Xeon Max 9480

The Xeon Max 9480 is a 56-core / 112-thread processor based on the Sapphire Rapids HBM (2023) architecture, manufactured on a 10 nm process node. It reaches a maximum boost clock of 3.5 GHz from a base frequency of 1.9 GHz— higher boost clocks directly translate to better single-threaded performance and responsiveness in gaming. With a massive 112.5 MB L3 cache (3D V-Cache technology), this processor has a significant gaming advantage — the large cache drastically reduces memory latency in game engines., plus 2 MB (per core) of L2 cache and 80K (per core) of L1 cache per core. In the PassMark benchmark (a comprehensive multi-threaded test), it scores 82,913, placing it in the Enthusiast performance tier as a Recent generation product. Geekbench 6 single-core (the most relevant metric for gaming FPS) records 1,900, while multi-core reaches 55,000.

The Xeon Max 9480 fits into the LGA4677 socket and supports PCIe 4.0 with 80 total PCIe lanes for expansion cards and storage. It supports DDR5-4800 memory at speeds up to DDR5-4800 (faster RAM improves bandwidth-sensitive workloads), with a maximum capacity of 4096 GB across 8 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.

The Xeon Max 9480 is primarily designed for HPC Server. 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 EPYC 9684X.

The Xeon Max 9480 has a rated TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 350 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: Server Liquid.

At an average price of $12,980, the Xeon Max 9480 delivers 6 PassMark points per dollar. Performance ranking position: #59 out of all indexed processors.