Xeon Gold 6252 vs M2 Max

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 6252

#41

Xeon W-2195

MSRP: $150|Avg: $5

103%

#42

Xeon Gold 6252

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#50

Xeon Gold 6238R

MSRP: $2612|Avg: N/A

81%

#54

EPYC 4465P

MSRP: $399|Avg: $399

70%

#55

Ryzen 5 PRO 7645

MSRP: $229|Avg: $192

67%

#56

Xeon E5-4667 v3

MSRP: $128|Avg: $128

66%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar M2 Max

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

126%

#188

Core i7-10870H

MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A

126%

#201

M2 Max

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

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 6252 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Xeon Gold 6252	M2 Max
Gaming	Balanced gaming performance	Balanced gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The M2 Max ($0), 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 ($0 less, NaN% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Xeon Gold 6252	M2 Max
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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.

Xeon Gold 6252 Benchmark Check

M2 Max Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Gold 6252 and M2 Max

Xeon Gold 6252

The Xeon Gold 6252 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 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 35.75 MB. L2 cache: 24 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 27,148 points. Launch price was $3,655.

M2 Max

The M2 Max is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 17 January 2023 (2 years ago). It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.424 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 48 MB. L2 cache: 36 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 36 MB + 48 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 26,824 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 6252 packs 24 cores / 48 threads, while the M2 Max offers 12 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon Gold 6252 has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6252 versus 3.7 GHz on the M2 Max — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.424 GHz). The Xeon Gold 6252 is built on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 6252 scores 27,148 against the M2 Max's 26,824 — a 1.2% lead for the Xeon Gold 6252. L3 cache: 35.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 6252 vs 48 MB on the M2 Max.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6252	M2 Max
Cores / Threads	24 / 48+100%	12 / 12
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	2.424 GHz+15%
L3 Cache	35.75 MB	48 MB+34%
L2 Cache	24 MB	36 MB+50%
Process	14 nm	5 nm-64%
Architecture	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)	—
PassMark	27,148+1%	26,824

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon Gold 6252 uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the M2 Max uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon Gold 6252	M2 Max
Socket	LGA3647	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	—	LPDDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	—	96 GB
RAM Channels	—	4
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon Gold 6252) / Virtualization (M2 Max). The M2 Max includes integrated graphics (Apple M2 Max GPU), while the Xeon Gold 6252 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M2 Max targets Mobile.