M2
VS
Xeon Gold 5115

M2 vs Xeon Gold 5115

M2

8 Cores8 Thrd20 WWMax: 3.48 GHz2022
VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 5115

10 Cores20 Thrd85 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2017

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar M2

#211
M2
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 5115

#153
EPYC 7303P
MSRP: $594|Avg: $594
102%
#155
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX
MSRP: $799|Avg: $999
102%
#162
Xeon Gold 5115
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#169
Xeon E-2356G
MSRP: $311|Avg: $544
99%
#171
Xeon W-2140B
MSRP: $294|Avg: $99
98%
#176
Xeon 6325P
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($0) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon Gold 5115 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightM2Xeon Gold 5115
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm)
✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The M2 ($0), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($0 less, NaN% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightM2Xeon Gold 5115
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M2 and Xeon Gold 5115

M2

The M2 is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 10 June 2022 (3 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.424 GHz, with boost up to 3.48 GHz. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 20 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 14,933 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

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.

Processing Power

The M2 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5115 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon Gold 5115 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.48 GHz on the M2 versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5115 — a 8.4% clock advantage for the M2 (base: 2.424 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5115 is built on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 scores 14,933 against the Xeon Gold 5115's 15,017 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon Gold 5115.

FeatureM2Xeon Gold 5115
Cores / Threads
8 / 8
10 / 20+25%
Boost Clock
3.48 GHz+9%
3.2 GHz
Base Clock
2.424 GHz+1%
2.4 GHz
L3 Cache
13.75 MB
L2 Cache
20 MB+100%
10 MB
Process
5 nm-64%
14 nm
Architecture
Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark
14,933
15,017
🧠

Memory & Platform

The M2 uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 5115 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureM2Xeon Gold 5115
Socket
none
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0