EPYC 7272 vs Xeon Gold 5218R
EPYC 7272
Xeon Gold 5218R
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar EPYC 7272
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 5218R
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | EPYC 7272 | Xeon Gold 5218R |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Zen 2 (2017−2020) / 7 nm, 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | EPYC 7272 | Xeon Gold 5218R |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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 EPYC 7272 and Xeon Gold 5218R
EPYC 7272
The EPYC 7272 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 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 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): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 25,161 points. Launch price was $625.
Xeon Gold 5218R
The Xeon Gold 5218R is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 27.5 MB. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2667. Passmark benchmark score: 25,000 points. Launch price was $1,273.
Processing Power
The EPYC 7272 packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5218R offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon Gold 5218R has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the EPYC 7272 versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5218R — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5218R (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The EPYC 7272 uses the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture (7 nm, 14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5218R uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7272 scores 25,161 against the Xeon Gold 5218R's 25,000 — a 0.6% lead for the EPYC 7272. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7272 vs 27.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 5218R.
| Feature | EPYC 7272 | Xeon Gold 5218R |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 12 / 24 | 20 / 40+67% |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz | 4 GHz+25% |
| Base Clock | 2.9 GHz+38% | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 32 MB (total)+16% | 27.5 MB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 20 MB+3900% |
| Process | 7 nm, 14 nm-50% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Zen 2 (2017−2020) | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 25,161 | 25,000 |
Memory & Platform
The EPYC 7272 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 5218R uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | EPYC 7272 | Xeon Gold 5218R |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | SP3 | LGA3647 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+33% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | 2666 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 1024 |
| RAM Channels | — | 6 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 48 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (EPYC 7272) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 5218R). Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 5218R rivals EPYC 7352.
| Feature | EPYC 7272 | Xeon Gold 5218R |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | Yes |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
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