Athlon PRO 300GE vs Xeon E5-1603 v4

Athlon PRO 300GE vs Xeon E5-1603 v4 Performance Spectrum

Athlon PRO 300GE

2 / 4

4,342

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Xeon E5-1603 v4

4 / 4

4,355

+0.3%

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 PRO 300GE vs Xeon E5-1603 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 PRO 300GE vs Xeon E5-1603 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 PRO 300GE

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 140W, a 105W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 3, while Xeon E5-1603 v4 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-1603 v4 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,342 vs 4,355).
❌Launch MSRP is still $50 MSRP, while Xeon E5-1603 v4 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E5-1603 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌300% higher power demand at 140W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Athlon PRO 300GE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-1603 v4 better than Athlon PRO 300GE?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E5-1603 v4 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Athlon PRO 300GE is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E5-1603 v4 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.0% 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, Xeon E5-1603 v4 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark.

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

Xeon E5-1603 v4 is still the better call for a fresh build. Xeon E5-1603 v4 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $50 MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon PRO 300GE only looks stronger on raw value math because it is so cheap, but its absolute performance tier is too low to be the better recommendation now. At roughly 4,342 PassMark with 2 cores and 4 threads, it only really makes sense as a bare-minimum stopgap or a very constrained existing-platform upgrade.

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

Athlon PRO 300GE makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2016). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon PRO 300GE vs Xeon E5-1603 v4 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon PRO 300GE

The Athlon PRO 300GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 4,342 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E5-1603 v4

The Xeon E5-1603 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. Passmark benchmark score: 4,355 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon PRO 300GE is built on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the Athlon PRO 300GE scores 4,342 against the Xeon E5-1603 v4's 4,355 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon E5-1603 v4.

Feature	Athlon PRO 300GE	Xeon E5-1603 v4
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	—
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz	—
L3 Cache	4 MB	—
L2 Cache	1 MB	—
Process	12 nm	—
Architecture	Zen+ (2018−2019)	—
PassMark	4,342	4,355

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon PRO 300GE) / not specified (Xeon E5-1603 v4). The Athlon PRO 300GE includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 3), while the Xeon E5-1603 v4 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon PRO 300GE targets Desktop.