Core Ultra 7 255HX
VS
Xeon Gold 6544Y

Core Ultra 7 255HX vs Xeon Gold 6544Y

Intel

Core Ultra 7 255HX

20 Cores20 Thrd55 WWMax: 5.2 GHz2025
VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 6544Y

16 Cores32 Thrd270 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2023

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 7 255HX

#13
Ryzen 3 210
MSRP: $99|Avg: $99
121%
#14
Ryzen 5 PRO 230
MSRP: $150|Avg: $150
119%
#15
Ryzen 5 220
MSRP: $150|Avg: $150
113%
#18
Ryzen 5 8500G
MSRP: $179|Avg: $150
109%
#26
Core Ultra 7 255HX
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#27
Core Ultra 7 265HX
MSRP: $450|Avg: N/A
98%
#31
Ryzen 5 230
MSRP: $200|Avg: $190
91%
#36
Core i5-11500B
MSRP: $185|Avg: $185
83%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 6544Y

#407
Xeon Gold 6438N
MSRP: $3351|Avg: $3351
107%
#408
Xeon 6747P
MSRP: $6497|Avg: $6497
106%
#410
Xeon W-3175X
MSRP: $2999|Avg: $2999
104%
#411
Xeon w9-3495X
MSRP: $5889|Avg: $6333
104%
#412
Xeon Gold 5320T
MSRP: $1977|Avg: $1379
104%
#413
EPYC 7643
MSRP: $4995|Avg: $2750
103%
#414
Xeon Gold 6330N
MSRP: $2389|Avg: $1798
103%
#415
EPYC 7473X
MSRP: $3900|Avg: $200
103%
#416
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX
MSRP: $5489|Avg: $3486
103%
#417
EPYC 9474F
MSRP: $6780|Avg: $3723
102%
#418
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9995WX
MSRP: $11699|Avg: $11699
102%
#419
Xeon 6736P
MSRP: $3351|Avg: $3351
101%
#420
EPYC 9655P
MSRP: $10811|Avg: $7958
101%
#421
EPYC 9554P
MSRP: $7104|Avg: $3052
100%
#422
Xeon Gold 6544Y
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#423
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX
MSRP: $6499|Avg: $3444
99%
#424
Xeon W-2155
MSRP: $1440|Avg: $150
98%
#425
Xeon 6740E
MSRP: $5265|Avg: $3949
98%
#425
Xeon Gold 6348
MSRP: $3583|Avg: $2097
98%
#427
EPYC 7702P
MSRP: $4425|Avg: N/A
98%
#428
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7995WX
MSRP: $9999|Avg: $9879.97
97%
#429
EPYC 7552
MSRP: $4025|Avg: $1650
97%
#431
Xeon Platinum 8360Y
MSRP: $5383|Avg: N/A
96%
#432
Xeon W-3245
MSRP: $2199|Avg: $1200
96%
#433
Xeon Gold 6346
MSRP: $2708|Avg: $2195
95%
#434
Xeon W-3225
MSRP: $1319|Avg: $850
94%
#435
Xeon Gold 6354
MSRP: $2878|Avg: $2898
93%
#436
Xeon Gold 5218T
MSRP: $1572|Avg: $1349
92%
#437
Xeon 6960P
MSRP: $9625|Avg: $9625
92%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($0) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon Gold 6544Y is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightCore Ultra 7 255HXXeon Gold 6544Y
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Arrow Lake-HX (2025) / 3 nm)
✨ Modern (Emerald Rapids (2023) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core Ultra 7 255HX ($0), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($0 less, NaN% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightCore Ultra 7 255HXXeon Gold 6544Y
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 7 255HX and Xeon Gold 6544Y

Intel

Core Ultra 7 255HX

The Core Ultra 7 255HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2025-01-01. It is based on the Arrow Lake-HX (2025) architecture. It features 20 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2114. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 49,765 points. Launch price was $450.

Intel

Xeon Gold 6544Y

The Xeon Gold 6544Y 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 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 270 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 51,181 points. Launch price was $3,622.

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 7 255HX packs 20 cores / 20 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6544Y offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Core Ultra 7 255HX has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.2 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 255HX versus 4.1 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6544Y — a 23.7% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 255HX (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core Ultra 7 255HX uses the Arrow Lake-HX (2025) architecture (3 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6544Y uses Emerald Rapids (2023) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 7 255HX scores 49,765 against the Xeon Gold 6544Y's 51,181 — a 2.8% lead for the Xeon Gold 6544Y. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 7 255HX vs 45 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 6544Y.

FeatureCore Ultra 7 255HXXeon Gold 6544Y
Cores / Threads
20 / 20+25%
16 / 32
Boost Clock
5.2 GHz+27%
4.1 GHz
Base Clock
2.4 GHz
3.6 GHz+50%
L3 Cache
30 MB (total)
45 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache
3 MB (per core)+50%
2 MB (per core)
Process
3 nm-57%
Intel 7 nm
Architecture
Arrow Lake-HX (2025)
Emerald Rapids (2023)
PassMark
49,765
51,181+3%
Geekbench 6 Single
2,923
Geekbench 6 Multi
16,885
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 7 255HX uses the FCBGA2114 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Gold 6544Y uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-6400 on the Core Ultra 7 255HX versus 5200 on the Xeon Gold 6544Y — the Xeon Gold 6544Y supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6544Y supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 192 GB 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core Ultra 7 255HX) vs 8 (Xeon Gold 6544Y). PCIe lanes: 24 (Core Ultra 7 255HX) vs 80 (Xeon Gold 6544Y) — the Xeon Gold 6544Y offers 56 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel HM870,Intel WM880 (Core Ultra 7 255HX) and C741 (Xeon Gold 6544Y).

FeatureCore Ultra 7 255HXXeon Gold 6544Y
Socket
FCBGA2114
LGA4677
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0
PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-6400
5200+103900%
Max RAM Capacity
192 GB+4915100%
4096
RAM Channels
2
8+300%
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
24
80+233%
🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core Ultra 7 255HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon Gold 6544Y supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: true (Core Ultra 7 255HX) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6544Y). The Core Ultra 7 255HX includes integrated graphics (Intel Arc Xe-LPG), while the Xeon Gold 6544Y requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 7 255HX rivals Ryzen 9 9850HX; Xeon Gold 6544Y rivals EPYC 9384X.

FeatureCore Ultra 7 255HXXeon Gold 6544Y
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
Intel Arc Xe-LPG
None
Unlocked
Yes
No
AVX-512
No
Yes
Virtualization
true
VT-x, VT-d