EPYC 7262 vs Xeon Gold 6226

AMD

EPYC 7262

8 Cores16 Thrd155 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2019
EPYC family
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VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 6226

12 Cores24 Thrd125 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2019
Similar parts
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EPYC 7262 vs Xeon Gold 6226 Performance Spectrum

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 7262 vs Xeon Gold 6226 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 7262 vs Xeon Gold 6226: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

EPYC 7262

2019

Why buy it

  • +0.8% higher PassMark.
  • +66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • 24% higher power demand at 155W vs 125W.

Xeon Gold 6226

2019

Why buy it

  • Draws 125W instead of 155W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (20,619 vs 20,779).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6226 better than EPYC 7262?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon Gold 6226 is ahead with a 0.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7262 pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark. EPYC 7262 also has the bigger cache pool with 66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7262 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Xeon Gold 6226 still makes the most sense overall. Xeon Gold 6226 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Xeon Gold 6226 is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more room to grow and a better platform outlook.

EPYC 7262 vs Xeon Gold 6226 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

EPYC 7262

The EPYC 7262 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 155 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 20,779 points. Launch price was $575.

Intel

Xeon Gold 6226

The Xeon Gold 6226 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB. L2 cache: 12 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 20,619 points. Launch price was $1,776.

Processing Power

The EPYC 7262 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6226 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon Gold 6226 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the EPYC 7262 versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6226 — a 8.5% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6226 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The EPYC 7262 uses the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture (7 nm, 14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6226 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7262 scores 20,779 against the Xeon Gold 6226's 20,619 — a 0.8% lead for the EPYC 7262. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7262 vs 19.25 MB on the Xeon Gold 6226.

FeatureEPYC 7262Xeon Gold 6226
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
12 / 24+50%
Boost Clock
3.4 GHz
3.7 GHz+9%
Base Clock
3.2 GHz+19%
2.7 GHz
L3 Cache
32 MB (total)+66%
19.25 MB
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
12 MB+2300%
Process
7 nm, 14 nm-50%
14 nm
Architecture
Zen 2 (2017−2020)
Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark
20,779
20,619
Cinebench R23 Multi
11,500
Geekbench 6 Single
1,346
Geekbench 6 Multi
7,900
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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7262 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6226 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureEPYC 7262Xeon Gold 6226
Socket
SP3
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity
4096 GB
RAM Channels
8
ECC Support
Yes
PCIe Lanes
128
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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V, SEV (EPYC 7262) / not specified (Xeon Gold 6226). Primary use case: EPYC 7262 targets Budget Server / Multi-thread computing. Direct competitor: EPYC 7262 rivals Xeon Silver 4216.

FeatureEPYC 7262Xeon Gold 6226
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V, SEV
Target Use
Budget Server / Multi-thread computing