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 6548Y+

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $765 less on MSRP ($3,726 MSRP vs $4,491 MSRP).
✅Delivers 18.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 19.7 vs 16.7 PassMark/$ ($3,726 MSRP vs $4,491 MSRP).
✅Draws 250W instead of 300W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (60 MB vs 98 MB).
❌Lower PassMark (73,387 vs 74,982).

Xeon Platinum 8461V

2023

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 98 MB vs 60 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 16.7 vs 19.7 PassMark/$ ($4,491 MSRP vs $3,726 MSRP).
❌20% higher power demand at 300W vs 250W.

Xeon Gold 6548Y+

2023

Xeon Platinum 8461V

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $765 less on MSRP ($3,726 MSRP vs $4,491 MSRP).
✅Delivers 18.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 19.7 vs 16.7 PassMark/$ ($3,726 MSRP vs $4,491 MSRP).
✅Draws 250W instead of 300W, a 50W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 98 MB vs 60 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (60 MB vs 98 MB).
❌Lower PassMark (73,387 vs 74,982).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 16.7 vs 19.7 PassMark/$ ($4,491 MSRP vs $3,726 MSRP).
❌20% higher power demand at 300W vs 250W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Platinum 8461V better than Xeon Gold 6548Y+?

Yes. Xeon Platinum 8461V is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.2% average FPS lead across 40 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2.2% 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 Platinum 8461V is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.2% more average FPS across 40 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 98 MB vs 60 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Platinum 8461V is the better fit. You are getting 2.2% better PassMark, backed by 48 cores and 96 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 62.5% larger total L3 cache (98 MB vs 60 MB).

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

Xeon Platinum 8461V is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Gold 6548Y+ makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon Platinum 8461V is 20.5% more expensive on MSRP at $4,491 MSRP versus $3,726 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 40 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon Gold 6548Y+ is also 18.0% better value on MSRP (19.7 vs 16.7 PassMark/$), 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 Platinum 8461V is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 3D V-Cache and a much larger 98 MB L3 cache instead of 60 MB and more multi-core headroom with 48 cores / 96 threads instead of 32/64. That extra cache should hold up really well in CPU-limited games and high-refresh builds.

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 6548Y+ Benchmark Check

Xeon Platinum 8461V Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon Gold 6548Y+	Xeon Platinum 8461V
1080p
low	185 FPS	191 FPS
medium	162 FPS	172 FPS
high	129 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	114 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	156 FPS
medium	129 FPS	132 FPS
high	99 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	71 FPS
medium	62 FPS	64 FPS
high	48 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	40 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6548Y+Open Xeon Platinum 8461V

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon Gold 6548Y+	Xeon Platinum 8461V
1080p
low	542 FPS	282 FPS
medium	485 FPS	250 FPS
high	403 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	169 FPS
1440p
low	473 FPS	230 FPS
medium	423 FPS	208 FPS
high	363 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	303 FPS	141 FPS
4K
low	295 FPS	143 FPS
medium	266 FPS	131 FPS
high	245 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	218 FPS	99 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6548Y+Open Xeon Platinum 8461V

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon Gold 6548Y+	Xeon Platinum 8461V
1080p
low	892 FPS	814 FPS
medium	807 FPS	737 FPS
high	748 FPS	703 FPS
ultra	659 FPS	624 FPS
1440p
low	764 FPS	723 FPS
medium	687 FPS	651 FPS
high	633 FPS	608 FPS
ultra	564 FPS	547 FPS
4K
low	506 FPS	486 FPS
medium	425 FPS	397 FPS
high	379 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	316 FPS	294 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6548Y+Open Xeon Platinum 8461V

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon Gold 6548Y+	Xeon Platinum 8461V
1080p
low	946 FPS	1027 FPS
medium	851 FPS	909 FPS
high	737 FPS	782 FPS
ultra	639 FPS	657 FPS
1440p
low	777 FPS	843 FPS
medium	680 FPS	721 FPS
high	587 FPS	618 FPS
ultra	503 FPS	515 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	609 FPS
medium	509 FPS	533 FPS
high	450 FPS	471 FPS
ultra	386 FPS	395 FPS

Open Xeon Gold 6548Y+Open Xeon Platinum 8461V

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Gold 6548Y+ and Xeon Platinum 8461V

Xeon Gold 6548Y+

The Xeon Gold 6548Y+ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Emerald Rapids (2023) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 60 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 73,387 points. Launch price was $3,726.

Xeon Platinum 8461V

The Xeon Platinum 8461V 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 48 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 97.5 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 300 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 74,982 points. Launch price was $4,491.

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Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 6548Y+ packs 32 cores / 64 threads, while the Xeon Platinum 8461V offers 48 cores / 96 threads — the Xeon Platinum 8461V has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Platinum 8461V — a 10.3% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Xeon Gold 6548Y+ uses the Emerald Rapids (2023) architecture (10 nm), while the Xeon Platinum 8461V uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ scores 73,387 against the Xeon Platinum 8461V's 74,982 — a 2.2% lead for the Xeon Platinum 8461V. L3 cache: 60 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ vs 97.5 MB on the Xeon Platinum 8461V.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6548Y+	Xeon Platinum 8461V
Cores / Threads	32 / 64	48 / 96+50%
Boost Clock	4.1 GHz+11%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+14%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	60 MB (total)	97.5 MB+63%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Emerald Rapids (2023)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	73,387	74,982+2%

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA4677 socket with PCIe 5.0. Maximum memory speed reaches 5200 on the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ versus 4800 on the Xeon Platinum 8461V — the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ supports 8% 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. Both provide 80 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: C741 (Xeon Gold 6548Y+) and C741 (Xeon Platinum 8461V).

Feature	Xeon Gold 6548Y+	Xeon Platinum 8461V
Socket	LGA4677	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	5200+8%	4800
Max RAM Capacity	4096	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	80	80

🔧

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 6548Y+ rivals EPYC 9454; Xeon Platinum 8461V rivals EPYC 9454.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6548Y+	Xeon Platinum 8461V
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon Gold 6548Y+ launched at $3726 MSRP, while the Xeon Platinum 8461V debuted at $4491. On MSRP ($3726 vs $4491), the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ is $765 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ delivers 19.7 pts/$ vs 16.7 pts/$ for the Xeon Platinum 8461V — making the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ the 16.5% better value option.