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.

Xeon 6740E

2024

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 96 MB vs 60 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.5 vs 19.7 PassMark/$ ($5,265 MSRP vs $3,726 MSRP).

Xeon Gold 6548Y+

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,539 less on MSRP ($3,726 MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).
✅Delivers 36.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 19.7 vs 14.5 PassMark/$ ($3,726 MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (60 MB vs 96 MB).
❌Lower PassMark (73,387 vs 76,167).

Xeon 6740E

2024

Xeon Gold 6548Y+

2023

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 96 MB vs 60 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,539 less on MSRP ($3,726 MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).
✅Delivers 36.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 19.7 vs 14.5 PassMark/$ ($3,726 MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.5 vs 19.7 PassMark/$ ($5,265 MSRP vs $3,726 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (60 MB vs 96 MB).
❌Lower PassMark (73,387 vs 76,167).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon 6740E better than Xeon Gold 6548Y+?

Yes. Xeon 6740E is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.1% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data, 3.8% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon 6740E is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.1% more average FPS across 47 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 96 MB vs 60 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon 6740E is the better fit. You are getting 3.8% better PassMark, backed by 96 cores and 96 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 60% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 60 MB).

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

Xeon 6740E is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Gold 6548Y+ makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon 6740E is 41.3% more expensive on MSRP at $5,265 MSRP versus $3,726 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.1% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon Gold 6548Y+ is also 36.1% better value on MSRP (19.7 vs 14.5 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Xeon 6740E is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 96 MB L3 cache instead of 60 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 96 cores / 96 threads instead of 32/64. 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.

Xeon 6740E Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6548Y+ Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Gold 6548Y+
1080p
low	189 FPS	185 FPS
medium	152 FPS	162 FPS
high	121 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	153 FPS
medium	119 FPS	129 FPS
high	91 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	73 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	71 FPS	70 FPS
medium	59 FPS	62 FPS
high	46 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	39 FPS

Open Xeon 6740E Open Xeon Gold 6548Y+

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Gold 6548Y+
1080p
low	437 FPS	542 FPS
medium	378 FPS	485 FPS
high	306 FPS	403 FPS
ultra	241 FPS	360 FPS
1440p
low	359 FPS	473 FPS
medium	319 FPS	423 FPS
high	266 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	203 FPS	303 FPS
4K
low	222 FPS	295 FPS
medium	201 FPS	266 FPS
high	168 FPS	245 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	218 FPS

Open Xeon 6740E Open Xeon Gold 6548Y+

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Gold 6548Y+
1080p
low	934 FPS	892 FPS
medium	831 FPS	807 FPS
high	779 FPS	748 FPS
ultra	693 FPS	659 FPS
1440p
low	746 FPS	764 FPS
medium	655 FPS	687 FPS
high	614 FPS	633 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	564 FPS
4K
low	479 FPS	506 FPS
medium	378 FPS	425 FPS
high	334 FPS	379 FPS
ultra	272 FPS	316 FPS

Open Xeon 6740E Open Xeon Gold 6548Y+

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Gold 6548Y+
1080p
low	918 FPS	946 FPS
medium	830 FPS	851 FPS
high	715 FPS	737 FPS
ultra	610 FPS	639 FPS
1440p
low	710 FPS	777 FPS
medium	620 FPS	680 FPS
high	530 FPS	587 FPS
ultra	450 FPS	503 FPS
4K
low	509 FPS	567 FPS
medium	455 FPS	509 FPS
high	400 FPS	450 FPS
ultra	344 FPS	386 FPS

Open Xeon 6740E Open Xeon Gold 6548Y+

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon 6740E and Xeon Gold 6548Y+

Xeon 6740E

The Xeon 6740E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 June 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Sierra Forest (2024) architecture. It features 96 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 4 MB (per module). Built on Intel 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4710. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 76,167 points. Launch price was $5,265.

Xeon Gold 6548Y+

The Xeon Gold 6548Y+ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Emerald Rapids (2023) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 60 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 73,387 points. Launch price was $3,726.

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Processing Power

The Xeon 6740E packs 96 cores / 96 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Xeon 6740E has 64 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Xeon 6740E versus 4.1 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ — a 24.7% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Xeon 6740E uses the Sierra Forest (2024) architecture (Intel 3 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ uses Emerald Rapids (2023) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon 6740E scores 76,167 against the Xeon Gold 6548Y+'s 73,387 — a 3.7% lead for the Xeon 6740E. L3 cache: 96 MB (total) on the Xeon 6740E vs 60 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 6548Y+.

Feature	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Gold 6548Y+
Cores / Threads	96 / 96+200%	32 / 64
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	4.1 GHz+28%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	2.5 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	96 MB (total)+60%	60 MB (total)
L2 Cache	4 MB (per module)+100%	2 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 3 nm-70%	10 nm
Architecture	Sierra Forest (2024)	Emerald Rapids (2023)
PassMark	76,167+4%	73,387

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon 6740E uses the LGA4710 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 6400 on the Xeon 6740E versus 5200 on the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ — the Xeon 6740E supports 20.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 4096 of RAM. Both feature 8-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 80 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: C741 (Xeon 6740E) and C741 (Xeon Gold 6548Y+).

Feature	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Gold 6548Y+
Socket	LGA4710	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	6400+23%	5200
Max RAM Capacity	4096	4096
RAM Channels	8	8
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	80	80

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, TDX (Xeon 6740E) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6548Y+). Direct competitor: Xeon 6740E rivals EPYC 9005; Xeon Gold 6548Y+ rivals EPYC 9454.

Feature	Xeon 6740E	Xeon Gold 6548Y+
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, TDX	VT-x, VT-d

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Value Analysis

The Xeon 6740E launched at $5265 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ debuted at $3726. On MSRP ($5265 vs $3726), the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ is $1539 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon 6740E delivers 14.5 pts/$ vs 19.7 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ — making the Xeon Gold 6548Y+ the 30.6% better value option.