Xeon Gold 5218T
VS
Xeon E5-2696 V3

Xeon Gold 5218T vs Xeon E5-2696 V3

Intel

Xeon Gold 5218T

16 Cores32 Thrd105 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2019
VS
Intel

Xeon E5-2696 V3

18 Cores36 Thrd145 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2014

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 5218T

#421
EPYC 9554P
MSRP: $7104|Avg: $3052
108%
#423
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX
MSRP: $6499|Avg: $3444
107%
#424
Xeon W-2155
MSRP: $1440|Avg: $150
106%
#425
Xeon 6740E
MSRP: $5265|Avg: $3949
106%
#425
Xeon Gold 6348
MSRP: $3583|Avg: $2097
106%
#427
EPYC 7702P
MSRP: $4425|Avg: N/A
106%
#428
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7995WX
MSRP: $9999|Avg: $9879.97
105%
#429
EPYC 7552
MSRP: $4025|Avg: $1650
105%
#431
Xeon Platinum 8360Y
MSRP: $5383|Avg: N/A
104%
#432
Xeon W-3245
MSRP: $2199|Avg: $1200
104%
#433
Xeon Gold 6346
MSRP: $2708|Avg: $2195
102%
#434
Xeon W-3225
MSRP: $1319|Avg: $850
102%
#435
Xeon Gold 6354
MSRP: $2878|Avg: $2898
100%
#436
Xeon Gold 5218T
MSRP: $1572|Avg: $1349
100%
#437
Xeon 6960P
MSRP: $9625|Avg: $9625
100%
#438
EPYC 9555
MSRP: $9826|Avg: $7973
99%
#439
Xeon Gold 6338
MSRP: $2990|Avg: $1604
99%
#440
Xeon Gold 6538N
MSRP: $3351|Avg: $170
98%
#441
EPYC 7F52
MSRP: $3100|Avg: $1826
98%
#442
EPYC 7542
MSRP: $3400|Avg: $899
98%
#443
EPYC 9655
MSRP: $11852|Avg: $11852
97%
#444
Xeon 6781P
MSRP: $8960|Avg: $8960
97%
#445
Xeon Gold 6338N
MSRP: $3200|Avg: $3200
96%
#446
Xeon Gold 5117
MSRP: $1286|Avg: $300
96%
#447
EPYC 73F3
MSRP: $3521|Avg: $2100
96%
#448
EPYC 9384X
MSRP: $5529|Avg: $4157
96%
#449
EPYC 8534P
MSRP: $5529|Avg: $5529
95%
#450
EPYC 7663
MSRP: $6366|Avg: $6366
95%
#450
EPYC 9565
MSRP: $10486|Avg: $8233
95%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2696 V3

#2
Xeon W-11855M
MSRP: $450|Avg: $200
14%
#3
Xeon W-11955M
MSRP: $623|Avg: $450
13%
#4
Xeon W-11865MLE
MSRP: $467|Avg: $350
13%
#5
Xeon W-11865MRE
MSRP: $600|Avg: $600
12%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
146%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
130%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
101%
#16
EPYC 7302
MSRP: $978|Avg: $109
100%
#17
Xeon E5-2696 V3
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#21
Xeon Platinum 8260M
MSRP: $7705|Avg: N/A
91%
#22
Xeon Platinum 8268
MSRP: $6302|Avg: N/A
91%
#24
Xeon Gold 6130H
MSRP: $1894|Avg: N/A
88%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Xeon Gold 5218T (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4-2667, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightXeon Gold 5218TXeon E5-2696 V3
Gaming
Balanced gaming performance
Balanced gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($1,349)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E5-2696 V3 (2014) relies on 22 nm technology and **DDR3, DDR4 2133 MHz Quad-channel**, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightXeon Gold 5218TXeon E5-2696 V3
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($1,349)
More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 5218T and Xeon E5-2696 V3

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.

Intel

Xeon E5-2696 V3

The Xeon E5-2696 V3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 145 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4 2133 MHz Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 21,435 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 5218T packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon E5-2696 V3 offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Xeon E5-2696 V3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5218T versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-2696 V3 — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5218T uses the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2696 V3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5218T scores 21,433 against the Xeon E5-2696 V3's 21,435 — a 0% lead for the Xeon E5-2696 V3. L3 cache: 22 MB on the Xeon Gold 5218T vs 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2696 V3.

FeatureXeon Gold 5218TXeon E5-2696 V3
Cores / Threads
16 / 32
18 / 36+13%
Boost Clock
3.8 GHz
3.8 GHz
Base Clock
2.1 GHz
2.3 GHz+10%
L3 Cache
22 MB
45 MB (total)+105%
L2 Cache
16 MB+6300%
256K (per core)
Process
14 nm-36%
22 nm
Architecture
Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark
21,433
21,435
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon Gold 5218T uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2696 V3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureXeon Gold 5218TXeon E5-2696 V3
Socket
LGA3647
LGA2011-3
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0