Xeon Gold 5220 vs Xeon W-2170B

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.

Xeon Gold 5220 vs Xeon W-2170B FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Xeon Gold 5220 vs Xeon W-2170B: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Xeon Gold 5220

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅+28.6% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Draws 125W instead of 140W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-2170B across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Xeon W-2170B

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (24,448 vs 24,480).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 25 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 5220 better than Xeon W-2170B?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon W-2170B is ahead with a 8.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5220 pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark. Xeon Gold 5220 also has the bigger cache pool with 28.6% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 19 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5220 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 28.6% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 19 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Xeon Gold 5220 still makes the most sense overall. Xeon Gold 5220 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.1% better PassMark.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon Gold 5220 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017), 28.6% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 19 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 18 cores / 36 threads instead of 14/28. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon Gold 5220 vs Xeon W-2170B Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

Xeon W-2170B

The Xeon W-2170B is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 24,448 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 5220 packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the Xeon W-2170B offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Xeon Gold 5220 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5220 versus 4.3 GHz on the Xeon W-2170B — a 9.8% clock advantage for the Xeon W-2170B (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5220 uses the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon W-2170B uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5220 scores 24,480 against the Xeon W-2170B's 24,448 — a 0.1% lead for the Xeon Gold 5220. L3 cache: 24.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 5220 vs 19.25 MB (total) on the Xeon W-2170B.

Feature	Xeon Gold 5220	Xeon W-2170B
Cores / Threads	18 / 36+29%	14 / 28
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	4.3 GHz+10%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.5 GHz+14%
L3 Cache	24.75 MB+29%	19.25 MB (total)
L2 Cache	18 MB+1700%	1 MB (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	24,480	24,448

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon Gold 5220 uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon W-2170B uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.