Intel Xeon Platinum 8256 vs Intel Xeon E5-2420

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon Platinum 8256 and Intel Xeon E5-2420 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 Platinum 8256

Intel Xeon E5-2420

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon Platinum 8256

CPU is newer: launch date 6 year(s) 7 month(s) later
Around 63% higher clock speed: 3.90 GHz vs 2.40 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 14 nm vs 32 nm
2.7x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 10% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
2.7x more maximum memory size: 1 TB vs 384 GB
2.1x better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2336 vs 1108
5.5x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 16787 vs 3065

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	11 Dec 2018 vs May 2012
Maximum frequency	3.90 GHz vs 2.40 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm vs 32 nm
L2 cache	4 MB vs 256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	16.5 MB vs 15360 KB (shared)
Maximum memory size	1 TB vs 384 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2336 vs 1108
PassMark - CPU mark	16787 vs 3065

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E5-2420

2 more cores, run more applications at once: 6 vs 4
4 more threads: 12 vs 8
Around 50% more L1 cache; more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
Around 11% lower typical power consumption: 95 Watt vs 105 Watt

Number of cores	6 vs 4
Number of threads	12 vs 8
L1 cache	64 KB (per core) vs 256 KB
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	95 Watt vs 105 Watt

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon Platinum 8256
CPU 2: Intel Xeon E5-2420

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2336

1108

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

16787

3065

Name	Intel Xeon Platinum 8256	Intel Xeon E5-2420
PassMark - Single thread mark	2336	1108
PassMark - CPU mark	16787	3065
Geekbench 4 - Single Core		454
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core		2647

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon Platinum 8256	Intel Xeon E5-2420
Essentials
Architecture codename	Cascade Lake	Sandy Bridge EN
Launch date	11 Dec 2018	May 2012
Launch price (MSRP)	$8030	$390
Place in performance rating	930	2356
Processor Number	8256	E5-2420
Series	2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable Processors	Intel® Xeon® Processor E5 Family
Vertical segment	Server	Server
Price now		$390.02
Status		Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)		5.32
Performance
Base frequency	3.80 GHz	1.90 GHz
L1 cache	256 KB	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	4 MB	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	16.5 MB	15360 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm	32 nm
Maximum core temperature	72°C
Maximum frequency	3.90 GHz	2.40 GHz
Number of cores	4	6
Number of threads	8	12
64 bit support
Bus Speed		7.2 GT/s QPI
Die size		294 mm
Number of QPI Links		1
Transistor count		1270 million
VID voltage range		0.6V-1.35V
Memory
Max memory channels	6	3
Maximum memory size	1 TB	384 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	45mm x 42.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA3647	FCLGA1356
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	105 Watt	95 Watt
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration		2
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	48	24
PCI Express revision	3.0	3.0
Scalability	S8S	2S Only
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Run Sure Technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Intel® Identity Protection 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
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)