Intel Xeon Gold 6538N vs Intel Xeon Gold 5218

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon Gold 6538N and Intel Xeon Gold 5218 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.

Intel Xeon Gold 6538N

Intel Xeon Gold 5218

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon Gold 6538N

CPU is newer: launch date 4 year(s) 8 month(s) later
16 more cores, run more applications at once: 32 vs 16
32 more threads: 64 vs 32
Around 5% higher clock speed: 4.1 GHz vs 3.90 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 10 nm vs 14 nm
2.5x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
4x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
2.7x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 35% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 44895 vs 33345

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	14 Dec 2023 vs 2 Apr 2019
Number of cores	32 vs 16
Number of threads	64 vs 32
Maximum frequency	4.1 GHz vs 3.90 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	10 nm vs 14 nm
L1 cache	80 KB (per core) vs 1 MB
L2 cache	2 MB (per core) vs 16 MB
L3 cache	60 MB (shared) vs 22 MB
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	44895 vs 33345

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon Gold 5218

Around 64% lower typical power consumption: 125 Watt vs 205 Watt
Around 23% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2118 vs 1725

Specifications (specs)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	125 Watt vs 205 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2118 vs 1725

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon Gold 6538N
CPU 2: Intel Xeon Gold 5218

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1725

2118

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

44895

33345

Name	Intel Xeon Gold 6538N	Intel Xeon Gold 5218
PassMark - Single thread mark	1725	2118
PassMark - CPU mark	44895	33345

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon Gold 6538N	Intel Xeon Gold 5218
Essentials
Launch date	14 Dec 2023	2 Apr 2019
Launch price (MSRP)	$3351	$1273 - $1280
Place in performance rating	779	773
Architecture codename		Cascade Lake
Processor Number		5218
Vertical segment		Server
Performance
Base frequency	2.1 GHz	2.30 GHz
Die size	2x 763 mm²
L1 cache	80 KB (per core)	1 MB
L2 cache	2 MB (per core)	16 MB
L3 cache	60 MB (shared)	22 MB
Manufacturing process technology	10 nm	14 nm
Maximum case temperature (TCase)	85°C	87 °C
Maximum core temperature	95°C
Maximum frequency	4.1 GHz	3.90 GHz
Number of cores	32	16
Number of threads	64	32
Unlocked
Number of QPI Links		2
Memory
ECC memory support
Supported memory types	DDR5	DDR4-2667
Max memory channels		6
Maximum memory bandwidth		119.21 GB/s
Maximum memory size		1 TB
Supported memory frequency		2667 MHz
Compatibility
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	2
Sockets supported	4677	FCLGA3647
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	205 Watt	125 Watt
Peripherals
PCIe configurations	Gen 5, 80 Lanes, (CPU only)
Max number of PCIe lanes		48
PCI Express revision		3.0
Scalability		4S
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Run Sure Technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Mode-based Execute Control (MBE)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Instruction set extensions		Intel SSE4.2, Intel AVX, Intel AVX2, Intel AVX-512
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Optane™ Memory Supported
Intel® TSX-NI
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® Volume Management Device (VMD)
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Speed Shift technology
Turbo Boost Max 3.0
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)