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 6444Y

2023

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 34 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon w5-2555X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (47,176 vs 47,638).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.0 vs 44.6 PassMark/$ ($3,622 MSRP vs $1,069 MSRP).

Xeon w5-2555X

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $2,553 less on MSRP ($1,069 MSRP vs $3,622 MSRP).
✅Delivers 242.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 44.6 vs 13.0 PassMark/$ ($1,069 MSRP vs $3,622 MSRP).
✅Draws 252W instead of 270W, a 18W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (112 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (34 MB vs 45 MB).

Xeon Gold 6444Y

2023

Xeon w5-2555X

2024

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 34 MB).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $2,553 less on MSRP ($1,069 MSRP vs $3,622 MSRP).
✅Delivers 242.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 44.6 vs 13.0 PassMark/$ ($1,069 MSRP vs $3,622 MSRP).
✅Draws 252W instead of 270W, a 18W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (112 vs 80) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon w5-2555X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (47,176 vs 47,638).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.0 vs 44.6 PassMark/$ ($3,622 MSRP vs $1,069 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (34 MB vs 45 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon w5-2555X better than Xeon Gold 6444Y?

Yes. Xeon w5-2555X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 13.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon w5-2555X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 13.9% 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, Xeon w5-2555X is the better fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads.

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

Xeon w5-2555X is the smarter buy today. Xeon w5-2555X is $2,553 cheaper on MSRP at $1,069 MSRP versus $3,622 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 242.1% better value on MSRP (44.6 vs 13.0 PassMark/$), 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 w5-2555X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023) and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 28 threads instead of 16/32. 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 6444Y Benchmark Check

Xeon w5-2555X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon Gold 6444Y	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	205 FPS	323 FPS
medium	163 FPS	294 FPS
high	135 FPS	239 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	202 FPS
1440p
low	165 FPS	285 FPS
medium	126 FPS	232 FPS
high	99 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	75 FPS	196 FPS
medium	61 FPS	159 FPS
high	48 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	107 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6444Y Open Xeon w5-2555X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon Gold 6444Y	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	511 FPS	626 FPS
medium	443 FPS	519 FPS
high	354 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	293 FPS	384 FPS
1440p
low	430 FPS	517 FPS
medium	381 FPS	450 FPS
high	313 FPS	378 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	326 FPS
4K
low	267 FPS	321 FPS
medium	240 FPS	281 FPS
high	212 FPS	258 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	228 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6444Y Open Xeon w5-2555X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon Gold 6444Y	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	1025 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	1005 FPS	1191 FPS
high	949 FPS	1136 FPS
ultra	862 FPS	875 FPS
1440p
low	880 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	777 FPS	953 FPS
high	722 FPS	859 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	561 FPS	656 FPS
medium	460 FPS	553 FPS
high	399 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	328 FPS	420 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6444Y Open Xeon w5-2555X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon Gold 6444Y	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	1179 FPS	1191 FPS
medium	1015 FPS	1015 FPS
high	907 FPS	982 FPS
ultra	767 FPS	847 FPS
1440p
low	934 FPS	1023 FPS
medium	806 FPS	883 FPS
high	681 FPS	767 FPS
ultra	574 FPS	653 FPS
4K
low	684 FPS	733 FPS
medium	597 FPS	637 FPS
high	516 FPS	562 FPS
ultra	431 FPS	437 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6444Y Open Xeon w5-2555X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Gold 6444Y and Xeon w5-2555X

Xeon Gold 6444Y

The Xeon Gold 6444Y 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 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 270 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 47,176 points. Launch price was $1,517.

Xeon w5-2555X

The Xeon w5-2555X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 33.75 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 252 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 47,638 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 6444Y packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon w5-2555X offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Xeon Gold 6444Y has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6444Y versus 4.8 GHz on the Xeon w5-2555X — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Xeon w5-2555X (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Xeon Gold 6444Y is built on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 6444Y scores 47,176 against the Xeon w5-2555X's 47,638 — a 1% lead for the Xeon w5-2555X. L3 cache: 45 MB on the Xeon Gold 6444Y vs 33.75 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Xeon w5-2555X.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6444Y	Xeon w5-2555X
Cores / Threads	16 / 32+14%	14 / 28
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.8 GHz+20%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+9%	3.3 GHz
L3 Cache	45 MB+33%	33.75 MB Intel® Smart Cache
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)	—
PassMark	47,176	47,638

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA4677 socket with PCIe 5.0. Maximum memory speed reaches 5600 on the Xeon Gold 6444Y versus 4800 on the Xeon w5-2555X — the Xeon Gold 6444Y supports 15.4% 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 6444Y) vs 112 (Xeon w5-2555X) — the Xeon w5-2555X offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: C741 (Xeon Gold 6444Y) and W790 (Xeon w5-2555X).

Feature	Xeon Gold 6444Y	Xeon w5-2555X
Socket	LGA4677	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	5600+17%	4800
Max RAM Capacity	4096	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	80	112+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Xeon w5-2555X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 6444Y rivals EPYC 9384X; Xeon w5-2555X rivals Threadripper PRO 7965WX.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6444Y	Xeon w5-2555X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon Gold 6444Y launched at $3622 MSRP, while the Xeon w5-2555X debuted at $1069. On MSRP ($3622 vs $1069), the Xeon w5-2555X is $2553 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon Gold 6444Y delivers 13.0 pts/$ vs 44.6 pts/$ for the Xeon w5-2555X — making the Xeon w5-2555X the 109.5% better value option.