Athlon 240GE vs Xeon E5-2603 v4

Athlon 240GE vs Xeon E5-2603 v4 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 240GE

2 / 4

4,561

+1.0%

FX-9800P

Athlon X4 830

Ryzen Embedded V1202B

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Xeon E5-2603 v4

6 / 6

4,517

0.0%

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Athlon 240GE vs Xeon E5-2603 v4 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Athlon 240GE vs Xeon E5-2603 v4: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon 240GE

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 85W, a 50W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 3, while Xeon E5-2603 v4 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Included), unlike Xeon E5-2603 v4.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 15 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2603 v4, which brings 6 cores / 6 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $75 MSRP, while Xeon E5-2603 v4 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E5-2603 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅+275% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 4 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 6 cores / 6 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (4,517 vs 4,561).
❌142.9% higher power demand at 85W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Athlon 240GE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon 240GE.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 240GE better than Xeon E5-2603 v4?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E5-2603 v4 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Athlon 240GE is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon 240GE is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 240GE is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Athlon 240GE is the better buy right now. Athlon 240GE comes in at an unclear MSRP at $75 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (60.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Athlon 240GE makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 6/6. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 240GE vs Xeon E5-2603 v4 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Athlon 240GE

The Athlon 240GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 December 2018 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 4,561 points. Launch price was $75.

Xeon E5-2603 v4

The Xeon E5-2603 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 4,517 points. Launch price was $213.

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Processing Power

The Athlon 240GE packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon E5-2603 v4 offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Xeon E5-2603 v4 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Athlon 240GE versus 1.7 GHz on the Xeon E5-2603 v4 — a 69.2% clock advantage for the Athlon 240GE (base: 3.5 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Athlon 240GE uses the Zen (2017−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2603 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 240GE scores 4,561 against the Xeon E5-2603 v4's 4,517 — a 1% lead for the Athlon 240GE. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon 240GE vs 15 MB on the Xeon E5-2603 v4.

Feature	Athlon 240GE	Xeon E5-2603 v4
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	6 / 6+200%
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz+106%	1.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+106%	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	15 MB+275%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+34033%	1.5 MB
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Zen (2017−2020)	Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark	4,561	4,517
Geekbench 6 Single	930	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	2,200	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 240GE uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2603 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon 240GE	Xeon E5-2603 v4
Socket	AM4	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	8	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon 240GE) / not specified (Xeon E5-2603 v4). The Athlon 240GE includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 3), while the Xeon E5-2603 v4 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 240GE targets Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon 240GE rivals Pentium Gold G5400.