Xeon Gold 5117

The Xeon Gold 5117 is a 14-core / 28-thread processor based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process node. It reaches a maximum boost clock of 2.8 GHz from a base frequency of 2 GHz— higher boost clocks directly translate to better single-threaded performance and responsiveness in gaming. It carries 19.25 MB of L3 cache, plus 14 MB of L2 cache and 896 kB of L1 cache per core. In the PassMark benchmark (a comprehensive multi-threaded test), it scores 16,897, placing it in the Mid-Range performance tier as a Legacy generation product.

The Xeon Gold 5117 fits into the LGA3647 socket and supports PCIe 3.0 with 48 total PCIe lanes for expansion cards and storage. It supports DDR4-2400 memory at speeds up to 2400 (faster RAM improves bandwidth-sensitive workloads), with a maximum capacity of 768 across 6 channels (dual-channel doubles bandwidth). It supports ECC memory, providing error-correcting capabilities — essential for mission-critical workloads and servers. Integrated graphics: None — allows display output without a dedicated GPU, useful for troubleshooting and light tasks.

It supports AVX-512 instructions — specialized SIMD operations that significantly accelerate AI inference, scientific computing, and video encoding workloads. Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d — enables running virtual machines efficiently (important for development and server workloads). Its primary market competitor is the Xeon Silver 4114.

The Xeon Gold 5117 has a rated TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 105 Watt — this indicates the amount of heat generated under sustained load and determines what cooling solution is needed. No stock cooler is included — you will need to purchase an aftermarket cooler separately. Recommended cooling: LGA3647 Server Grade.

At an average price of $300 (MSRP: $1286), the Xeon Gold 5117 delivers 56 PassMark points per dollar. Performance ranking position: #934 out of all indexed processors.