EPYC 72F3 vs Xeon Gold 6252

AMD

EPYC 72F3

8 Cores16 Thrd180 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2021
EPYC family
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VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 6252

24 Cores48 Thrd150 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2019
Similar parts
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EPYC 72F3 vs Xeon Gold 6252 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 72F3 vs Xeon Gold 6252 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 72F3 vs Xeon Gold 6252: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

EPYC 72F3

2021

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +18.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

  • 20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.

Xeon Gold 6252

2019

Why buy it

  • Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 72F3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (27,148 vs 27,252).

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 72F3 better than Xeon Gold 6252?
Yes. EPYC 72F3 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 18.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.4% 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, EPYC 72F3 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 18.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests. It also has a clear cache advantage at 256 MB versus 36 MB.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 72F3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 616.1% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 36 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
EPYC 72F3 still makes the most sense overall. EPYC 72F3 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 18.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
EPYC 72F3 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2019), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 256 MB L3 cache instead of 36 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 24/48. That extra cache should keep paying off in CPU-limited games and high-refresh builds.

EPYC 72F3 vs Xeon Gold 6252 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

EPYC 72F3

The EPYC 72F3 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 15 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Milan (2021−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm+ process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 27,252 points. Launch price was $2,468.

Intel

Xeon Gold 6252

The Xeon Gold 6252 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 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 35.75 MB. L2 cache: 24 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 27,148 points. Launch price was $3,655.

Processing Power

The EPYC 72F3 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6252 offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon Gold 6252 has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the EPYC 72F3 versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6252 — a 10.3% clock advantage for the EPYC 72F3 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The EPYC 72F3 uses the Milan (2021−2023) architecture (7 nm+), while the Xeon Gold 6252 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 72F3 scores 27,252 against the Xeon Gold 6252's 27,148 — a 0.4% lead for the EPYC 72F3. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 72F3 vs 35.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 6252.

FeatureEPYC 72F3Xeon Gold 6252
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
24 / 48+200%
Boost Clock
4.1 GHz+11%
3.7 GHz
Base Clock
3.7 GHz+76%
2.1 GHz
L3 Cache
256 MB (total)+616%
35.75 MB
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
24 MB+4700%
Process
7 nm+-50%
14 nm
Architecture
Milan (2021−2023)
Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark
27,252
27,148
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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 72F3 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6252 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureEPYC 72F3Xeon Gold 6252
Socket
SP3
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0