Intel Xeon Gold 6256 vs Intel Xeon W3680

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon Gold 6256 and Intel Xeon W3680 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, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

Intel Xeon Gold 6256

Intel Xeon W3680

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 25% higher clock speed: 4.50 GHz vs 3.60 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 14 nm vs 32 nm
2.8x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
42.7x more maximum memory size: 1 TB vs 24 GB
Around 67% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2637 vs 1575
6.6x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 46324 vs 7024

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	12 vs 6
Number of threads	24 vs 12
Maximum frequency	4.50 GHz vs 3.60 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm vs 32 nm
L3 cache	33 MB vs 12288 KB (shared)
Maximum memory size	1 TB vs 24 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2637 vs 1575
PassMark - CPU mark	46324 vs 7024

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon W3680

Around 6% higher maximum core temperature: 67.9°C vs 64°C
Around 58% lower typical power consumption: 130 Watt vs 205 Watt

Maximum core temperature	67.9°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 W3680

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2637

1575

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

46324

7024

Name	Intel Xeon Gold 6256	Intel Xeon W3680
PassMark - Single thread mark	2637	1575
PassMark - CPU mark	46324	7024
Geekbench 4 - Single Core		649
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core		3566
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score		0
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)		1.662
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)		48.725
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)		0.51
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		2.657
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)		7.601

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon Gold 6256	Intel Xeon W3680
Essentials
Architecture codename	Cascade Lake	Westmere EP
Launch date	Q1'20	March 2010
Launch price (MSRP)	$4466	$350
Place in performance rating	430	2567
Processor Number	6256	W3680
Series	2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable Processors	Legacy Intel® Xeon® Processors
Vertical segment	Server	Server
Price now		$759.95
Status		Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)		3.52
Performance
Base frequency	3.60 GHz	3.33 GHz
L3 cache	33 MB	12288 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm	32 nm
Maximum core temperature	64°C	67.9°C
Maximum frequency	4.50 GHz	3.60 GHz
Number of cores	12	6
Number of threads	24	12
64 bit support
Bus Speed		6.4 GT/s QPI
Die size		239 mm
L1 cache		64 KB (per core)
L2 cache		256 KB (per core)
Number of QPI Links		1
Transistor count		1170 million
VID voltage range		0.800V-1.375V
Memory
Max memory channels	6	3
Maximum memory size	1 TB	24 GB
Supported memory frequency	2933 MHz
Supported memory types	DDR4-2933	DDR3 800/1066/1333
ECC memory support
Maximum memory bandwidth		32 GB/s
Compatibility
Package Size	76.0mm x 56.5mm	42.5mm X 45mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA3647	FCLGA1366
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	205 Watt	130 Watt
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration		1
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	48
PCI Express revision	3.0
Scalability	S4S
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Run Sure Technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Instruction set extensions	Intel SSE4.2, Intel AVX, Intel AVX2, Intel AVX-512	Intel® SSE4.2
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® Demand Based Switching
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)		36-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)