EPYC 9015 vs Xeon Gold 6246R

EPYC 9015 vs Xeon Gold 6246R Performance Spectrum

EPYC 9015

8 / 16

30,505

+0.1%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX

Xeon Gold 6246R

16 / 32

30,468

0.0%

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 9015 vs Xeon Gold 6246R 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 9015 vs Xeon Gold 6246R: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

EPYC 9015

2024

Why buy it

✅+79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Draws 125W instead of 205W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 48) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6246R across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (15,000 vs 16,000).

Xeon Gold 6246R

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
❌64% higher power demand at 205W vs 125W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while EPYC 9015 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6246R better than EPYC 9015?

Yes. Xeon Gold 6246R is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 13.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 6.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon Gold 6246R is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 13.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6246R is the stronger fit. You are getting 6.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Xeon Gold 6246R still makes the most sense overall. Xeon Gold 6246R comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 13.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

EPYC 9015 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020), a healthier platform with SP5 and DDR5 instead of LGA3647, and 79% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB). That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

EPYC 9015 vs Xeon Gold 6246R Technical Specifications

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

EPYC 9015

The EPYC 9015 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,505 points. Launch price was $527.

Xeon Gold 6246R

The Xeon Gold 6246R 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 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 35.75 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 205 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 30,468 points. Launch price was $3,286.

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Processing Power

The EPYC 9015 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6246R offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Xeon Gold 6246R has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the EPYC 9015 versus 4.1 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6246R — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The EPYC 9015 uses the Turin (2024) architecture (4 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6246R uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 9015 scores 30,505 against the Xeon Gold 6246R's 30,468 — a 0.1% lead for the EPYC 9015. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 15,000 vs 16,000 (6.5% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6246R). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,400 vs 1,293, a 7.9% lead for the EPYC 9015 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,000 vs 9,848 (11.1% advantage for the EPYC 9015). L3 cache: 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 9015 vs 35.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 6246R.

Feature	EPYC 9015	Xeon Gold 6246R
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	16 / 32+100%
Boost Clock	4.1 GHz	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+6%	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	64 MB (total)+79%	35.75 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	16 MB+1500%
Process	4 nm-71%	14 nm
Architecture	Turin (2024)	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark	30,505	30,468
Cinebench R23 Multi	15,000	16,000+7%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,400+8%	1,293
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,000+12%	9,848

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Memory & Platform

The EPYC 9015 uses the SP5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Gold 6246R uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-6000 on the EPYC 9015 versus DDR4-2933 on the Xeon Gold 6246R — the EPYC 9015 supports 104.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9015 supports up to 4096 GB of RAM compared to 1024 GB — 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 12 (EPYC 9015) vs 6 (Xeon Gold 6246R). PCIe lanes: 128 (EPYC 9015) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 6246R) — the EPYC 9015 offers 80 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SP5 platform (EPYC 9015) and Lewisburg (Xeon Gold 6246R).

Feature	EPYC 9015	Xeon Gold 6246R
Socket	SP5	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6000+105%	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	4096 GB+300%	1024 GB
RAM Channels	12+100%	6
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	128+167%	48

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9015) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon Gold 6246R). Primary use case: EPYC 9015 targets Next-gen Data Center / AI Workloads, Xeon Gold 6246R targets High-frequency Server / Financial. Direct competitor: EPYC 9015 rivals Xeon 6; Xeon Gold 6246R rivals EPYC 7302.

Feature	EPYC 9015	Xeon Gold 6246R
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, SEV-SNP	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Next-gen Data Center / AI Workloads	High-frequency Server / Financial