Xeon E7-8891 v3 vs Xeon Gold 5218T

Intel

Xeon E7-8891 v3

10 Cores20 Thrd165 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2015
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 5218T

16 Cores32 Thrd105 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2019
Similar parts
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Xeon E7-8891 v3 vs Xeon Gold 5218T Performance Spectrum

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.

Xeon E7-8891 v3 vs Xeon Gold 5218T 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.

Xeon E7-8891 v3 vs Xeon Gold 5218T: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon E7-8891 v3

2015

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +21.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +104.5% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 22 MB).
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (32 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 3.2 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($6,841 MSRP vs $1,572 MSRP).
  • 57.1% higher power demand at 165W vs 105W.

Xeon Gold 5218T

2019

Why buy it

  • Costs $5,269 less on MSRP ($1,572 MSRP vs $6,841 MSRP).
  • Delivers 331.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.6 vs 3.2 PassMark/$ ($1,572 MSRP vs $6,841 MSRP).
  • Draws 105W instead of 165W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E7-8891 v3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (21,433 vs 21,615).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (22 MB vs 45 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E7-8891 v3 better than Xeon Gold 5218T?
Yes. Xeon E7-8891 v3 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 21.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.8% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Xeon E7-8891 v3 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 21.5% 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, Xeon E7-8891 v3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 104.5% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 22 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Xeon E7-8891 v3 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Gold 5218T is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon E7-8891 v3 comes in 335.2% more expensive on MSRP at $6,841 MSRP versus $1,572 MSRP, and it still gives you a 21.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon Gold 5218T is also 331.5% better value on MSRP (13.6 vs 3.2 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Xeon Gold 5218T makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2015). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Xeon E7-8891 v3 vs Xeon Gold 5218T Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Xeon E7-8891 v3

The Xeon E7-8891 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EX (2015) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1333/1600/1866, DDR3-1066/1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 21,615 points. Launch price was $800.

Intel

Xeon Gold 5218T

The Xeon Gold 5218T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 22 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2667. Passmark benchmark score: 21,433 points. Launch price was $1,561.

Processing Power

The Xeon E7-8891 v3 packs 10 cores / 20 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5218T offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Xeon Gold 5218T has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E7-8891 v3 versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5218T — a 8.2% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5218T (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Xeon E7-8891 v3 uses the Haswell-EX (2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5218T uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E7-8891 v3 scores 21,615 against the Xeon Gold 5218T's 21,433 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon E7-8891 v3. L3 cache: 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E7-8891 v3 vs 22 MB on the Xeon Gold 5218T.

FeatureXeon E7-8891 v3Xeon Gold 5218T
Cores / Threads
10 / 20
16 / 32+60%
Boost Clock
3.5 GHz
3.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock
2.8 GHz+33%
2.1 GHz
L3 Cache
45 MB (total)+105%
22 MB
L2 Cache
256K (per core)+1500%
16 MB
Process
22 nm
14 nm-36%
Architecture
Haswell-EX (2015)
Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark
21,615
21,433
Geekbench 6 Single
900
Geekbench 6 Multi
9,500
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E7-8891 v3 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 5218T uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureXeon E7-8891 v3Xeon Gold 5218T
Socket
LGA2011
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-1866
Max RAM Capacity
1536 GB
RAM Channels
4
ECC Support
Yes
PCIe Lanes
32
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Xeon E7-8891 v3) / not specified (Xeon Gold 5218T).

FeatureXeon E7-8891 v3Xeon Gold 5218T
Integrated GPU
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
Yes
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Xeon E7-8891 v3 was priced at $6841, while the Xeon Gold 5218T came in at $1572. On launch pricing ($6841 vs $1572), Xeon Gold 5218T was $5269 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E7-8891 v3 delivers 3.2 pts/$ vs 13.6 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 5218T — making the Xeon Gold 5218T the 124.7% better value option.

FeatureXeon E7-8891 v3Xeon Gold 5218T
MSRP
$6841
$1572-77%
Performance per Dollar
3.2
13.6+325%
Release Date
2015
2019

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