EPYC 7251 vs Xeon Gold 5115

EPYC 7251 vs Xeon Gold 5115 Performance Spectrum

EPYC 7251

8 / 16

14,935

0.0%

Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370

Ryzen 9 8940HX

Ryzen 9 9950X3D

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Xeon Gold 5115

10 / 20

15,017

+0.5%

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.

EPYC 7251 vs Xeon Gold 5115 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

EPYC 7251 vs Xeon Gold 5115: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

EPYC 7251

2017

Why buy it

✅+132.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 14 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,935 vs 15,017).
❌41.2% higher power demand at 120W vs 85W.

Xeon Gold 5115

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 85W instead of 120W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (14 MB vs 32 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 5115 better than EPYC 7251?

Yes. Xeon Gold 5115 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon Gold 5115 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.7% 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 Gold 5115 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads.

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

Xeon Gold 5115 still makes the most sense overall. Xeon Gold 5115 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon Gold 5115 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 20 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

EPYC 7251 vs Xeon Gold 5115 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

EPYC 7251

The EPYC 7251 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Naples (2017−2018) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 14,935 points. Launch price was $574.

Xeon Gold 5115

The Xeon Gold 5115 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 13.75 MB. L2 cache: 10 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 15,017 points. Launch price was $1,221.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 7251 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5115 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon Gold 5115 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the EPYC 7251 versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5115 — a 9.8% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5115 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The EPYC 7251 uses the Naples (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5115 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7251 scores 14,935 against the Xeon Gold 5115's 15,017 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon Gold 5115. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7251 vs 13.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 5115.

Feature	EPYC 7251	Xeon Gold 5115
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	10 / 20+25%
Boost Clock	2.9 GHz	3.2 GHz+10%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	2.4 GHz+14%
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+133%	13.75 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+5020%	10 MB
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Naples (2017−2018)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	14,935	15,017

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7251 uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 5115 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.