Xeon Gold 6238R vs Xeon Platinum 8268

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 6238R vs Xeon Platinum 8268 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 6238R vs Xeon Platinum 8268: 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 6238R

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,690 less on MSRP ($2,612 MSRP vs $6,302 MSRP).
✅Delivers 139.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.3 vs 5.6 PassMark/$ ($2,612 MSRP vs $6,302 MSRP).
✅Draws 165W instead of 205W, a 40W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Xeon Platinum 8268

2019

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (12,046 vs 21,433).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 5.6 vs 13.3 PassMark/$ ($6,302 MSRP vs $2,612 MSRP).
❌24.2% higher power demand at 205W vs 165W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6238R better than Xeon Platinum 8268?

Yes. Xeon Gold 6238R is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 77.9% better Geekbench multi-core, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon Gold 6238R is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.2% 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 6238R is the stronger fit. You are getting 77.9% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 28 cores and 56 threads.

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

Xeon Gold 6238R is the better buy right now. Xeon Gold 6238R comes in $3,690 cheaper on MSRP at $2,612 MSRP versus $6,302 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 139.0% better value on MSRP (13.3 vs 5.6 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Xeon Gold 6238R makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2019) and more multi-core headroom with 28 cores / 56 threads instead of 24/48. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon Gold 6238R vs Xeon Platinum 8268 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon Gold 6238R

The Xeon Gold 6238R is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 28 cores and 56 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 38.5 MB. L2 cache: 28 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 34,751 points. Launch price was $2,612.

Xeon Platinum 8268

The Xeon Platinum 8268 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 December 2018 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake-SP (2018) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 35.75 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 205 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 35,081 points. Launch price was $6,302.

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Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 6238R packs 28 cores / 56 threads, while the Xeon Platinum 8268 offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon Gold 6238R has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6238R versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Platinum 8268 — a 2.5% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6238R (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Xeon Gold 6238R uses the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Platinum 8268 uses Cascade Lake-SP (2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 6238R scores 34,751 against the Xeon Platinum 8268's 35,081 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon Platinum 8268. Multi-core Geekbench: 21,433 vs 12,046 (56.1% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6238R). L3 cache: 38.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 6238R vs 35.75 MB (total) on the Xeon Platinum 8268.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6238R	Xeon Platinum 8268
Cores / Threads	28 / 56+17%	24 / 48
Boost Clock	4 GHz+3%	3.9 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.9 GHz+32%
L3 Cache	38.5 MB+8%	35.75 MB (total)
L2 Cache	28 MB+2700%	1 MB (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)	Cascade Lake-SP (2018)
PassMark	34,751	35,081
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	24,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,394
Geekbench 6 Multi	21,433+78%	12,046

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA3647 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-2933 memory speed. Both support up to 1 TB of RAM. Both feature 6-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 48 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: C621,C622,C624,C627,C628 (Xeon Gold 6238R) and C621,Lewisburg (Xeon Platinum 8268).

Feature	Xeon Gold 6238R	Xeon Platinum 8268
Socket	LGA3647	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	1 TB	1024 GB
RAM Channels	6	6
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	48	48

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. Primary use case: Xeon Gold 6238R targets Server, Xeon Platinum 8268 targets High-end Server. Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 6238R rivals Xeon Gold 6248R; Xeon Platinum 8268 rivals EPYC 7452.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6238R	Xeon Platinum 8268
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Server	High-end Server

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Xeon Gold 6238R was priced at $2612, while the Xeon Platinum 8268 came in at $6302. On launch pricing ($2612 vs $6302), Xeon Gold 6238R was $3690 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon Gold 6238R delivers 13.3 pts/$ vs 5.6 pts/$ for the Xeon Platinum 8268 — making the Xeon Gold 6238R the 82% better value option.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6238R	Xeon Platinum 8268
MSRP	$2612-59%	$6302
Performance per Dollar	13.3+138%	5.6
Release Date	2020	2019

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