
Xeon Gold 6230N vs Core i3-8109U

Xeon Gold 6230N

Core i3-8109U
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. The Xeon Gold 6230N is positioned at rank 614 and the Core i3-8109U is on rank 857, so the Xeon Gold 6230N offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 6230N
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-8109U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon Gold 6230N | Core i3-8109U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon Gold 6230N | Core i3-8109U |
|---|---|---|
| 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 6230N and Core i3-8109U

Xeon Gold 6230N
The Xeon Gold 6230N 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 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 27.5 MB. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 4,175 points. Launch price was $2,046.

Core i3-8109U
The Core i3-8109U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,184 points. Launch price was $304.
Processing Power
The Xeon Gold 6230N packs 20 cores / 40 threads, while the Core i3-8109U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon Gold 6230N has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6230N versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i3-8109U — a 2.8% clock advantage for the Core i3-8109U (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Xeon Gold 6230N uses the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i3-8109U uses Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 6230N scores 4,175 against the Core i3-8109U's 4,184 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i3-8109U. L3 cache: 27.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 6230N vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i3-8109U.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 6230N | Core i3-8109U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 20 / 40+900% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.5 GHz | 3.6 GHz+3% |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz | 3 GHz+30% |
| L3 Cache | 27.5 MB+588% | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 20 MB+7900% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) | Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) |
| PassMark | 4,175 | 4,184 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,100 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon Gold 6230N uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-8109U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 6230N | Core i3-8109U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA3647 | FCBGA1528 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon Gold 6230N) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-8109U). The Core i3-8109U includes integrated graphics (Iris Plus Graphics 655), while the Xeon Gold 6230N requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-8109U targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-8109U rivals Ryzen 3 3200U.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 6230N | Core i3-8109U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Iris Plus Graphics 655 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Performance Laptop |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.















