EPYC 7301 vs Xeon Gold 5115

EPYC 7301 vs Xeon Gold 5115 Performance Spectrum

EPYC 7301

16 / 32

14,991

0.0%

Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370

Ryzen 9 8940HX

Ryzen 9 9950X3D

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Xeon Gold 5115

10 / 20

15,017

+0.2%

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 7301 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 7301 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 7301

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+365.5% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 14 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,991 vs 15,017).
❌100% higher power demand at 170W vs 85W.

Xeon Gold 5115

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 85W instead of 170W, a 85W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7301 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (14 MB vs 64 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 5115 better than EPYC 7301?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, EPYC 7301 is ahead with a 8.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5115 pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark. EPYC 7301 also has the bigger cache pool with 365.5% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 14 MB).

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 0.2% 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 0.2% better PassMark.

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

Xeon Gold 5115 is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more room to grow and a better platform outlook.

EPYC 7301 vs Xeon Gold 5115 Technical Specifications

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

EPYC 7301

The EPYC 7301 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 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 170 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 14,991 points. Launch price was $825.

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 7301 packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5115 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the EPYC 7301 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the EPYC 7301 versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5115 — a 16.9% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5115 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The EPYC 7301 uses the Naples (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5115 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7301 scores 14,991 against the Xeon Gold 5115's 15,017 — a 0.2% lead for the Xeon Gold 5115. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 7301 vs 13.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 5115.

Feature	EPYC 7301	Xeon Gold 5115
Cores / Threads	16 / 32+60%	10 / 20
Boost Clock	2.7 GHz	3.2 GHz+19%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.4 GHz+9%
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)+365%	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	14,991	15,017

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7301 uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 5115 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.