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Verdict: The Intel Xeon Gold 6240 is an 18-core/36-thread Cascade Lake-SP processor whose high clock speed made it unusually competitive with some higher-core-count CPUs in ServeTheHome’s July 2019 tests. In 2026, it is mainly sensible as an inexpensive upgrade for an existing LGA3647 server—not as the foundation of a new system.
Xeon Gold 6240 specifications
The Gold 6240 belongs to Intel’s second-generation Xeon Scalable family, built on the Cascade Lake-SP architecture. Intel lists it as discontinued, so current purchases are generally used, refurbished, OEM-surplus or replacement transactions.
| Specification | Xeon Gold 6240 |
|---|---|
| Architecture | Cascade Lake-SP |
| Cores / threads | 18 / 36 |
| Base frequency | 2.60 GHz |
| Maximum Turbo | 3.90 GHz |
| Cache | 24.75 MB Intel Smart Cache |
| TDP | 150 W |
| Memory | DDR4-2933 ECC, six channels per socket |
| Socket | LGA3647/FCLGA3647 |
| Interconnect | Three UPI links, up to 10.4 GT/s |
| Status | Discontinued |
See Intel’s official specifications and ordering status. The 3.90 GHz figure is a maximum Turbo value, not a guaranteed all-core speed; sustained clocks vary with workload, power limits, temperature and AVX-512 usage.
ServeTheHome test platform
ServeTheHome tested one Gold 6240 in an HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen10. The system used six 32 GB DDR4-2933 ECC RDIMMs (192 GB total), an Intel DC S3700 400 GB SSD, Mellanox ConnectX-3 HPE FlexLOM dual-port 40GbE networking, and HPE’s high-performance heatsink and fan configuration. This was a controlled single-socket server test, not a universal measurement of every 6240 installation. Firmware, memory population, cooling policy and NUMA settings can change results.
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What the 2019 benchmarks showed
The published Linux-Bench and Linux-Bench2 subset included kernel compilation, c-ray 1.1 at 8K, 7-Zip, NAMD, Sysbench CPU, OpenSSL signing and verification, UnixBench Dhrystone and Whetstone, GROMACS with AVX2 and AVX-512 workloads, and chess. ServeTheHome noted that these charts represented only part of a larger internal dataset.
Linux kernel compilation
The 6240 outperformed the 24-core AMD EPYC 7401P in the cited kernel-compile comparison. Compilation does not always scale perfectly with thread count, so the Xeon’s higher frequency and per-core performance outweighed its six-core deficit in that test.
c-ray
In the heavily threaded c-ray render, the 6240 remained competitive and beat the lower-clocked Xeon Gold 6230 in the comparison. It is a good example of a frequency advantage offsetting a modest core-count disadvantage, although renderers that scale more linearly can favor larger CPUs.
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7-Zip
The Gold 6240, 6230 and 6242 produced relatively similar 7-Zip results. Adjacent Xeon SKUs could exchange cores for frequency without creating a simple “more cores always wins” order.
NAMD and scientific work
The 6240 compared well with several neighboring Intel and AMD server processors in NAMD. Scientific results are particularly sensitive to compiler choices, instruction paths and AVX-512 frequency behavior, so the Gold or Platinum label is not a guarantee of leadership.
Sysbench CPU
Sysbench again favored the 6240’s clock speed, placing it close to the Gold 6242 in the published comparison. This reinforces its role as a relatively high-frequency, medium-core-count part.
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OpenSSL
Signing and verification placed the 6240 among Intel Gold processors between the tested EPYC 7551 and EPYC 7401. OpenSSL results depend on software version, acceleration and selected instruction paths, so they should not be treated as a universal cryptography ranking.
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The 6240 delivered strong Dhrystone and Whetstone scores. ServeTheHome also described UnixBench as an aging test; it is useful for historical continuity, but less representative of current production applications.
GROMACS and AVX-512
The Gold 6242 beat the 6240 in the cited GROMACS test. AVX-512-heavy code can invoke different power and frequency limits from ordinary scalar or vector workloads, making nominal Turbo specifications a poor predictor of sustained scientific throughput.
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Chess
The 6240 nearly matched the AMD EPYC 7401 despite the EPYC having substantially more cores. Chess illustrates how per-core performance and software scaling can matter more than headline thread count—and why an 18-core CPU can be attractive when licensing is priced per core.
These findings come from ServeTheHome’s benchmark results. They are historical measurements using older software, including a Linux 4.4.2 kernel-compile workload, not a modern cross-generation benchmark suite.
Why the 6240 could beat CPUs with more cores
- Frequency: Its 2.60 GHz base and relatively high Turbo improved lightly or moderately threaded work.
- Scaling: Compilation, chess and some server tasks do not gain linearly from every additional core.
- Licensing: An 18-core processor may cost less to license than a 24-, 32- or 48-core alternative.
- Memory behavior: Six populated channels help sustain throughput; an under-populated system can leave performance on the table.
- AVX-512: Heavy vector workloads may reduce sustained frequency, so ordinary benchmark intuition can fail.
Comparison with nearby processors
Xeon Gold 6230
The 6230 has more cores but lower clocks. ServeTheHome found the 6240 competitive or faster in several tests. Choose between them based on thread scaling, virtual-machine density, licensing and actual used-platform cost—not core count alone.
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Xeon Gold 6242
The 6242 has fewer cores, a higher base clock and a similar maximum Turbo. It was close to the 6240 in several tests and faster in the cited GROMACS result. It may suit frequency-sensitive work, but acquisition prices should be compared in the used market rather than against 2019 list prices.
Xeon Gold 6140
The 6240 is the newer-generation counterpart to the 18-core Gold 6140. ServeTheHome characterized the change as a modest improvement: higher clocks, DDR4-2933 rather than DDR4-2666 support, and a 10 W higher TDP. Compatibility still depends on the exact board and firmware.
AMD EPYC 7401P
The 24-core EPYC 7401P was the key historical rival. The 6240’s frequency advantage let it lead or remain close in several ServeTheHome tests, while EPYC retained advantages in core count, memory capacity and aggregate throughput for well-scaled workloads.
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EPYC 7002 and newer platforms
The review appeared just before AMD EPYC Rome launched and anticipated that newer EPYC generations would make the 6240 more specialized. Rome and later EPYC and Xeon families bring materially different core counts, memory technologies, I/O and efficiency. The 2019 charts should not be used as a current ranking against them.
Compatibility, cooling and buying checks
- Confirm the platform. The server must support Xeon Scalable processors on LGA3647. A firmware update may be required, and LGA3647 alone does not guarantee support.
- Check the OEM list. Verify the exact model and BIOS/UEFI revision. HPE lists Gold 6240 kits for systems such as the DL360 Gen10 and DL380 Gen10.
- Use the correct cooling. A 150 W CPU still needs the chassis heatsink and fan profile specified by the manufacturer; ServeTheHome used HPE high-performance cooling.
- Populate memory correctly. Use supported ECC RDIMMs or LRDIMMs, populate channels symmetrically and do not mix incompatible memory types.
- Plan dual-socket upgrades carefully. A second CPU may require another heatsink, riser, power hardware, memory and firmware. NUMA locality and cross-socket traffic must be tested.
- Inspect used CPUs. Avoid engineering samples, remarked parts, damaged pads and listings without returns. Request clear photos of the heat-spreader markings and verify the exact SKU.
Is the Xeon Gold 6240 worth buying in 2026?
It can make sense when
- You already own a compatible Dell, HPE, Lenovo or Supermicro LGA3647 server.
- The CPU is inexpensive relative to replacing the chassis, memory, storage and networking.
- Your workload benefits from per-core speed, moderate parallelism or Intel-specific software.
- You need ECC memory, remote management and redundant server components.
It is usually a poor choice when
- You are building a new server from scratch.
- Performance per watt, DDR5, newer PCIe or long-term platform support is important.
- Your workload scales nearly linearly across many cores.
- The CPU price approaches that of a complete newer used server.
Intel’s original review-era list price was $2,451; that is historical, not a 2026 target. Intel now marks the part discontinued, and an OEM replacement listing—such as Dell’s CPU-only page—may reflect enterprise support pricing rather than normal resale value. Compare the total cost of CPU, memory, heatsink, drives, caddies, power supplies, rails, shipping and electricity. A complete newer used server can be better value than assembling an LGA3647 system around a replacement processor.
Bottom line
Historically, ServeTheHome showed why the Gold 6240 was an interesting SKU: 18 cores with unusually strong frequency made it competitive with higher-core-count Xeons and EPYC processors in compilation, chess, compression and mixed server work. Technically, it remains capable. Commercially in 2026, it is primarily an upgrade or replacement CPU for an existing compatible server. Benchmark your own database, virtualization, encoding or AVX-512 workload, and buy only when the complete platform economics—not the CPU listing alone—make sense.
Quick Recap
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