Xeon Gold 5318Y
VS
Core i9-12900

Xeon Gold 5318Y vs Core i9-12900

Intel

Xeon Gold 5318Y

24 Cores48 Thrd165 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2021
VS
Intel

Core i9-12900

16 Cores24 Thrd65 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2022

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 5318Y

#86
Xeon Platinum 8260
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
104%
#96
Xeon Gold 5318Y
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#97
Xeon Silver 4314
MSRP: $395|Avg: $395
100%
#98
Xeon W-1350
MSRP: $255|Avg: $255
100%
#99
Xeon W-1370P
MSRP: $323|Avg: $323
99%
#106
Xeon Gold 6143
MSRP: $342|Avg: $342
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i9-12900

#229
Core i5-10600
MSRP: $244|Avg: $159
106%
#230
Ryzen 5 PRO 2400G
MSRP: $193|Avg: $100
106%
#231
Core i7-8700B
MSRP: $303|Avg: $139
106%
#232
Ryzen 3 2200G
MSRP: $99|Avg: $80
105%
#233
Core i3-9100F
MSRP: $97|Avg: $80
104%
#234
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
MSRP: $479|Avg: $479
104%
#235
Ryzen 9 3900XT
MSRP: $499|Avg: $390
104%
#236
Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G
MSRP: $176|Avg: $176
103%
#237
Core i7-14700T
MSRP: $384|Avg: $384
103%
#238
Core i3-13100TE
MSRP: $137|Avg: $137
102%
#239
Core i5-9600T
MSRP: $213|Avg: $118
101%
#240
Core i5-12400T
MSRP: $192|Avg: $192
101%
#241
Core i9-14900F
MSRP: $524|Avg: $579
101%
#242
Celeron G6900E
MSRP: $53|Avg: $53
100%
#243
Core i3-12300T
MSRP: $209|Avg: $164
100%
#244
Core i9-12900
MSRP: $519|Avg: $420
100%
#245
Ryzen 3 8300G
MSRP: $176|Avg: $176
100%
#246
Core i7-11700KF
MSRP: $374|Avg: $299
99%
#247
Core i5-10600K
MSRP: $262|Avg: $179
99%
#248
Core i3-10325
MSRP: $154|Avg: $130
99%
#249
Ryzen Embedded V2718
MSRP: $250|Avg: $200
99%
#250
Core i7-8086K
MSRP: $425|Avg: $178
99%
#251
Core i3-10300T
MSRP: $157|Avg: $100
98%
#252
Core i9-10900TE
MSRP: $309|Avg: $180
98%
#253
Core i9-12900T
MSRP: $489|Avg: $378
98%
#254
Core i5-12600T
MSRP: $223|Avg: $223
97%
#255
Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE
MSRP: $200|Avg: $180
97%
#256
Ryzen 7 1700X
MSRP: $399|Avg: $60
49%
#256
Ryzen 5 3500X
MSRP: $155|Avg: $171
96%
#257
Core i9-14900
MSRP: $524|Avg: $589
96%
#258
Core i5-8600
MSRP: $213|Avg: $130
96%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($0) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon Gold 5318Y is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightXeon Gold 5318YCore i9-12900
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($420)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Ice Lake-SP (2021) / 10 nm)
✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i9-12900 ($420), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($420 less, Infinity% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightXeon Gold 5318YCore i9-12900
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($420)

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 5318Y and Core i9-12900

Intel

Xeon Gold 5318Y

The Xeon Gold 5318Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 33,139 points. Launch price was $800.

Intel

Core i9-12900

The Core i9-12900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 33,695 points. Launch price was $489.

Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 5318Y packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the Core i9-12900 offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon Gold 5318Y has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5318Y versus 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-12900 — a 40% clock advantage for the Core i9-12900 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5318Y uses the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i9-12900 uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5318Y scores 33,139 against the Core i9-12900's 33,695 — a 1.7% lead for the Core i9-12900. L3 cache: 36 MB (total) on the Xeon Gold 5318Y vs 30 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900.

FeatureXeon Gold 5318YCore i9-12900
Cores / Threads
24 / 48+50%
16 / 24
Boost Clock
3.4 GHz
5.1 GHz+50%
Base Clock
2.1 GHz
2.4 GHz+14%
L3 Cache
36 MB (total)+20%
30 MB (total)
L2 Cache
1 MB (per core)
1.25 MB (per core)+25%
Process
10 nm
Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture
Ice Lake-SP (2021)
Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark
33,139
33,695+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi
28,500
Geekbench 6 Single
1,251
Geekbench 6 Multi
21,846
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon Gold 5318Y uses the LGA4189 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i9-12900 uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2933 on the Xeon Gold 5318Y versus 4800 on the Core i9-12900 — the Core i9-12900 supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 5318Y supports up to 6144 GB of RAM compared to 128 191.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (Xeon Gold 5318Y) vs 2 (Core i9-12900). PCIe lanes: 64 (Xeon Gold 5318Y) vs 20 (Core i9-12900) — the Xeon Gold 5318Y offers 44 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: C621A,Ice Lake-SP (Xeon Gold 5318Y) and Z690,B660 (Core i9-12900).

FeatureXeon Gold 5318YCore i9-12900
Socket
LGA4189
LGA1700
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2933
4800+119900%
Max RAM Capacity
6144 GB+5033164700%
128
RAM Channels
8+300%
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
64+220%
20
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon Gold 5318Y supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon Gold 5318Y) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-12900). The Core i9-12900 includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Xeon Gold 5318Y requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Xeon Gold 5318Y targets Server / Virtualization. Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 5318Y rivals Xeon Silver 4316; Core i9-12900 rivals Ryzen 9 5900.

FeatureXeon Gold 5318YCore i9-12900
Integrated GPU
No
Yes
IGPU Model
Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
Yes
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Server / Virtualization