Ryzen Z2 Extreme vs Xeon Gold 6138
Ryzen Z2 Extreme
Xeon Gold 6138
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 6138
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Ryzen Z2 Extreme | Xeon Gold 6138 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($300) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Strix Point (Zen 5) (2025) / 4 nm) | ✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Ryzen Z2 Extreme | Xeon Gold 6138 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($300) |
Performance Check
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 Ryzen Z2 Extreme and Xeon Gold 6138
Ryzen Z2 Extreme
The Ryzen Z2 Extreme is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Strix Point (Zen 5) (2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,177 points. Launch price was $299.
Xeon Gold 6138
The Xeon Gold 6138 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 25 April 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 27.5 MB. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 24,108 points. Launch price was $2,612.
Processing Power
The Ryzen Z2 Extreme packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6138 offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon Gold 6138 has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Ryzen Z2 Extreme versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6138 — a 29.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z2 Extreme (base: 2 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Ryzen Z2 Extreme uses the Strix Point (Zen 5) (2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6138 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Z2 Extreme scores 24,177 against the Xeon Gold 6138's 24,108 — a 0.3% lead for the Ryzen Z2 Extreme. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Ryzen Z2 Extreme vs 27.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 6138.
| Feature | Ryzen Z2 Extreme | Xeon Gold 6138 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 20 / 40+150% |
| Boost Clock | 5 GHz+35% | 3.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB | 27.5 MB+72% |
| L2 Cache | 8 MB | 20 MB+150% |
| Process | 4 nm-71% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Strix Point (Zen 5) (2025) | Skylake (server) (2017−2018) |
| PassMark | 24,177 | 24,108 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,261 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 15,439 |
Memory & Platform
The Ryzen Z2 Extreme uses the FP8 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6138 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Ryzen Z2 Extreme | Xeon Gold 6138 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FP8 | LGA3647 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+33% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2666 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 768 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 6 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 48 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen Z2 Extreme) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6138). Primary use case: Xeon Gold 6138 targets Server.
| Feature | Ryzen Z2 Extreme | Xeon Gold 6138 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | Yes |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Server |
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