EPYC 8124P vs Xeon Gold 6248R

AMD

EPYC 8124P

16 Cores32 Thrd125 WWMax: 3 GHz2023

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 6248R

24 Cores48 Thrd205 WWMax: 4 GHz2020

Popular choices:

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

EPYC 8124P

2023

Why buy it

  • +1.8% higher PassMark.
  • +79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
  • Costs $2,061 less on MSRP ($639 MSRP vs $2,700 MSRP).
  • Delivers 330.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 56.5 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($639 MSRP vs $2,700 MSRP).
  • Draws 125W instead of 205W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6248R across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Xeon Gold 6248R

2020

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +6.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (35,434 vs 36,079).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.1 vs 56.5 PassMark/$ ($2,700 MSRP vs $639 MSRP).
  • 64% higher power demand at 205W vs 125W.
  • Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while EPYC 8124P moves to SP6 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 8124P better than Xeon Gold 6248R?
It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Xeon Gold 6248R is ahead with a 6.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 8124P pulls ahead with 1.8% better PassMark. EPYC 8124P also has the bigger cache pool with 79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 8124P is the better fit. You are getting 1.8% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
EPYC 8124P is the smarter buy today. EPYC 8124P is $2,061 cheaper on MSRP at $639 MSRP versus $2,700 MSRP, and it gives you 1.8% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Xeon Gold 6248R is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 6.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 330.2% better value on MSRP (56.5 vs 13.1 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
EPYC 8124P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020), a healthier platform with SP6 and DDR5 instead of LGA3647, 79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 24/48. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetEPYC 8124PXeon Gold 6248R
1080p
low153 FPS199 FPS
medium125 FPS160 FPS
high105 FPS129 FPS
ultra83 FPS101 FPS
1440p
low139 FPS159 FPS
medium111 FPS124 FPS
high87 FPS96 FPS
ultra70 FPS77 FPS
4K
low67 FPS73 FPS
medium57 FPS60 FPS
high44 FPS47 FPS
ultra36 FPS39 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetEPYC 8124PXeon Gold 6248R
1080p
low387 FPS444 FPS
medium344 FPS388 FPS
high281 FPS317 FPS
ultra224 FPS262 FPS
1440p
low327 FPS383 FPS
medium296 FPS338 FPS
high250 FPS279 FPS
ultra191 FPS223 FPS
4K
low202 FPS240 FPS
medium186 FPS213 FPS
high157 FPS189 FPS
ultra127 FPS156 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetEPYC 8124PXeon Gold 6248R
1080p
low856 FPS886 FPS
medium767 FPS886 FPS
high743 FPS865 FPS
ultra667 FPS782 FPS
1440p
low660 FPS801 FPS
medium573 FPS709 FPS
high546 FPS666 FPS
ultra487 FPS597 FPS
4K
low432 FPS517 FPS
medium341 FPS425 FPS
high305 FPS373 FPS
ultra250 FPS306 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetEPYC 8124PXeon Gold 6248R
1080p
low902 FPS886 FPS
medium902 FPS886 FPS
high769 FPS841 FPS
ultra647 FPS713 FPS
1440p
low823 FPS886 FPS
medium707 FPS776 FPS
high596 FPS654 FPS
ultra488 FPS551 FPS
4K
low596 FPS659 FPS
medium521 FPS574 FPS
high449 FPS495 FPS
ultra372 FPS414 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 8124P and Xeon Gold 6248R

AMD

EPYC 8124P

The EPYC 8124P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 18 September 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Siena (2023−2024) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.45 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 36,079 points. Launch price was $639.

Intel

Xeon Gold 6248R

The Xeon Gold 6248R 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 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 35.75 MB. L2 cache: 24 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 205 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 35,434 points. Launch price was $2,700.

Processing Power

The EPYC 8124P packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6248R offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon Gold 6248R has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the EPYC 8124P versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6248R — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6248R (base: 2.45 GHz vs 3 GHz). The EPYC 8124P uses the Siena (2023−2024) architecture (5 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6248R uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 8124P scores 36,079 against the Xeon Gold 6248R's 35,434 — a 1.8% lead for the EPYC 8124P. L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 8124P vs 35.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 6248R.

FeatureEPYC 8124PXeon Gold 6248R
Cores / Threads
16 / 32
24 / 48+50%
Boost Clock
3 GHz
4 GHz+33%
Base Clock
2.45 GHz
3 GHz+22%
L3 Cache
64 MB (total)+79%
35.75 MB
L2 Cache
1 MB (per core)
24 MB+2300%
Process
5 nm-64%
14 nm
Architecture
Siena (2023−2024)
Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark
36,079+2%
35,434
🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 8124P uses the SP6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6248R uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the EPYC 8124P versus 2933 on the Xeon Gold 6248R — the EPYC 8124P supports 48.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 8124P supports up to 2048 of RAM compared to 1024 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 6-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 96 (EPYC 8124P) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 6248R) — the EPYC 8124P offers 48 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP6 (EPYC 8124P) and C621 (Xeon Gold 6248R).

FeatureEPYC 8124PXeon Gold 6248R
Socket
SP6
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
4800+64%
2933
Max RAM Capacity
2048+100%
1024
RAM Channels
6
6
ECC Support
Yes
Yes
PCIe Lanes
96+100%
48
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: AMD-V, IOMMU (EPYC 8124P) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6248R). Direct competitor: EPYC 8124P rivals Xeon Gold 6426Y; Xeon Gold 6248R rivals EPYC 7402.

FeatureEPYC 8124PXeon Gold 6248R
Integrated GPU
No
No
IGPU Model
None
None
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
Yes
Yes
Virtualization
AMD-V, IOMMU
VT-x, VT-d
💰

Value Analysis

The EPYC 8124P launched at $639 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6248R debuted at $2700. On MSRP ($639 vs $2700), the EPYC 8124P is $2061 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 8124P delivers 56.5 pts/$ vs 13.1 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6248R — making the EPYC 8124P the 124.6% better value option.

FeatureEPYC 8124PXeon Gold 6248R
MSRP
$639-76%
$2700
Performance per Dollar
56.5+331%
13.1
Release Date
2023
2020