Xeon Gold 5117 vs Xeon Platinum 8256

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 Gold 5117 vs Xeon Platinum 8256 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 Gold 5117 vs Xeon Platinum 8256: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon Gold 5117

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Platinum 8256 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,286 MSRP, while Xeon Platinum 8256 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon Platinum 8256

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (16,787 vs 16,897).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 5117 better than Xeon Platinum 8256?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon Platinum 8256 is ahead with a 6.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5117 pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5117 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads.

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

Xeon Gold 5117 is the better buy right now. Xeon Gold 5117 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $1,286 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon Platinum 8256 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 6.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (13.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Xeon Platinum 8256 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Xeon Gold 5117 vs Xeon Platinum 8256 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon Gold 5117

The Xeon Gold 5117 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB. L2 cache: 14 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 16,897 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon Platinum 8256

The Xeon Platinum 8256 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 December 2018 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake-SP (2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16.5 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 16,787 points. Launch price was $7,007.

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Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 5117 packs 14 cores / 28 threads, while the Xeon Platinum 8256 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon Gold 5117 has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5117 versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Platinum 8256 — a 32.8% clock advantage for the Xeon Platinum 8256 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5117 uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Platinum 8256 uses Cascade Lake-SP (2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5117 scores 16,897 against the Xeon Platinum 8256's 16,787 — a 0.7% lead for the Xeon Gold 5117. L3 cache: 19.25 MB on the Xeon Gold 5117 vs 16.5 MB (total) on the Xeon Platinum 8256.

Feature	Xeon Gold 5117	Xeon Platinum 8256
Cores / Threads	14 / 28+250%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz	3.9 GHz+39%
Base Clock	2 GHz	3.8 GHz+90%
L3 Cache	19.25 MB+17%	16.5 MB (total)
L2 Cache	14 MB+1300%	1 MB (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Cascade Lake-SP (2018)
PassMark	16,897	16,787

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA3647 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Xeon Gold 5117	Xeon Platinum 8256
Socket	LGA3647	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	768	—
RAM Channels	6	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	48	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 5117) / not specified (Xeon Platinum 8256). Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 5117 rivals Xeon Silver 4114.