EPYC 7261 vs Xeon E5-2640 v3

EPYC 7261 vs Xeon E5-2640 v3 Performance Spectrum

EPYC 7261

8 / 16

11,149

+0.9%

FX-8370

Athlon Gold PRO 3150G

Ryzen 3 7320U

Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

Ryzen 9 7900

Ryzen 9 9950X

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Xeon E5-2640 v3

8 / 16

11,055

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.

EPYC 7261 vs Xeon E5-2640 v3 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.

EPYC 7261 vs Xeon E5-2640 v3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

EPYC 7261

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Costs $438 less on MSRP ($501 MSRP vs $939 MSRP).
✅Delivers 89.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 22.3 vs 11.8 PassMark/$ ($501 MSRP vs $939 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌72.2% higher power demand at 155W vs 90W.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon E5-2640 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 90W instead of 155W, a 65W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7261 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (11,055 vs 11,149).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.8 vs 22.3 PassMark/$ ($939 MSRP vs $501 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 7261 better than Xeon E5-2640 v3?

Yes. EPYC 7261 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 6.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.9% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 7261 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 6.2% 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, EPYC 7261 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 MB).

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

EPYC 7261 is the better buy right now. EPYC 7261 comes in $438 cheaper on MSRP at $501 MSRP versus $939 MSRP, and it still gives you a 6.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 89.0% better value on MSRP (22.3 vs 11.8 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

EPYC 7261 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2014), 60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

EPYC 7261 vs Xeon E5-2640 v3 Technical Specifications

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

EPYC 7261

The EPYC 7261 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Naples (2017−2018) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 170 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 11,149 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon E5-2640 v3

The Xeon E5-2640 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 90 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 11,055 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the EPYC 7261 and Xeon E5-2640 v3 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the EPYC 7261 versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2640 v3 — a 15.9% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2640 v3 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The EPYC 7261 uses the Naples (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2640 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7261 scores 11,149 against the Xeon E5-2640 v3's 11,055 — a 0.8% lead for the EPYC 7261. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7261 vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2640 v3.

Feature	EPYC 7261	Xeon E5-2640 v3
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	2.9 GHz	3.4 GHz+17%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.6 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+60%	20 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Naples (2017−2018)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	11,149	11,055

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 7261 uses the SP3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E5-2640 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	EPYC 7261	Xeon E5-2640 v3
Socket	SP3	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-1866
Max RAM Capacity	—	768 GB
RAM Channels	—	4
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	40

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (EPYC 7261) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5-2640 v3). Primary use case: Xeon E5-2640 v3 targets Server.

Feature	EPYC 7261	Xeon E5-2640 v3
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Server

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the EPYC 7261 was priced at $501, while the Xeon E5-2640 v3 came in at $939. On launch pricing ($501 vs $939), EPYC 7261 was $438 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the EPYC 7261 delivers 22.3 pts/$ vs 11.8 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-2640 v3 — making the EPYC 7261 the 61.6% better value option.

Feature	EPYC 7261	Xeon E5-2640 v3
MSRP	$501-47%	$939
Performance per Dollar	22.3+89%	11.8
Release Date	2018	2014

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