Xeon Gold 6230N vs Core i5-2500K
Xeon Gold 6230N
Core i5-2500K
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 i5-2500K is on rank 828, 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 i5-2500K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon Gold 6230N | Core i5-2500K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon Gold 6230N | Core i5-2500K |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
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 i5-2500K
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 i5-2500K
The Core i5-2500K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,141 points. Launch price was $216.
Processing Power
The Xeon Gold 6230N packs 20 cores / 40 threads, while the Core i5-2500K offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon Gold 6230N has 16 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6230N versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i5-2500K — a 5.6% clock advantage for the Core i5-2500K (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Xeon Gold 6230N uses the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-2500K uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 6230N scores 4,175 against the Core i5-2500K's 4,141 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon Gold 6230N. L3 cache: 27.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 6230N vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-2500K.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 6230N | Core i5-2500K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 20 / 40+400% | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.5 GHz | 3.7 GHz+6% |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz | 3.3 GHz+43% |
| L3 Cache | 27.5 MB+358% | 6 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 20 MB+7900% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 4,175 | 4,141 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 3,200 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 684 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 2,032 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon Gold 6230N uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-2500K uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 6230N | Core i5-2500K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA3647 | LGA1155 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon Gold 6230N) / VT-x (Core i5-2500K). The Core i5-2500K includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 3000), while the Xeon Gold 6230N requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-2500K targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-2500K rivals FX-6300.
| Feature | Xeon Gold 6230N | Core i5-2500K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 3000 |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Gaming |
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