Pentium Gold 8500 vs Xeon E-2104G

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.

Pentium Gold 8500 vs Xeon E-2104G 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.

Pentium Gold 8500 vs Xeon E-2104G: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium Gold 8500

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.2% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 29W instead of 65W, a 36W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1781 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Xeon E-2104G

2018

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium Gold 8500 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,858 vs 5,949).
❌Launch MSRP is still $193 MSRP, while Pentium Gold 8500 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌124.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 29W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Pentium Gold 8500 moves to FCBGA1781 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Gold 8500 better than Xeon E-2104G?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E-2104G makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Pentium Gold 8500 is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium Gold 8500 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 16.2% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Gold 8500 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.6% better PassMark, backed by 5 cores and 6 threads.

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

Pentium Gold 8500 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E-2104G is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Pentium Gold 8500 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $193 MSRP, and it still gives you a 16.2% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E-2104G is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (30.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Pentium Gold 8500 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018), a healthier platform with FCBGA1781 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, and more multi-core headroom with 5 cores / 6 threads instead of 4/4. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Pentium Gold 8500 vs Xeon E-2104G Technical Specifications

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

Pentium Gold 8500

The Pentium Gold 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Max frequency: 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 29 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5-5200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 5,949 points. Launch price was $69.

Xeon E-2104G

The Xeon E-2104G is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 12 July 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 5,858 points. Launch price was $193.

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Processing Power

The Pentium Gold 8500 packs 5 cores / 6 threads, while the Xeon E-2104G offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium Gold 8500 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 8500 versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon E-2104G — a 31.6% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold 8500. The Xeon E-2104G is built on the Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the Pentium Gold 8500 scores 5,949 against the Xeon E-2104G's 5,858 — a 1.5% lead for the Pentium Gold 8500. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Pentium Gold 8500 vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2104G.

Feature	Pentium Gold 8500	Xeon E-2104G
Cores / Threads	5 / 6+25%	4 / 4
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+38%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	—	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB Intel® Smart Cache	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	—	256 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	—	Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019)
PassMark	5,949+2%	5,858

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium Gold 8500 uses the FCBGA1781 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E-2104G uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.