Xeon Gold 5220 vs Xeon Gold 6140

Intel

Xeon Gold 5220

18 Cores36 Thrd125 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2019

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 6140

18 Cores36 Thrd140 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2017

Popular choices:

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Xeon Gold 5220

2019

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +3.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Draws 125W instead of 140W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon Gold 6140

2017

Why buy it

  • 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 Gold 5220 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (24,187 vs 24,480).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 5220 better than Xeon Gold 6140?
Yes. Xeon Gold 5220 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 3.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Xeon Gold 5220 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 3.5% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5220 is the better fit. You are getting 1.2% better PassMark, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Xeon Gold 5220 still looks like the safer overall buy. Xeon Gold 5220 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 3.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Xeon Gold 5220 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 18 cores / 36 threads instead of 18/36. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetXeon Gold 5220Xeon Gold 6140
1080p
low182 FPS183 FPS
medium147 FPS147 FPS
high120 FPS120 FPS
ultra93 FPS93 FPS
1440p
low144 FPS144 FPS
medium114 FPS114 FPS
high92 FPS91 FPS
ultra72 FPS72 FPS
4K
low67 FPS67 FPS
medium56 FPS56 FPS
high45 FPS45 FPS
ultra35 FPS35 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetXeon Gold 5220Xeon Gold 6140
1080p
low211 FPS399 FPS
medium186 FPS344 FPS
high161 FPS289 FPS
ultra136 FPS242 FPS
1440p
low182 FPS346 FPS
medium165 FPS306 FPS
high143 FPS257 FPS
ultra120 FPS214 FPS
4K
low118 FPS225 FPS
medium108 FPS199 FPS
high99 FPS179 FPS
ultra82 FPS146 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetXeon Gold 5220Xeon Gold 6140
1080p
low612 FPS605 FPS
medium612 FPS559 FPS
high612 FPS507 FPS
ultra612 FPS439 FPS
1440p
low612 FPS558 FPS
medium605 FPS453 FPS
high573 FPS411 FPS
ultra506 FPS355 FPS
4K
low455 FPS405 FPS
medium357 FPS315 FPS
high318 FPS281 FPS
ultra259 FPS225 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetXeon Gold 5220Xeon Gold 6140
1080p
low612 FPS605 FPS
medium612 FPS605 FPS
high612 FPS605 FPS
ultra563 FPS583 FPS
1440p
low612 FPS605 FPS
medium587 FPS602 FPS
high505 FPS519 FPS
ultra433 FPS446 FPS
4K
low462 FPS473 FPS
medium414 FPS425 FPS
high369 FPS379 FPS
ultra320 FPS329 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Gold 5220 and Xeon Gold 6140

Intel

Xeon Gold 5220

The Xeon Gold 5220 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 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB. L2 cache: 18 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2667. Passmark benchmark score: 24,480 points. Launch price was $1,555.

Intel

Xeon Gold 6140

The Xeon Gold 6140 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 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB. L2 cache: 18 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 24,187 points. Launch price was $2,445.

Processing Power

Both the Xeon Gold 5220 and Xeon Gold 6140 share an identical 18-core/36-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5220 versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6140 — a 5.3% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5220 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5220 uses the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6140 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5220 scores 24,480 against the Xeon Gold 6140's 24,187 — a 1.2% lead for the Xeon Gold 5220. Both processors carry 24.75 MB of L3 cache.

FeatureXeon Gold 5220Xeon Gold 6140
Cores / Threads
18 / 36
18 / 36
Boost Clock
3.9 GHz+5%
3.7 GHz
Base Clock
2.2 GHz
2.3 GHz+5%
L3 Cache
24.75 MB
24.75 MB
L2 Cache
18 MB
18 MB
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark
24,480+1%
24,187
🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA3647 socket with PCIe 3.0.

FeatureXeon Gold 5220Xeon Gold 6140
Socket
LGA3647
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
2666
Max RAM Capacity
768
RAM Channels
6
ECC Support
Yes
PCIe Lanes
48
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon Gold 5220) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6140). Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 6140 rivals EPYC 7451.

FeatureXeon Gold 5220Xeon Gold 6140
Integrated GPU
No
IGPU Model
None
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d