Xeon Gold 5317 vs Xeon Gold 6212U

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 5317 vs Xeon Gold 6212U 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 5317 vs Xeon Gold 6212U: 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 5317

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 150W instead of 165W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (27,448 vs 27,470).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 36 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,088 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 6212U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon Gold 6212U

2019

Why buy it

✅+98.6% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 18 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6212U better than Xeon Gold 5317?

Yes. Xeon Gold 6212U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.1% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon Gold 6212U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.6% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6212U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 98.6% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Xeon Gold 6212U is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Gold 5317 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon Gold 6212U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,088 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon Gold 5317 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (25.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Xeon Gold 5317 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2019). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Xeon Gold 5317 vs Xeon Gold 6212U Technical Specifications

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

Xeon Gold 5317

The Xeon Gold 5317 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 27,448 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon Gold 6212U

The Xeon Gold 6212U 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 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 35.75 MB. L2 cache: 24 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 27,470 points. Launch price was $2,000.

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Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 5317 packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6212U offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon Gold 6212U has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5317 versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6212U — a 8% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6212U (base: 3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5317 uses the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6212U uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5317 scores 27,448 against the Xeon Gold 6212U's 27,470 — a 0.1% lead for the Xeon Gold 6212U. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 5317 vs 35.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 6212U.

Feature	Xeon Gold 5317	Xeon Gold 6212U
Cores / Threads	12 / 24	24 / 48+100%
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz	3.9 GHz+8%
Base Clock	3 GHz+25%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	35.75 MB+99%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	24 MB+2300%
Process	10 nm-29%	14 nm
Architecture	Ice Lake-SP (2021)	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark	27,448	27,470

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon Gold 5317 uses the LGA4189 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6212U uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.