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 6357P

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 80W instead of 165W, a 85W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,000 vs 18,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 36 MB).

Xeon Platinum 8260

2019

Why buy it

✅+2.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+49% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 24 MB).
✅140% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon 6357P across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $400 MSRP, while Xeon 6357P mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌106.3% higher power demand at 165W vs 80W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while Xeon 6357P moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Xeon 6357P

2025

Xeon Platinum 8260

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 80W instead of 165W, a 85W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+2.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+49% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 24 MB).
✅140% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,000 vs 18,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 36 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon 6357P across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $400 MSRP, while Xeon 6357P mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌106.3% higher power demand at 165W vs 80W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while Xeon 6357P moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon 6357P better than Xeon Platinum 8260?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Xeon 6357P is ahead with a 7.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Platinum 8260 pulls ahead with 2.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Xeon Platinum 8260 also has the bigger cache pool with 49% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 24 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Platinum 8260 is the better fit. You are getting 2.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 49% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 24 MB).

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

Xeon 6357P is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Platinum 8260 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon 6357P is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $400 MSRP, and it gives you a 7.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon Platinum 8260 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 2.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Xeon Platinum 8260 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (76.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 6357P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA3647. 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 6357P Benchmark Check

Xeon Platinum 8260 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon 6357P	Xeon Platinum 8260
1080p
low	257 FPS	194 FPS
medium	246 FPS	158 FPS
high	205 FPS	127 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	158 FPS
medium	190 FPS	123 FPS
high	152 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	153 FPS	72 FPS
medium	130 FPS	60 FPS
high	99 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	38 FPS

Open Xeon 6357P Open Xeon Platinum 8260

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon 6357P	Xeon Platinum 8260
1080p
low	618 FPS	423 FPS
medium	523 FPS	368 FPS
high	442 FPS	300 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	247 FPS
1440p
low	531 FPS	365 FPS
medium	467 FPS	321 FPS
high	398 FPS	264 FPS
ultra	346 FPS	210 FPS
4K
low	310 FPS	228 FPS
medium	278 FPS	202 FPS
high	265 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	233 FPS	146 FPS

Open Xeon 6357P Open Xeon Platinum 8260

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon 6357P	Xeon Platinum 8260
1080p
low	646 FPS	768 FPS
medium	529 FPS	649 FPS
high	466 FPS	600 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	530 FPS
1440p
low	588 FPS	573 FPS
medium	489 FPS	467 FPS
high	425 FPS	425 FPS
ultra	369 FPS	372 FPS
4K
low	424 FPS	411 FPS
medium	369 FPS	321 FPS
high	335 FPS	286 FPS
ultra	285 FPS	232 FPS

Open Xeon 6357P Open Xeon Platinum 8260

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon 6357P	Xeon Platinum 8260
1080p
low	760 FPS	768 FPS
medium	760 FPS	768 FPS
high	726 FPS	753 FPS
ultra	652 FPS	655 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	752 FPS
medium	704 FPS	659 FPS
high	609 FPS	566 FPS
ultra	536 FPS	486 FPS
4K
low	537 FPS	542 FPS
medium	490 FPS	483 FPS
high	439 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	383 FPS	366 FPS

Open Xeon 6357P Open Xeon Platinum 8260

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon 6357P and Xeon Platinum 8260

Xeon 6357P

The Xeon 6357P is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 30,401 points. Launch price was $556.

Xeon Platinum 8260

The Xeon Platinum 8260 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 December 2018 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake-SP (2018) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 35.75 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 30,720 points. Launch price was $4,702.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon 6357P packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon Platinum 8260 offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon Platinum 8260 has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Xeon 6357P versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Platinum 8260 — a 26.7% clock advantage for the Xeon 6357P (base: 3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Xeon 6357P uses the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Xeon Platinum 8260 uses Cascade Lake-SP (2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon 6357P scores 30,401 against the Xeon Platinum 8260's 30,720 — a 1% lead for the Xeon Platinum 8260. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 18,000 vs 18,500 (2.7% advantage for the Xeon Platinum 8260). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,784 vs 1,190, a 80.2% lead for the Xeon 6357P that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 12,769 vs 6,946 (59.1% advantage for the Xeon 6357P). L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Xeon 6357P vs 35.75 MB (total) on the Xeon Platinum 8260.

Feature	Xeon 6357P	Xeon Platinum 8260
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	24 / 48+200%
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+31%	3.9 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+25%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)	35.75 MB (total)+49%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025)	Cascade Lake-SP (2018)
PassMark	30,401	30,720+1%
Cinebench R23 Multi	18,000	18,500+3%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,784+134%	1,190
Geekbench 6 Multi	12,769+84%	6,946

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon 6357P uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Platinum 8260 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the Xeon 6357P versus DDR4-2933 on the Xeon Platinum 8260 — the Xeon 6357P supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Platinum 8260 supports up to 1024 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Xeon 6357P) vs 6 (Xeon Platinum 8260). PCIe lanes: 20 (Xeon 6357P) vs 48 (Xeon Platinum 8260) — the Xeon Platinum 8260 offers 28 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Server chipsets (Xeon 6357P) and C621,Lewisburg (Xeon Platinum 8260).

Feature	Xeon 6357P	Xeon Platinum 8260
Socket	LGA1700	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800+25%	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	1024 GB+700%
RAM Channels	2	6+200%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	48+140%

🔧

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, EPT virtualization. Primary use case: Xeon 6357P targets Edge Server / Workstation, Xeon Platinum 8260 targets Server / Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon 6357P rivals Core i7-14700; Xeon Platinum 8260 rivals Xeon Gold 6248R.