Core i5-11500 vs Xeon D-1848TER

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.

Core i5-11500

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.9% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD 750, while Xeon D-1848TER needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon D-1848TER.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 15 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon D-1848TER, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $192 MSRP, while Xeon D-1848TER mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon D-1848TER

2023

Why buy it

✅+25% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.
✅Draws 57W instead of 65W, a 8W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11500 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,952 vs 17,096).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-11500.

Core i5-11500

2021

Xeon D-1848TER

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.9% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD 750, while Xeon D-1848TER needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon D-1848TER.

Why buy it

✅+25% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.
✅Draws 57W instead of 65W, a 8W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 15 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon D-1848TER, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $192 MSRP, while Xeon D-1848TER mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11500 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,952 vs 17,096).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-11500.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-11500 better than Xeon D-1848TER?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon D-1848TER makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-11500 is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-11500 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 14.9% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-11500 is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-11500 is the smarter buy today. Core i5-11500 is at an unclear MSRP at $192 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 14.9% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (89.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 D-1848TER is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021) and 25% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 12 MB). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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.

Core i5-11500 Benchmark Check

Xeon D-1848TER Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-11500	Xeon D-1848TER
1080p
low	189 FPS	177 FPS
medium	154 FPS	144 FPS
high	127 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	151 FPS	143 FPS
medium	120 FPS	114 FPS
high	98 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	71 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	68 FPS
medium	73 FPS	57 FPS
high	59 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i5-11500 Open Xeon D-1848TER

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-11500	Xeon D-1848TER
1080p
low	427 FPS	141 FPS
medium	359 FPS	124 FPS
high	324 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	282 FPS	90 FPS
1440p
low	400 FPS	124 FPS
medium	324 FPS	112 FPS
high	295 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	257 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	334 FPS	91 FPS
medium	274 FPS	84 FPS
high	251 FPS	75 FPS
ultra	211 FPS	58 FPS

Open Core i5-11500 Open Xeon D-1848TER

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-11500	Xeon D-1848TER
1080p
low	427 FPS	424 FPS
medium	427 FPS	424 FPS
high	427 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	427 FPS	398 FPS
1440p
low	427 FPS	424 FPS
medium	427 FPS	424 FPS
high	427 FPS	376 FPS
ultra	380 FPS	328 FPS
4K
low	427 FPS	404 FPS
medium	346 FPS	313 FPS
high	302 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	214 FPS

Open Core i5-11500 Open Xeon D-1848TER

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-11500	Xeon D-1848TER
1080p
low	427 FPS	424 FPS
medium	427 FPS	424 FPS
high	427 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	427 FPS	424 FPS
1440p
low	427 FPS	424 FPS
medium	427 FPS	424 FPS
high	427 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	427 FPS	418 FPS
4K
low	427 FPS	424 FPS
medium	427 FPS	401 FPS
high	427 FPS	357 FPS
ultra	415 FPS	308 FPS

Open Core i5-11500 Open Xeon D-1848TER

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-11500 and Xeon D-1848TER

Core i5-11500

The Core i5-11500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 17,096 points. Launch price was $299.

Xeon D-1848TER

The Xeon D-1848TER is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 15360 kB. Socket: FCBGA2227. Thermal design power (TDP): 57 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 16,952 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-11500 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon D-1848TER offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon D-1848TER has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-11500 versus 3.1 GHz on the Xeon D-1848TER — a 39% clock advantage for the Core i5-11500 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i5-11500 is built on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-11500 scores 17,096 against the Xeon D-1848TER's 16,952 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i5-11500. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-11500 vs 15360 kB on the Xeon D-1848TER.

Feature	Core i5-11500	Xeon D-1848TER
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 20+67%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+48%	3.1 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz+35%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	15360 kB+25%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm	—
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	—
PassMark	17,096	16,952
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,883	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,064	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,564	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-11500 uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon D-1848TER uses FCBGA2227 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-11500	Xeon D-1848TER
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA2227
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-11500) / not specified (Xeon D-1848TER). The Core i5-11500 includes integrated graphics (UHD 750), while the Xeon D-1848TER requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-11500 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-11500 rivals Ryzen 5 5600X.