CPU
GPU
Xeon Gold 5122
Xeon E5-2670
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. The Xeon Gold 5122 is positioned at rank 489 and the Xeon E5-2670 is on rank 974, so the Xeon Gold 5122 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 5122
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2670
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon Gold 5122 | Xeon E5-2670 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon Gold 5122 | Xeon E5-2670 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) |
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 Xeon Gold 5122 and Xeon E5-2670
Xeon Gold 5122
The Xeon Gold 5122 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 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 16.5 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 8,867 points. Launch price was $1,221.
Xeon E5-2670
The Xeon E5-2670 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 6 March 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 20480 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 115 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 8,901 points. Launch price was $145.
Processing Power
The Xeon Gold 5122 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon E5-2670 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-2670 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5122 versus 3.3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2670 — a 11.4% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5122 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5122 uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2670 uses Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5122 scores 8,867 against the Xeon E5-2670's 8,901 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon E5-2670. L3 cache: 16.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 5122 vs 20480 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2670.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 5122 | Xeon E5-2670 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 8 / 16+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.7 GHz+12% | 3.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz+38% | 2.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 16.5 MB | 20480 kB (total)+21% |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+1500% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (server) (2017−2018) | Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) |
| PassMark | 8,867 | 8,901 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon Gold 5122 uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2670 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 5122 | Xeon E5-2670 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA3647 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 384 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 4 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 40 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon Gold 5122) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5-2670). Primary use case: Xeon E5-2670 targets Server.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 5122 | Xeon E5-2670 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Server |
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