Intel Xeon Platinum 8260L vs Intel Xeon Gold 6346

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon Platinum 8260L and Intel Xeon Gold 6346 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 Platinum 8260L

Intel Xeon Gold 6346

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260L

8 more cores, run more applications at once: 24 vs 16
16 more threads: 48 vs 32
Around 8% higher clock speed: 3.90 GHz vs 3.60 GHz
Around 15% higher maximum core temperature: 90°C vs 78°C
Around 24% lower typical power consumption: 165 Watt vs 205 Watt

Number of cores	24 vs 16
Number of threads	48 vs 32
Maximum frequency	3.90 GHz vs 3.60 GHz
Maximum core temperature	90°C vs 78°C
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	165 Watt vs 205 Watt

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon Gold 6346

A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 10 nm vs 14 nm
Around 1% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 33% higher maximum memory size: 6 TB vs 4.5 TB

Manufacturing process technology	10 nm vs 14 nm
L3 cache	36 MB vs 35.75 MB
Maximum memory size	6 TB vs 4.5 TB

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon Platinum 8260L
CPU 2: Intel Xeon Gold 6346

Name	Intel Xeon Platinum 8260L	Intel Xeon Gold 6346
PassMark - Single thread mark		2461
PassMark - CPU mark		55568

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon Platinum 8260L	Intel Xeon Gold 6346
Essentials
Architecture codename	Cascade Lake	Ice Lake
Launch date	Q2'19	6 Apr 2021
Launch price (MSRP)	$8821	$2708
Place in performance rating	not rated	350
Processor Number	8260L	6346
Series	2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable Processors	3rd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable Processors
Vertical segment	Server	Server
Performance
Base frequency	2.40 GHz	3.10 GHz
L3 cache	35.75 MB	36 MB
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm	10 nm
Maximum core temperature	90°C	78°C
Maximum frequency	3.90 GHz	3.60 GHz
Number of cores	24	16
Number of threads	48	32
L1 cache		1 MB
L2 cache		16 MB
Memory
Max memory channels	6	8
Maximum memory size	4.5 TB	6 TB
Supported memory frequency	2933 MHz	3200 MHz
Supported memory types	DDR4-2933	DDR4-3200
Compatibility
Package Size	76.0mm x 56.5mm	77.5mm x 56.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA3647	FCLGA4189
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	165 Watt	205 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	48	64
PCI Express revision	3.0	4.0
Scalability	S8S	2S
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Run Sure Technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Intel® Software Guard Extensions (Intel® SGX)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Instruction set extensions	Intel SSE4.2, Intel AVX, Intel AVX2, Intel AVX-512	Intel SSE4.2, Intel AVX, Intel AVX2, Intel AVX-512
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	2
Speed Shift technology
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)