Core i5-8259U
VS
Xeon E5-2620 v3

Core i5-8259U vs Xeon E5-2620 v3

Intel

Core i5-8259U

4 Cores8 Thrd28 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2018
VS
Intel

Xeon E5-2620 v3

6 Cores12 Thrd85 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2014

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i5-8259U is positioned at rank 209 and the Xeon E5-2620 v3 is on rank 643, so the Core i5-8259U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8259U

#57
Ryzen AI 9 365
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
96%
#197
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
374%
#198
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
369%
#199
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
338%
#200
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
337%
#201
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
334%
#203
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
322%
#204
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
309%
#205
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
309%
#206
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
300%
#209
Core i5-8259U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2620 v3

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
11203%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
2115%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1879%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
1452%
#383
EPYC 7551P
MSRP: $2100|Avg: $329
98%
#384
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX
MSRP: $7349|Avg: $7999
98%
#385
EPYC 9375F
MSRP: $5306|Avg: $108
97%
#386
Xeon w9-3475X
MSRP: $3739|Avg: $3930
94%
#643
Xeon E5-2620 v3
MSRP: $417|Avg: $80
100%
#650
Xeon E3-1275L v3
MSRP: $350|Avg: $29
97%
#652
Xeon E5-1650 v3
MSRP: $583|Avg: N/A
96%
#654
Xeon E3-1225
MSRP: $224|Avg: $205
94%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Core i5-8259U (2018) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightCore i5-8259UXeon E5-2620 v3
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($80)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E5-2620 v3 (2014) relies on 22 nm technology and DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightCore i5-8259UXeon E5-2620 v3
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($80)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-8259U and Xeon E5-2620 v3

Intel

Core i5-8259U

The Core i5-8259U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,843 points. Launch price was $320.

Intel

Xeon E5-2620 v3

The Xeon E5-2620 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 7,734 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

The Core i5-8259U packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon E5-2620 v3 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon E5-2620 v3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i5-8259U versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon E5-2620 v3 — a 17.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-8259U (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-8259U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2620 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8259U scores 7,843 against the Xeon E5-2620 v3's 7,734 — a 1.4% lead for the Core i5-8259U. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-8259U vs 15 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2620 v3.

FeatureCore i5-8259UXeon E5-2620 v3
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock
3.8 GHz+19%
3.2 GHz
Base Clock
2.3 GHz
2.4 GHz+4%
L3 Cache
6 MB (total)
15 MB (total)+150%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
256K (per core)
Process
14 nm-36%
22 nm
Architecture
Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)
Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark
7,843+1%
7,734
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-8259U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2620 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i5-8259UXeon E5-2620 v3
Socket
FCBGA1528
LGA2011
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-1866
Max RAM Capacity
768 GB
RAM Channels
4
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
40
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i5-8259U) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5-2620 v3). Primary use case: Xeon E5-2620 v3 targets Server.

FeatureCore i5-8259UXeon E5-2620 v3
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Server