Intel Xeon Gold 5218R — Full Technical Overview

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Intel Xeon Gold 5218R is a 20-core, 40-thread server CPU with 2.10 GHz base clock, 4.00 GHz turbo, 27.5 MB L3 cache, and 125 W TDP. Complete specifications, features, performance overview and use cases.

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Overview

The Intel Xeon Gold 5218R is a high-core-count server processor in the 2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable (Cascade Lake) family. Designed for virtualization, database hosting, cloud infrastructure, and compute-intensive enterprise workloads, the 5218R balances strong throughput with power efficiency. Featuring 20 cores and 40 threads, it delivers stable multi-threaded performance and enterprise-grade reliability for modern datacenter applications.

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Key Highlights

• 20 cores and 40 threads for efficient parallel processing

• 2.10 GHz base frequency, 4.00 GHz max turbo

• 27.5 MB L3 cache for high-speed data access

• 125 W TDP, ideal for medium-to-dense server deployments

• LGA 3647 socket, supporting 2nd-generation Xeon platforms

• Six-channel DDR4 memory support

• AVX-512 and advanced virtualization technologies

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Full Specification Table

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Architecture & Technologies

Cascade Lake Microarchitecture

The Xeon Gold 5218R is built on Intel’s Cascade Lake architecture, which improves memory handling, supports larger core counts, and enhances security compared to earlier generations.

Advanced Instruction Support

• AVX-512 acceleration for scientific computing, encryption, analytics

• AES-NI for faster, secure encryption workloads

• Intel Virtualization Technology for efficient VM and container deployment

Enterprise-Grade Reliability

Includes ECC, advanced RAS features, and consistent performance under 24/7 datacenter environments.

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Performance Positioning & Use Cases

1. Virtualization & Cloud Hosting

High core density makes the 5218R ideal for VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox, and cloud-native platforms.

2. Database & Analytics Workloads

Six memory channels and large L3 cache deliver strong throughput for SQL, NoSQL, and in-memory analytics.

3. Enterprise Application Servers

Suitable for ERP, CRM, middleware, microservices, and web hosting.

4. High-Performance Computing (HPC) Lite Workloads

AVX-512 boosts performance in compute-heavy scientific and engineering tasks.

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Deployment Considerations

• Compatible with server platforms using LGA 3647 sockets

• Requires DDR4 ECC RDIMM / LRDIMM for best reliability

• Proper cooling required for 125 W TDP in multi-socket server configurations

• Works well in 1U, 2U, and blade server environments depending on cooling and airflow

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Pros & Cons

Pros

• High core count for virtualization and parallel workloads

• Strong turbo performance for bursty single-thread tasks

• ECC, virtualization, and RAS features for enterprise reliability

• Balanced power consumption for dense server racks

Cons

• Based on older 14 nm architecture

• Lacks PCIe 4.0 support found in newer generations

• Memory and I/O bandwidth depend on motherboard configuration