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 Max 9480

2023

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (82,913 vs 84,013).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (113 MB vs 320 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.4 vs 7.2 PassMark/$ ($12,980 MSRP vs $11,600 MSRP).

Xeon Platinum 8592+

2023

Why buy it

✅+184.4% larger total L3 cache (320 MB vs 113 MB).
✅Costs $1,380 less on MSRP ($11,600 MSRP vs $12,980 MSRP).
✅Delivers 13.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 7.2 vs 6.4 PassMark/$ ($11,600 MSRP vs $12,980 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Xeon Max 9480

2023

Xeon Platinum 8592+

2023

Why buy it

✅+184.4% larger total L3 cache (320 MB vs 113 MB).
✅Costs $1,380 less on MSRP ($11,600 MSRP vs $12,980 MSRP).
✅Delivers 13.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 7.2 vs 6.4 PassMark/$ ($11,600 MSRP vs $12,980 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (82,913 vs 84,013).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (113 MB vs 320 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.4 vs 7.2 PassMark/$ ($12,980 MSRP vs $11,600 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Platinum 8592+ better than Xeon Max 9480?

Yes. Xeon Platinum 8592+ is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1.6% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.3% 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 8592+ is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.6% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Platinum 8592+ is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 64 cores and 128 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 184.4% larger total L3 cache (320 MB vs 113 MB).

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

Xeon Platinum 8592+ is the smarter buy today. Xeon Platinum 8592+ is $1,380 cheaper on MSRP at $11,600 MSRP versus $12,980 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.6% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 13.4% better value on MSRP (7.2 vs 6.4 PassMark/$), 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 Platinum 8592+ is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 184.4% larger total L3 cache (320 MB vs 113 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 64 cores / 128 threads instead of 56/112. 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 Max 9480 Benchmark Check

Xeon Platinum 8592+ Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon Max 9480	Xeon Platinum 8592+
1080p
low	186 FPS	188 FPS
medium	168 FPS	165 FPS
high	135 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	109 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	155 FPS
medium	129 FPS	131 FPS
high	98 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	71 FPS	70 FPS
medium	63 FPS	63 FPS
high	48 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	40 FPS	40 FPS

Open Xeon Max 9480 Open Xeon Platinum 8592+

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon Max 9480	Xeon Platinum 8592+
1080p
low	246 FPS	277 FPS
medium	221 FPS	246 FPS
high	184 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	146 FPS	167 FPS
1440p
low	205 FPS	230 FPS
medium	187 FPS	208 FPS
high	160 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	141 FPS
4K
low	128 FPS	143 FPS
medium	119 FPS	131 FPS
high	103 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	99 FPS

Open Xeon Max 9480 Open Xeon Platinum 8592+

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon Max 9480	Xeon Platinum 8592+
1080p
low	815 FPS	849 FPS
medium	738 FPS	768 FPS
high	704 FPS	730 FPS
ultra	624 FPS	641 FPS
1440p
low	725 FPS	737 FPS
medium	652 FPS	662 FPS
high	609 FPS	626 FPS
ultra	548 FPS	558 FPS
4K
low	487 FPS	493 FPS
medium	398 FPS	402 FPS
high	354 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	294 FPS	303 FPS

Open Xeon Max 9480 Open Xeon Platinum 8592+

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon Max 9480	Xeon Platinum 8592+
1080p
low	1066 FPS	938 FPS
medium	953 FPS	849 FPS
high	813 FPS	732 FPS
ultra	670 FPS	633 FPS
1440p
low	885 FPS	776 FPS
medium	761 FPS	677 FPS
high	646 FPS	581 FPS
ultra	532 FPS	497 FPS
4K
low	644 FPS	559 FPS
medium	565 FPS	501 FPS
high	494 FPS	443 FPS
ultra	413 FPS	383 FPS

Open Xeon Max 9480 Open Xeon Platinum 8592+

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Max 9480 and Xeon Platinum 8592+

Xeon Max 9480

The Xeon Max 9480 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Sapphire Rapids HBM (2023) architecture. It features 56 cores and 112 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 112.5 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 82,913 points. Launch price was $12,980.

Xeon Platinum 8592+

The Xeon Platinum 8592+ 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 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 320 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 84,013 points. Launch price was $11,600.

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Processing Power

The Xeon Max 9480 packs 56 cores / 112 threads, while the Xeon Platinum 8592+ offers 64 cores / 128 threads — the Xeon Platinum 8592+ has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon Max 9480 versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Platinum 8592+ — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Xeon Platinum 8592+ (base: 1.9 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Xeon Max 9480 uses the Sapphire Rapids HBM (2023) architecture (10 nm), while the Xeon Platinum 8592+ uses Emerald Rapids (2023) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Max 9480 scores 82,913 against the Xeon Platinum 8592+'s 84,013 — a 1.3% lead for the Xeon Platinum 8592+. L3 cache: 112.5 MB on the Xeon Max 9480 vs 320 MB (total) on the Xeon Platinum 8592+.

Feature	Xeon Max 9480	Xeon Platinum 8592+
Cores / Threads	56 / 112	64 / 128+14%
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz	3.9 GHz+11%
Base Clock	1.9 GHz	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	112.5 MB	320 MB (total)+184%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	10 nm
Architecture	Sapphire Rapids HBM (2023)	Emerald Rapids (2023)
PassMark	82,913	84,013+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,900	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	55,000	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA4677 socket with PCIe 4.0. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the Xeon Max 9480 versus 5600 on the Xeon Platinum 8592+ — the Xeon Platinum 8592+ supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 4096 GB of RAM. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 80 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: C741 (Xeon Max 9480) and C741 (Xeon Platinum 8592+).

Feature	Xeon Max 9480	Xeon Platinum 8592+
Socket	LGA4677	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	5600+111900%
Max RAM Capacity	4096 GB+104857500%	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. Primary use case: Xeon Max 9480 targets HPC Server. Direct competitor: Xeon Max 9480 rivals EPYC 9684X; Xeon Platinum 8592+ rivals EPYC 9554.

Feature	Xeon Max 9480	Xeon Platinum 8592+
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	HPC Server	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon Max 9480 launched at $12980 MSRP, while the Xeon Platinum 8592+ debuted at $11600. On MSRP ($12980 vs $11600), the Xeon Platinum 8592+ is $1380 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon Max 9480 delivers 6.4 pts/$ vs 7.2 pts/$ for the Xeon Platinum 8592+ — making the Xeon Platinum 8592+ the 12.5% better value option.