Core i5-8300H vs Xeon E5-1620 v4

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.

Core i5-8300H vs Xeon E5-1620 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.

Core i5-8300H vs Xeon E5-1620 v4: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-8300H

2018

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 45W instead of 140W, a 95W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-1620 v4 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 10 MB).

Xeon E5-1620 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (7,338 vs 7,369).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,166 MSRP, while Core i5-8300H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌211.1% higher power demand at 140W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-8300H better than Xeon E5-1620 v4?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E5-1620 v4 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-8300H is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-8300H is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Core i5-8300H is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-1620 v4 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Core i5-8300H comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,166 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon E5-1620 v4 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 5.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E5-1620 v4 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (6.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Core i5-8300H 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 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-8300H vs Xeon E5-1620 v4 Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-8300H

The Core i5-8300H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,369 points. Launch price was $250.

Xeon E5-1620 v4

The Xeon E5-1620 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-EP (2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 7,338 points. Launch price was $294.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-8300H and Xeon E5-1620 v4 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i5-8300H versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-1620 v4 — a 5.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-8300H (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i5-8300H uses the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-1620 v4 uses Broadwell-EP (2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8300H scores 7,369 against the Xeon E5-1620 v4's 7,338 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i5-8300H. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Core i5-8300H vs 10 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1620 v4.

Feature	Core i5-8300H	Xeon E5-1620 v4
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4 GHz+5%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	3.5 GHz+52%
L3 Cache	8 MB	10 MB (total)+25%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019)	Broadwell-EP (2016)
PassMark	7,369	7,338

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-8300H uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-1620 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.