Pentium Gold 8500 vs Xeon E3-1505L v6

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.

Pentium Gold 8500 vs Xeon E3-1505L v6 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.

Pentium Gold 8500 vs Xeon E3-1505L v6: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium Gold 8500

2022

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E3-1505L v6, which brings 4 cores / 8 threads.
❌16% higher power demand at 29W vs 25W.

Xeon E3-1505L v6

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 4 cores / 8 threads.
✅Draws 25W instead of 29W, a 4W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (5,882 vs 5,949).

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Gold 8500 better than Xeon E3-1505L v6?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E3-1505L v6 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Pentium Gold 8500 is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium Gold 8500 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.6% 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, Pentium Gold 8500 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 5 cores and 6 threads.

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

Pentium Gold 8500 still makes the most sense overall. Pentium Gold 8500 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Pentium Gold 8500 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2017), a healthier platform with FCBGA1781 and DDR5 instead of the older platform, and more multi-core headroom with 5 cores / 6 threads instead of 4/8. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Pentium Gold 8500 vs Xeon E3-1505L v6 Technical Specifications

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

Pentium Gold 8500

The Pentium Gold 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Max frequency: 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 29 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5-5200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 5,949 points. Launch price was $69.

Xeon E3-1505L v6

The Xeon E3-1505L v6 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 5,882 points. Launch price was $433.

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Processing Power

The Pentium Gold 8500 packs 5 cores / 6 threads, while the Xeon E3-1505L v6 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Pentium Gold 8500 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 8500 versus 2.2 GHz on the Xeon E3-1505L v6 — a 66.7% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold 8500. The Xeon E3-1505L v6 is built on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the Pentium Gold 8500 scores 5,949 against the Xeon E3-1505L v6's 5,882 — a 1.1% lead for the Pentium Gold 8500. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Pentium Gold 8500 vs 8 MB on the Xeon E3-1505L v6.

Feature	Pentium Gold 8500	Xeon E3-1505L v6
Cores / Threads	5 / 6+25%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+100%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB Intel® Smart Cache	8 MB
L2 Cache	—	1 MB
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	—	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark	5,949+1%	5,882