Xeon Gold 5218R vs Xeon E5-2696 v4
Xeon Gold 5218R
Xeon E5-2696 v4
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 Xeon E5-2696 v4
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon Gold 5218R | Xeon E5-2696 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon Gold 5218R | Xeon E5-2696 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Xeon E5-2696 v4
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.
Xeon E5-2696 v4
The Xeon E5-2696 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 22 cores and 44 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 55 MB. L2 cache: 5.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCLGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 24,938 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Xeon Gold 5218R packs 20 cores / 40 threads, while the Xeon E5-2696 v4 offers 22 cores / 44 threads — the Xeon E5-2696 v4 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5218R versus 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-2696 v4 — a 10.5% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5218R (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5218R uses the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2696 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5218R scores 25,000 against the Xeon E5-2696 v4's 24,938 — a 0.2% lead for the Xeon Gold 5218R. L3 cache: 27.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 5218R vs 55 MB on the Xeon E5-2696 v4.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 5218R | Xeon E5-2696 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 20 / 40 | 22 / 44+10% |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+11% | 3.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 2.2 GHz+5% |
| L3 Cache | 27.5 MB | 55 MB+100% |
| L2 Cache | 20 MB+264% | 5.5 MB |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) | Broadwell (2015−2019) |
| PassMark | 25,000 | 24,938 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon Gold 5218R uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2696 v4 uses FCLGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 5218R | Xeon E5-2696 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA3647 | FCLGA2011-3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| 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 (Xeon E5-2696 v4). Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 5218R rivals EPYC 7352.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 5218R | Xeon E5-2696 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | Yes | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
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