EPYC 7F52 vs Xeon Gold 6338N

AMD

EPYC 7F52

16 Cores32 Thrd240 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2020
EPYC family
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VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 6338N

32 Cores64 Thrd185 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2021
Similar parts
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EPYC 7F52 vs Xeon Gold 6338N 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 7F52 vs Xeon Gold 6338N 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 7F52 vs Xeon Gold 6338N: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

EPYC 7F52

2020

Why buy it

  • Massive L3 cache advantage with 256 MB vs 48 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.
  • Costs $100 less on MSRP ($3,100 MSRP vs $3,200 MSRP).
  • 100% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 64) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (41,388 vs 42,086).
  • 29.7% higher power demand at 240W vs 185W.

Xeon Gold 6338N

2021

Why buy it

  • +1.7% higher PassMark.
  • Draws 185W instead of 240W, a 55W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (48 MB vs 256 MB).
  • 3.2% HIGHER MSRP
    $3,200 MSRPvs$3,100 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6338N better than EPYC 7F52?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, EPYC 7F52 is ahead with a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6338N pulls ahead with 1.7% better PassMark. EPYC 7F52 also has the bigger cache pool with 433.3% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 48 MB).
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6338N is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.7% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Xeon Gold 6338N is still the faster CPU overall, but EPYC 7F52 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon Gold 6338N comes in 3.2% more expensive on MSRP at $3,200 MSRP versus $3,100 MSRP, and it still gives you 1.7% better PassMark. The compromise is that EPYC 7F52 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. EPYC 7F52 is also 1.5% better value on MSRP (13.4 vs 13.2 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Xeon Gold 6338N makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020) and more multi-core headroom with 32 cores / 64 threads instead of 16/32. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

EPYC 7F52 vs Xeon Gold 6338N Technical Specifications

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

AMD

EPYC 7F52

The EPYC 7F52 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 240 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 41,388 points. Launch price was $3,100.

Intel

Xeon Gold 6338N

The Xeon Gold 6338N is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 48 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 185 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2667. Passmark benchmark score: 42,086 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

The EPYC 7F52 packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6338N offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Xeon Gold 6338N has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the EPYC 7F52 versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6338N — a 10.8% clock advantage for the EPYC 7F52 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The EPYC 7F52 uses the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture (7 nm, 14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6338N uses Ice Lake-SP (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7F52 scores 41,388 against the Xeon Gold 6338N's 42,086 — a 1.7% lead for the Xeon Gold 6338N. L3 cache: 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 7F52 vs 48 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 6338N.

FeatureEPYC 7F52Xeon Gold 6338N
Cores / Threads
16 / 32
32 / 64+100%
Boost Clock
3.9 GHz+11%
3.5 GHz
Base Clock
3.5 GHz+59%
2.2 GHz
L3 Cache
256 MB (total)+433%
48 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
1 MB (per core)+100%
Process
7 nm, 14 nm-30%
10 nm
Architecture
Zen 2 (2017−2020)
Ice Lake-SP (2021)
PassMark
41,388
42,086+2%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7F52 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6338N uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 3200 on the EPYC 7F52 versus 2667 on the Xeon Gold 6338N — the EPYC 7F52 supports 20% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6338N supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 4096 50% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 7F52) vs 64 (Xeon Gold 6338N) — the EPYC 7F52 offers 64 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP3 (EPYC 7F52) and LGA4189 (Xeon Gold 6338N).

FeatureEPYC 7F52Xeon Gold 6338N
Socket
SP3
LGA4189
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
3200+20%
2667
Max RAM Capacity
4096
6144+50%
RAM Channels
8
8
ECC Support
Yes
Yes
PCIe Lanes
128+100%
64
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (EPYC 7F52) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6338N). Direct competitor: EPYC 7F52 rivals Xeon Gold 6248; Xeon Gold 6338N rivals EPYC 7513.

FeatureEPYC 7F52Xeon Gold 6338N
Integrated GPU
No
No
IGPU Model
None
None
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
Yes
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V
VT-x, VT-d
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the EPYC 7F52 was priced at $3100, while the Xeon Gold 6338N came in at $3200. On launch pricing ($3100 vs $3200), EPYC 7F52 was $100 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7F52 delivers 13.4 pts/$ vs 13.2 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6338N — making the EPYC 7F52 the 1.5% better value option.

FeatureEPYC 7F52Xeon Gold 6338N
MSRP
$3100-3%
$3200
Performance per Dollar
13.4+2%
13.2
Release Date
2020
2021

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