Intel Xeon Gold 6256 vs Intel Xeon E5-2643 v2

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon Gold 6256 and Intel Xeon E5-2643 v2 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core.

Intel Xeon Gold 6256

Intel Xeon E5-2643 v2

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon Gold 6256

6 more cores, run more applications at once: 12 vs 6
12 more threads: 24 vs 12
Around 18% higher clock speed: 4.50 GHz vs 3.80 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 14 nm vs 22 nm
2.2x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 33% higher maximum memory size: 1 TB vs 768 GB
Around 33% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2634 vs 1976
2.7x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 46766 vs 17142

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	12 vs 6
Number of threads	24 vs 12
Maximum frequency	4.50 GHz vs 3.80 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm vs 22 nm
L3 cache	33 MB vs 15360 KB (shared)
Maximum memory size	1 TB vs 768 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2634 vs 1976
PassMark - CPU mark	46766 vs 17142

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E5-2643 v2

Around 16% higher maximum core temperature: 74°C vs 64°C
Around 58% lower typical power consumption: 130 Watt vs 205 Watt

Maximum core temperature	74°C vs 64°C
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt vs 205 Watt

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon Gold 6256
CPU 2: Intel Xeon E5-2643 v2

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2634

1976

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

46766

17142

Name	Intel Xeon Gold 6256	Intel Xeon E5-2643 v2
PassMark - Single thread mark	2634	1976
PassMark - CPU mark	46766	17142
Geekbench 4 - Single Core		3641
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core		18673

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon Gold 6256	Intel Xeon E5-2643 v2
Essentials
Architecture codename	Cascade Lake	Ivy Bridge EP
Launch date	Q1'20	September 2013
Launch price (MSRP)	$4466	$2,200
Place in performance rating	304	301
Processor Number	6256	E5-2643V2
Series	2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable Processors	Intel® Xeon® Processor E5 v2 Family
Vertical segment	Server	Server
Price now		$2,641.75
Status		Launched
Value for money (0-100)		1.43
Performance
Base frequency	3.60 GHz	3.50 GHz
L3 cache	33 MB	15360 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm	22 nm
Maximum core temperature	64°C	74°C
Maximum frequency	4.50 GHz	3.80 GHz
Number of cores	12	6
Number of threads	24	12
64 bit support
Bus Speed		8 GT/s QPI
Die size		160 mm
L1 cache		64 KB (per core)
L2 cache		256 KB (per core)
Number of QPI Links		2
Transistor count		1400 million
VID voltage range		0.65–1.30V
Memory
Max memory channels	6	4
Maximum memory size	1 TB	768 GB
Supported memory frequency	2933 MHz
Supported memory types	DDR4-2933	DDR3 800/1066/1333/1600/1866
ECC memory support
Maximum memory bandwidth		59.7 GB/s
Compatibility
Package Size	76.0mm x 56.5mm	52.5mm x 45mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA3647	FCLGA2011
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	205 Watt	130 Watt
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration		2
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	48	40
PCI Express revision	3.0	3.0
Scalability	S4S	2S Only
PCIe configurations		x4, x8, x16
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Run Sure Technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® OS Guard
Intel® Secure Key technology
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Instruction set extensions	Intel SSE4.2, Intel AVX, Intel AVX2, Intel AVX-512	Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® Volume Management Device (VMD)
Number of AVX-512 FMA Units	2
Speed Shift technology
Idle States
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® TSX-NI
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)		46-bit
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)