Xeon E-2278G
VS
Xeon Gold 5118

Xeon E-2278G vs Xeon Gold 5118

Intel

Xeon E-2278G

8 Cores16 Thrd80 WWMax: 5 GHz2019
VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 5118

12 Cores24 Thrd105 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 Xeon E-2278G

#115
Xeon W-1370
MSRP: $323|Avg: $323
106%
#119
Xeon 6505P
MSRP: $563|Avg: $563
104%
#127
Xeon E-2278G
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#130
EPYC 9115
MSRP: $726|Avg: $726
99%
#131
EPYC 74F3
MSRP: $913|Avg: $824
99%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 5118

#115
Xeon W-1370
MSRP: $323|Avg: $323
106%
#119
Xeon 6505P
MSRP: $563|Avg: $563
104%
#129
Xeon Gold 5118
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#130
EPYC 9115
MSRP: $726|Avg: $726
99%
#131
EPYC 74F3
MSRP: $913|Avg: $824
99%
#143
Xeon W-1350P
MSRP: $311|Avg: $250
94%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Xeon E-2278G delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Xeon Gold 5118 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightXeon E-2278GXeon Gold 5118
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) / 14 nm)
✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightXeon E-2278GXeon Gold 5118
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 Xeon E-2278G and Xeon Gold 5118

Intel

Xeon E-2278G

The Xeon E-2278G is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 May 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 16,825 points. Launch price was $494.

Intel

Xeon Gold 5118

The Xeon Gold 5118 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 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16.5 MB. L2 cache: 12 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 16,744 points. Launch price was $1,273.

Processing Power

The Xeon E-2278G packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5118 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon Gold 5118 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Xeon E-2278G versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5118 — a 43.9% clock advantage for the Xeon E-2278G (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Xeon E-2278G uses the Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5118 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E-2278G scores 16,825 against the Xeon Gold 5118's 16,744 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E-2278G. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2278G vs 16.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 5118.

FeatureXeon E-2278GXeon Gold 5118
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
12 / 24+50%
Boost Clock
5 GHz+56%
3.2 GHz
Base Clock
3.4 GHz+48%
2.3 GHz
L3 Cache
16 MB (total)
16.5 MB+3%
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
12 MB+4700%
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019)
Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark
16,825
16,744
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E-2278G uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 5118 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Xeon E-2278G versus 2400 on the Xeon Gold 5118 — the Xeon Gold 5118 supports 199.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 5118 supports up to 768 of RAM compared to 128 GB 142.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Xeon E-2278G) vs 6 (Xeon Gold 5118). PCIe lanes: 16 (Xeon E-2278G) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 5118) — the Xeon Gold 5118 offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: C242,C246 (Xeon E-2278G) and C621 (Xeon Gold 5118).

FeatureXeon E-2278GXeon Gold 5118
Socket
LGA1151
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
2400+59900%
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB+17476167%
768
RAM Channels
2
6+200%
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
48+200%
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon Gold 5118 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Xeon E-2278G) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 5118). The Xeon E-2278G includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics P630), while the Xeon Gold 5118 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Xeon E-2278G targets Server. Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 5118 rivals EPYC 7301.

FeatureXeon E-2278GXeon Gold 5118
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
Intel UHD Graphics P630
None
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x / VT-d / EPT
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Server