS	575 FPS
ultra	460 FPS	495 FPS
4K
low	516 FPS	555 FPS
medium	460 FPS	495 FPS
high	404 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	372 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6421N Open Xeon Gold 6442Y

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Gold 6421N and Xeon Gold 6442Y

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 Gold 6442Y

The Xeon Gold 6442Y 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 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 60 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 225 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 58,534 points. Launch price was $2,065.

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Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 6421N packs 32 cores / 64 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6442Y offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon Gold 6421N has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6421N versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6442Y — a 10.5% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6442Y (base: 1.8 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). Both are built on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture using a Intel 7 nm process. In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 6421N scores 58,797 against the Xeon Gold 6442Y's 58,534 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon Gold 6421N. Both processors carry 60 MB of L3 cache.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon Gold 6442Y
Cores / Threads	32 / 64+33%	24 / 48
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz	4 GHz+11%
Base Clock	1.8 GHz	2.6 GHz+44%
L3 Cache	60 MB	60 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	58,797	58,534

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA4677 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to 4800 memory speed. Both support up to 4096 of RAM. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 80 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: C741 (Xeon Gold 6421N) and C741 (Xeon Gold 6442Y).

Feature	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon Gold 6442Y
Socket	LGA4677	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800	4800
Max RAM Capacity	4096	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	80	80

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 6421N rivals EPYC 9354; Xeon Gold 6442Y rivals EPYC 9354.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6421N	Xeon Gold 6442Y
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

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Value Analysis

The Xeon Gold 6421N launched at $2368 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6442Y debuted at $2878. On MSRP ($2368 vs $2878), the Xeon Gold 6421N is $510 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon Gold 6421N delivers 24.8 pts/$ vs 20.3 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6442Y — making the Xeon Gold 6421N the 19.9% better value option.