Xeon Gold 5318Y vs M4 Pro (12 cores)
Xeon Gold 5318Y
M4 Pro (12 cores)
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 5318Y
Performance Per Dollar M4 Pro (12 cores)
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon Gold 5318Y | M4 Pro (12 cores) |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Ice Lake-SP (2021) / 10 nm) | ✨ Modern (Legacy / 3 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon Gold 5318Y | M4 Pro (12 cores) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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 M4 Pro (12 cores)
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.
M4 Pro (12 cores)
The M4 Pro (12 cores) is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 30 October 2024 (1 year ago). It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.592 GHz, with boost up to 4.51 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5X. Passmark benchmark score: 32,853 points. Launch price was $499.
Processing Power
The Xeon Gold 5318Y packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the M4 Pro (12 cores) offers 12 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon Gold 5318Y has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5318Y versus 4.51 GHz on the M4 Pro (12 cores) — a 28.1% clock advantage for the M4 Pro (12 cores) (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.592 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5318Y is built on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5318Y scores 33,139 against the M4 Pro (12 cores)'s 32,853 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon Gold 5318Y. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 28,500 vs 18,904 (40.5% advantage for the Xeon Gold 5318Y). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,251 vs 3,812, a 101.2% lead for the M4 Pro (12 cores) that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 21,846 vs 20,076 (8.4% advantage for the Xeon Gold 5318Y).
| Feature | Xeon Gold 5318Y | M4 Pro (12 cores) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 24 / 48+100% | 12 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 3.4 GHz | 4.51 GHz+33% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 2.592 GHz+23% |
| L3 Cache | 36 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 4 MB+300% |
| Process | 10 nm | 3 nm-70% |
| Architecture | Ice Lake-SP (2021) | — |
| PassMark | 33,139 | 32,853 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 28,500+51% | 18,904 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,251 | 3,812+205% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 21,846+9% | 20,076 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon Gold 5318Y uses the LGA4189 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the M4 Pro (12 cores) uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2933 on the Xeon Gold 5318Y versus LPDDR5x-8000 on the M4 Pro (12 cores) — the M4 Pro (12 cores) supports 22.2% 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 64 GB — 195.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (Xeon Gold 5318Y) vs 1 (M4 Pro (12 cores)). PCIe lanes: 64 (Xeon Gold 5318Y) vs 0 (M4 Pro (12 cores)) — the Xeon Gold 5318Y offers 64 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: C621A,Ice Lake-SP (Xeon Gold 5318Y) and Apple SoC (M4 Pro (12 cores)).
| Feature | Xeon Gold 5318Y | M4 Pro (12 cores) |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA4189 | none |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2933 | LPDDR5x-8000+25% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 6144 GB+9500% | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | 8+700% | 1 |
| ECC Support | ✅ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 64 | 0 |
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 Apple Virtualization (M4 Pro (12 cores)). The M4 Pro (12 cores) includes integrated graphics (M4 Pro 16-core GPU), while the Xeon Gold 5318Y requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Xeon Gold 5318Y targets Server / Virtualization, M4 Pro (12 cores) targets High-end Content Creation. Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 5318Y rivals Xeon Silver 4316; M4 Pro (12 cores) rivals Ryzen 9 8945HS.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 5318Y | M4 Pro (12 cores) |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | M4 Pro 16-core GPU |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | Yes | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | Apple Virtualization |
| Target Use | Server / Virtualization | High-end Content Creation |
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