Intel SR3GF Xeon Gold 5118 12-Core Server CPU (Renewed)

Name: Intel SR3GF Xeon Gold 5118 12-Core Server CPU (Renewed)
Brand: Intel
SKU: SR3GF

Overview

The Intel Xeon Gold 5118 is a 12-core, 24-thread Skylake-SP processor on Intel's LGA 3647 server socket. At 2.3GHz base and 3.2GHz single-core turbo with 16.5MB L3 cache, the clock figures undersell what this processor is engineered to do: saturate six-channel DDR4 ECC memory with parallel compute threads. Six DDR4 memory channels per socket means bandwidth scaling that no consumer platform can match for memory-bound workloads, regardless of clock speed. In a dual-socket configuration, two 5118s provide 24 cores, 48 threads, and 12 active memory channels — the standard building block for enterprise virtualization nodes, CFD compute clusters, and in-memory database servers of this generation.

The renewed status is the pricing mechanism that makes this processor accessible for homelab builds, academic research clusters, and cost-conscious professional workstations. A properly inspected renewed 5118 performs identically to new — the Skylake-SP architecture is mature with stable driver and firmware support across ESXi, Linux, and Windows Server. Platform prerequisites are non-trivial: an LGA 3647 server board with appropriate power delivery and ECC RDIMM population adds significantly to total system cost. The value case is specifically for workloads that need ECC memory, dual-socket scalability, or sustained parallel throughput — this chip was built for exactly those scenarios and delivers on them reliably.

Key Features

Intel Xeon Gold 5118 SR3GF Processor

12-Core

16.5 MB L3 Cache

2.30 GHz

Specifications

Processor

Intel Xeon Gold 5118

Model Number

SR3GF

Core Count

12 Cores / 24 Threads

Base Clock

2.30GHz

Max Turbo

3.20GHz

L3 Cache

16.5MB

Socket

LGA 3647

TDP

105W

Memory Channels

6

Condition

Renewed

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Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

12 cores / 24 threads at 2.3GHz base handles heavily parallelized server workloads — virtualization, containerized microservices, scientific computing — that saturate quad-core consumer CPUs
16.5MB L3 cache reduces main memory access penalties for data sets that fit within cache, directly improving throughput on database queries and simulation loops
Six-channel DDR4 ECC memory support enables bandwidth scaling unavailable on any consumer platform, critical for memory-bound ML inference and in-memory OLAP workloads
LGA 3647 dual-socket compatibility allows pairing two 5118s for a 24-core, 12-channel platform from a single SKU without changing processor family
Renewed availability provides server-class core count and ECC memory support at substantially lower cost than new-retail Scalable Generation pricing

👎 Cons

LGA 3647 requires a dedicated enterprise or workstation motherboard — platform cost including board and ECC RDIMM population is substantially higher than an equivalent consumer build
Max turbo of 3.2GHz is low compared to modern consumer CPUs — workloads dependent on serial single-thread execution will be slower than current-gen desktop processors at comparable price points
Renewed condition carries no Intel warranty — any latent defect discovered after the seller's return window has no manufacturer backing
105W TDP requires server-class cooling with LGA 3647 mounting — standard consumer CPU coolers cannot mount to this socket without a dedicated ILM bracket
Skylake-SP microarchitecture lacks PCIe 4.0 support — I/O bandwidth is limited to PCIe 3.0, constraining NVMe storage and GPU bandwidth versus current-generation platforms

Frequently Asked Questions

What socket does the Xeon Gold 5118 use, and will it fit a consumer motherboard?

LGA 3647 only — an enterprise server and workstation socket. It is incompatible with consumer LGA 1151, 1200, or 1700 platforms. You need a board built around Intel's C612, C621, C422, or similar Xeon Scalable-class chipset.

What is the maximum RAM this CPU supports, and which memory type?

Up to 768GB of DDR4 ECC RDIMM or LRDIMM across six memory channels per socket. The six-channel architecture is a key differentiator from consumer platforms — bandwidth scales with channels populated, which directly benefits memory-bound workloads like CFD simulation, ML training, and in-memory databases.

What does "renewed" mean for a server CPU, and what are the reliability implications?

Renewed means the processor has been pulled from decommissioned server hardware, inspected, and recertified. IHS condition and pin integrity are the key inspection points. Functionally reliable units from reputable sellers perform identically to new, but there is no Intel warranty — coverage depends entirely on the seller's return policy.

What is the single-core turbo frequency?

3.2GHz. At 2.3GHz base with a 3.2GHz turbo ceiling, lightly threaded tasks see the boost advantage. Under all-core sustained load, the chip runs closer to its base clock within the 105W TDP envelope.

Can two 5118s be used in a dual-socket configuration?

Yes — dual-socket is a primary design target. Two 5118s provide 24 cores / 48 threads, 12 memory channels, and a combined 210W TDP. The UPI interconnect links the sockets with low-latency coherent memory access, which is the standard configuration for enterprise virtualization nodes and HPC clusters built on this generation.