FX-8140 vs Xeon E5-1607 v3

AMD

FX-8140

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2012
VS
Intel

Xeon E5-1607 v3

4 Cores4 Thrd140 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2014

FX-8140 vs Xeon E5-1607 v3 Performance Spectrum

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.

FX-8140 vs Xeon E5-1607 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.

FX-8140 vs Xeon E5-1607 v3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

FX-8140

2012

Why buy it

  • βœ…Better for gaming: +12.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • βœ…Draws 95W instead of 140W, a 45W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark (4,860 vs 4,932).
  • ❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 10 MB).
  • ❌Launch MSRP is still $225 MSRP, while Xeon E5-1607 v3 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E5-1607 v3

2014

Why buy it

  • βœ…+1.5% higher PassMark.
  • βœ…+25% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

  • ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than FX-8140 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ❌47.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 95W.

Quick Answers

So, is FX-8140 better than Xeon E5-1607 v3?
Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E5-1607 v3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while FX-8140 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, Xeon E5-1607 v3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 8 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
FX-8140 is the better buy right now. FX-8140 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $225 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 12.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Xeon E5-1607 v3 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.5% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (21.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Xeon E5-1607 v3 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2012), 25% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 8/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

FX-8140 vs Xeon E5-1607 v3 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FX-8140

The FX-8140 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 October 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Zambezi (2011βˆ’2012) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: AM3+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,860 points. Launch price was $69.

Intel

Xeon E5-1607 v3

The Xeon E5-1607 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014βˆ’2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1333, DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 4,932 points. Launch price was $800.

⚑

Processing Power

The FX-8140 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon E5-1607 v3 offers 4 cores / 4 threads β€” the FX-8140 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the FX-8140 versus 3.1 GHz on the Xeon E5-1607 v3 β€” a 27.8% clock advantage for the FX-8140 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The FX-8140 uses the Zambezi (2011βˆ’2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E5-1607 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014βˆ’2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the FX-8140 scores 4,860 against the Xeon E5-1607 v3's 4,932 β€” a 1.5% lead for the Xeon E5-1607 v3. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the FX-8140 vs 10 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1607 v3.

FeatureFX-8140Xeon E5-1607 v3
Cores / Threads
8 / 8+100%
4 / 4
Boost Clock
4.1 GHz+32%
3.1 GHz
Base Clock
3.2 GHz+3%
3.1 GHz
L3 Cache
8 MB (total)
10 MB (total)+25%
L2 Cache
8 MB
256K (per core)+3100%
Process
32 nm
22 nm-31%
Architecture
Zambezi (2011βˆ’2012)
Haswell-EP (2014βˆ’2015)
PassMark
4,860
4,932+1%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The FX-8140 uses the AM3+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5-1607 v3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) β€” making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureFX-8140Xeon E5-1607 v3
Socket
AM3+
LGA2011-3
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%