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 Platinum 8368Q

2021

Why buy it

✅+68.9% larger total L3 cache (57 MB vs 34 MB).
✅14.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 112) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon w5-2555X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (46,681 vs 47,638).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.0 vs 44.6 PassMark/$ ($7,719 MSRP vs $1,069 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while Xeon w5-2555X moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Xeon w5-2555X

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $6,650 less on MSRP ($1,069 MSRP vs $7,719 MSRP).
✅Delivers 636.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 44.6 vs 6.0 PassMark/$ ($1,069 MSRP vs $7,719 MSRP).
✅Draws 252W instead of 270W, a 18W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (34 MB vs 57 MB).

Xeon Platinum 8368Q

2021

Xeon w5-2555X

2024

Why buy it

✅+68.9% larger total L3 cache (57 MB vs 34 MB).
✅14.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 112) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $6,650 less on MSRP ($1,069 MSRP vs $7,719 MSRP).
✅Delivers 636.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 44.6 vs 6.0 PassMark/$ ($1,069 MSRP vs $7,719 MSRP).
✅Draws 252W instead of 270W, a 18W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon w5-2555X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (46,681 vs 47,638).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.0 vs 44.6 PassMark/$ ($7,719 MSRP vs $1,069 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while Xeon w5-2555X moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (34 MB vs 57 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon w5-2555X better than Xeon Platinum 8368Q?

Yes. Xeon w5-2555X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 17.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2.1% 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 17.7% 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 w5-2555X is the better fit. You are getting 2.1% 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 $6,650 cheaper on MSRP at $1,069 MSRP versus $7,719 MSRP, and it gives you a 17.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 636.9% better value on MSRP (44.6 vs 6.0 PassMark/$), 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 2021), a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of LGA4189, and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 28 threads instead of 38/76. 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 Platinum 8368Q Benchmark Check

Xeon w5-2555X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon Platinum 8368Q	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	190 FPS	323 FPS
medium	154 FPS	294 FPS
high	126 FPS	239 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	202 FPS
1440p
low	157 FPS	285 FPS
medium	123 FPS	232 FPS
high	96 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	72 FPS	196 FPS
medium	60 FPS	159 FPS
high	47 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	107 FPS

Open Xeon Platinum 8368Q Open Xeon w5-2555X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon Platinum 8368Q	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	496 FPS	626 FPS
medium	431 FPS	519 FPS
high	345 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	286 FPS	384 FPS
1440p
low	425 FPS	517 FPS
medium	375 FPS	450 FPS
high	310 FPS	378 FPS
ultra	247 FPS	326 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	321 FPS
medium	237 FPS	281 FPS
high	208 FPS	258 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	228 FPS

Open Xeon Platinum 8368Q Open Xeon w5-2555X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon Platinum 8368Q	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	960 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	836 FPS	1191 FPS
high	790 FPS	1136 FPS
ultra	701 FPS	875 FPS
1440p
low	759 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	652 FPS	953 FPS
high	616 FPS	859 FPS
ultra	547 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	487 FPS	656 FPS
medium	383 FPS	553 FPS
high	340 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	278 FPS	420 FPS

Open Xeon Platinum 8368Q Open Xeon w5-2555X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon Platinum 8368Q	Xeon w5-2555X
1080p
low	930 FPS	1191 FPS
medium	844 FPS	1015 FPS
high	730 FPS	982 FPS
ultra	631 FPS	847 FPS
1440p
low	728 FPS	1023 FPS
medium	641 FPS	883 FPS
high	551 FPS	767 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	653 FPS
4K
low	525 FPS	733 FPS
medium	470 FPS	637 FPS
high	413 FPS	562 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	437 FPS

Open Xeon Platinum 8368Q Open Xeon w5-2555X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Platinum 8368Q and Xeon w5-2555X

Xeon Platinum 8368Q

The Xeon Platinum 8368Q is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. It features 38 cores and 76 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 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: 46,681 points. Launch price was $800.

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 Platinum 8368Q packs 38 cores / 76 threads, while the Xeon w5-2555X offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Xeon Platinum 8368Q has 24 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Platinum 8368Q versus 4.8 GHz on the Xeon w5-2555X — a 25.9% clock advantage for the Xeon w5-2555X (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Xeon Platinum 8368Q is built on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon Platinum 8368Q scores 46,681 against the Xeon w5-2555X's 47,638 — a 2% lead for the Xeon w5-2555X. L3 cache: 57 MB (total) on the Xeon Platinum 8368Q vs 33.75 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Xeon w5-2555X.

Feature	Xeon Platinum 8368Q	Xeon w5-2555X
Cores / Threads	38 / 76+171%	14 / 28
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	4.8 GHz+30%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.3 GHz+27%
L3 Cache	57 MB (total)+69%	33.75 MB Intel® Smart Cache
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	—
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Ice Lake-SP (2021)	—
PassMark	46,681	47,638+2%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon Platinum 8368Q uses the LGA4189 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon w5-2555X uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 3200 on the Xeon Platinum 8368Q versus 4800 on the Xeon w5-2555X — the Xeon w5-2555X supports 40% 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: 128 (Xeon Platinum 8368Q) vs 112 (Xeon w5-2555X) — the Xeon Platinum 8368Q offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3,C621A (Xeon Platinum 8368Q) and W790 (Xeon w5-2555X).

Feature	Xeon Platinum 8368Q	Xeon w5-2555X
Socket	LGA4189	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	3200	4800+50%
Max RAM Capacity	4096	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+14%	112

🔧

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 Platinum 8368Q rivals Xeon Platinum 8362; Xeon w5-2555X rivals Threadripper PRO 7965WX.

Feature	Xeon Platinum 8368Q	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 Platinum 8368Q launched at $7719 MSRP, while the Xeon w5-2555X debuted at $1069. On MSRP ($7719 vs $1069), the Xeon w5-2555X is $6650 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon Platinum 8368Q delivers 6.0 pts/$ vs 44.6 pts/$ for the Xeon w5-2555X — making the Xeon w5-2555X the 152.2% better value option.