Intel Xeon D-2775TE vs Intel Xeon Gold 5317 Comparison

The data presents a fascinating near-parity between the Intel Xeon D-2775TE and the Intel Xeon Gold 5317. Despite their differing core counts, clock speeds, and platform designs, their benchmark results are almost identical, with the D-2775TE holding a razor-thin edge across every single test. The average benchmark scores are 6711 for the D-2775TE and 6710 for the Gold 5317, a difference of a single point. This places both processors in the 62nd percentile of all CPUs, making them direct competitors in the mid-range server space. The head-to-head data shows the D-2775TE as the nominal winner in all six tests, but the deltaPct is uniformly 0, indicating a statistical tie. This analysis will dissect the specifications and benchmark data to understand what this near-perfect performance parity means for potential use cases.

The Verdict

For a system builder, the choice between these two processors is not about raw performance, as the data shows they are effectively interchangeable. The Intel Xeon D-2775TE and the Intel Xeon Gold 5317 deliver virtually identical results in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, with the D-2775TE leading by a maximum of 2 points in the R20 multi-core test (9745 vs 9743). The single-core scores are exactly the same across all three benchmark versions (330, 1375, and 3275 points), indicating that per-thread performance is a dead heat.

The real differentiators lie in the platform specifications. The D-2775TE is a system-on-a-chip with a 100W TDP and a BGA 2579 socket, suggesting a dense, power-efficient, and embedded-oriented design. In contrast, the Gold 5317 has a 150W TDP and uses the LGA 4189 socket, which is a standard socketed server platform. Therefore, the data implies a clear verdict: choose the Xeon D-2775TE for environments where power efficiency and a compact footprint are paramount, and the Xeon Gold 5317 for systems where a swappable, serviceable socket and a higher power ceiling are preferred. The performance will be the same, but the platform philosophy is distinctly different.

Architecture Differences

Despite sharing the same "Ice Lake" architecture name and 10nm process node, these are two distinct chips with different design goals. The D-2775TE is built on the "Ice Lake-D" codename, which is a system-on-chip (SoC) design. This means it integrates features like the memory controller and I/O directly onto the package, which is why it uses a BGA 2579 socket — the chip is soldered directly to the motherboard. Its core configuration is 16 cores and 32 threads, with a larger per-core cache allocation of 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2, and a total of 25 MB of shared L3 cache.

The Gold 5317, conversely, is based on the "Ice Lake-SP" codename, which stands for "Scalable Performance." This is a traditional multi-chip module design that connects to the system via the LGA 4189 socket. It has fewer cores (12 cores, 24 threads) but compensates with higher base and boost clocks (3.00 GHz and 3.60 GHz vs 2.00 GHz and 3.10 GHz). Its cache is smaller on a per-core and total basis: 64 KB L1, 1 MB L2, and 18 MB shared L3. The Gold 5317 also features a wider eight-channel memory bus with a theoretical bandwidth of 187.7 GB/s, double the quad-channel 93.9 GB/s of the D-2775TE. Furthermore, the Gold 5317 has more PCIe lanes (64 vs 32), both being Gen 4. These are fundamental architectural differences that affect the surrounding platform, even if the CPU cores perform similarly.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has better multi-core performance?

A: Based on the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, the Intel Xeon D-2775TE scores 23204, which is 5 points higher than the Gold 5317's 23199. While this is a victory for the D-2775TE, the deltaPct is 0, indicating the performance is effectively identical.

Q: Is there a difference in single-threaded speed?

A: No. The data shows exact parity in single-core tests. Both the D-2775TE and the Gold 5317 score 330 in Cinebench R15, 1375 in Cinebench R20, and 3275 in Cinebench R23 single-core benchmarks.

Q: The D-2775TE has more cores, why doesn't it win by more?

A: The Gold 5317's higher clock speeds (3.00 GHz base and 3.60 GHz boost vs 2.00 GHz and 3.10 GHz) likely compensate for its lower core count of 12 versus 16. The benchmark results suggest that the Gold 5317's per-core performance advantage is enough to offset the D-2775TE's 33% core advantage.

Q: What does the difference in memory bandwidth mean for real-world use?

A: The Gold 5317 supports eight-channel memory with a bandwidth of 187.7 GB/s, while the D-2775TE supports quad-channel memory with 93.9 GB/s. This suggests the Gold 5317 platform has a significant theoretical advantage in memory-intensive workloads, even though the Cinebench CPU tests do not show this difference.

Q: Are these processors from the same generation?

A: Yes, both are based on the Intel "Ice Lake" architecture and are manufactured on a 10nm process node. However, the D-2775TE is from the "Ice Lake-D" generation (released February 2022), while the Gold 5317 is from the "Ice Lake-SP" generation (released April 2021). The Gold 5317 is therefore the earlier product.

Q: What is the performance percentile of these CPUs?

A: Both processors are in the 62nd percentile of all CPUs benchmarked in the database. Their average benchmark scores are also nearly identical, with the D-2775TE at 6711 and the Gold 5317 at 6710.

Specification Differences

The following table highlights the key areas where the two processors differ based solely on the provided data:

| Specification | Intel Xeon D-2775TE | Intel Xeon Gold 5317 |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Cores | 16 | 12 |

| Threads | 32 | 24 |

| Base Clock | 2.00 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.10 GHz | 3.60 GHz |

| TDP | 100 W | 150 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 2579 | Intel Socket 4189 |

| Codename | Ice Lake-D | Ice Lake-SP |

| Generation | Xeon D (Ice Lake-D) | Xeon Gold (Ice Lake-SP) |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 1 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 25 MB (shared) | 18 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Quad-channel | Eight-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 93.9 GB/s | 187.7 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 32 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 64 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Release Date | 2022-02-23 | 2021-04-05 |

| Launch MSRP | $1751 | N/A |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are remarkable for their consistency. In the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, both processors score exactly 2338 points. The single-core R15 test also results in a tie at 330 points. Moving to Cinebench R20, the D-2775TE scores 9745 in multi-core, edging out the Gold 5317's 9743 by a mere 2 points. The single-core R20 scores are identical at 1375 points.

The pattern continues in Cinebench R23. The D-2775TE achieves a multi-core score of 23204, besting the Gold 5317's 23199 by 5 points. The single-core R23 scores are again a perfect tie at 3275 points. Across all six benchmarks, the D-2775TE is the designated winner, but the deltas are 0% or essentially zero. The most significant "win" for the D-2775TE is a 0.02% difference in R23 multi-core. This data strongly indicates that from a compute perspective, there is no practical performance difference between the two. The Gold 5317's higher clock speed perfectly offsets the D-2775TE's higher core count.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark data, neither chip has a decisive compute win. The D-2775TE technically wins all six head-to-head comparisons, but the margins are negligible. Consequently, the "wins" are determined by platform attributes, not CPU performance.

The Intel Xeon D-2775TE wins in power-sensitive and space-constrained scenarios. Its 100W TDP is 33% lower than the Gold 5317's 150W TDP. This, combined with its BGA socket, points to a design intended for dense, low-power servers where heat dissipation and energy costs are primary concerns. The integrated SoC nature of the Ice Lake-D platform reduces the need for separate chips, potentially simplifying the motherboard design.

The Intel Xeon Gold 5317 wins in high-throughput and upgradeable environments. Its eight-channel memory bus (187.7 GB/s) and 64 PCIe Gen 4 lanes provide double the memory bandwidth and I/O connectivity of the D-2775TE. This makes it the superior choice for workloads like large databases, virtualization hosts with many VMs, or high-performance computing tasks that are sensitive to memory bandwidth. The LGA 4189 socket also allows for easier serviceability and future CPU upgrades, a feature absent in the soldered BGA design of the D-2775TE.