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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,503 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $2,702 MSRP).
✅Delivers 895.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 8.9 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $2,702 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 200W, a 135W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon E5-2679 v4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2679 v4 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (1,898 vs 12,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 50 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2679 v4, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E5-2679 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (50 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅66.7% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.9 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($2,702 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌207.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Xeon E5-2679 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,503 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $2,702 MSRP).
✅Delivers 895.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 8.9 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $2,702 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 200W, a 135W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon E5-2679 v4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (50 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅66.7% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2679 v4 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (1,898 vs 12,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 50 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2679 v4, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.9 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($2,702 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌207.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-2679 v4 better than Ryzen 5 3600?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2679 v4 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 3600 is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E5-2679 v4 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 17.7% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2679 v4 is the better fit. You are getting 532.2% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 20 cores and 40 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 56.3% larger total L3 cache (50 MB vs 32 MB).

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

Xeon E5-2679 v4 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 3600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon E5-2679 v4 is 1257.8% more expensive on MSRP at $2,702 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 17.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 3600 is also 895.1% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 8.9 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 3600 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2016). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

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.

Ryzen 5 3600 Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-2679 v4 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon E5-2679 v4
1080p
low	200 FPS	182 FPS
medium	161 FPS	160 FPS
high	135 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	154 FPS	151 FPS
medium	119 FPS	127 FPS
high	96 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	70 FPS
medium	58 FPS	62 FPS
high	46 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	39 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Xeon E5-2679 v4

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon E5-2679 v4
1080p
low	442 FPS	364 FPS
medium	404 FPS	331 FPS
high	332 FPS	279 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	224 FPS
1440p
low	420 FPS	313 FPS
medium	359 FPS	284 FPS
high	303 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	188 FPS
4K
low	297 FPS	195 FPS
medium	259 FPS	178 FPS
high	230 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	201 FPS	120 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Xeon E5-2679 v4

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon E5-2679 v4
1080p
low	442 FPS	603 FPS
medium	442 FPS	603 FPS
high	442 FPS	603 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	603 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	603 FPS
medium	442 FPS	590 FPS
high	442 FPS	559 FPS
ultra	432 FPS	505 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	447 FPS
medium	361 FPS	363 FPS
high	305 FPS	328 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	274 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Xeon E5-2679 v4

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon E5-2679 v4
1080p
low	442 FPS	603 FPS
medium	442 FPS	603 FPS
high	442 FPS	603 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	585 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	603 FPS
medium	442 FPS	603 FPS
high	442 FPS	545 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	462 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	527 FPS
medium	442 FPS	472 FPS
high	413 FPS	418 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	359 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Xeon E5-2679 v4

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3600 and Xeon E5-2679 v4

Ryzen 5 3600

The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.

Xeon E5-2679 v4

The Xeon E5-2679 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 50 MB. L2 cache: 5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 200 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 24,131 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 3600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-2679 v4 offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon E5-2679 v4 has 14 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 versus 3.3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2679 v4 — a 24% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon E5-2679 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3600 scores 17,685 against the Xeon E5-2679 v4's 24,131 — a 30.8% lead for the Xeon E5-2679 v4. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,295 vs 1,000, a 25.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,898 vs 12,000 (145.4% advantage for the Xeon E5-2679 v4). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600 vs 50 MB on the Xeon E5-2679 v4.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon E5-2679 v4
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	20 / 40+233%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+27%	3.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+44%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)	50 MB+56%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	5 MB+900%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Matisse (2019−2020)	Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark	17,685	24,131+36%
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,500	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,295+30%	1,000
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,898	12,000+532%

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E5-2679 v4 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Xeon E5-2679 v4 supports up to 1536 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 169.2% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 5 3600) vs 4 (Xeon E5-2679 v4). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 3600) vs 40 (Xeon E5-2679 v4) — the Xeon E5-2679 v4 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD B550,AMD X570,AMD B450,AMD X470 (Ryzen 5 3600) and C612,X99 (Xeon E5-2679 v4).

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon E5-2679 v4
Socket	AM4	LGA2011-3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	1536 GB+1100%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	40+67%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support Yes virtualization. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Xeon E5-2679 v4
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	Yes	Yes
Target Use	Gaming/Budget Workstation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 3600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-2679 v4 debuted at $2702. On MSRP ($199 vs $2702), the Ryzen 5 3600 is $2503 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 3600 delivers 88.9 pts/$ vs 8.9 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-2679 v4 — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 163.5% better value option.