Xeon Gold 5218R vs EPYC 7272
Xeon Gold 5218R
EPYC 7272
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 5218R
Performance Per Dollar EPYC 7272
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon Gold 5218R | EPYC 7272 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Zen 2 (2017−2020) / 7 nm, 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon Gold 5218R | EPYC 7272 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 5218R and EPYC 7272
Xeon Gold 5218R
The Xeon Gold 5218R is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 27.5 MB. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2667. Passmark benchmark score: 25,000 points. Launch price was $1,273.
EPYC 7272
The EPYC 7272 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 25,161 points. Launch price was $625.
Processing Power
The Xeon Gold 5218R packs 20 cores / 40 threads, while the EPYC 7272 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon Gold 5218R has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5218R versus 3.2 GHz on the EPYC 7272 — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5218R (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5218R uses the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 7272 uses Zen 2 (2017−2020) (7 nm, 14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5218R scores 25,000 against the EPYC 7272's 25,161 — a 0.6% lead for the EPYC 7272. L3 cache: 27.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 5218R vs 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7272.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 5218R | EPYC 7272 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 20 / 40+67% | 12 / 24 |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+25% | 3.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 2.9 GHz+38% |
| L3 Cache | 27.5 MB | 32 MB (total)+16% |
| L2 Cache | 20 MB+3900% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm | 7 nm, 14 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) | Zen 2 (2017−2020) |
| PassMark | 25,000 | 25,161 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon Gold 5218R uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 7272 uses SP3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 5218R | EPYC 7272 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA3647 | SP3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | 2666 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 1024 | — |
| RAM Channels | 6 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 48 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 5218R) / not specified (EPYC 7272). Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 5218R rivals EPYC 7352.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 5218R | EPYC 7272 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | Yes | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
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