Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 vs Xeon E5-1680 v3

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 vs Xeon E5-1680 v3 Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

6 / 12

13,330

+0.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Xeon E5-1680 v3

8 / 16

13,273

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.

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 vs Xeon E5-1680 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.

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 vs Xeon E5-1680 v3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

2018

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $1,524 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $1,723 MSRP).
✅Delivers 769.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 67.0 vs 7.7 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $1,723 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-1680 v3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-1680 v3, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E5-1680 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 0.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,273 vs 13,330).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.7 vs 67.0 PassMark/$ ($1,723 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 better than Xeon E5-1680 v3?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E5-1680 v3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 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, Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 is the better buy right now. Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 comes in $1,524 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $1,723 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon E5-1680 v3 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 7.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 769.5% better value on MSRP (67.0 vs 7.7 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2014) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 vs Xeon E5-1680 v3 Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

The Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 September 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 13,330 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E5-1680 v3

The Xeon E5-1680 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 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1333, DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 13,273 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-1680 v3 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-1680 v3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-1680 v3 — a 2.6% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 uses the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture (12 nm), while the Xeon E5-1680 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 scores 13,330 against the Xeon E5-1680 v3's 13,273 — a 0.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1680 v3.

Feature	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600	Xeon E5-1680 v3
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz+3%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+6%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+25%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	12 nm-45%	22 nm
Architecture	Zen+ (2018−2019)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	13,330	13,273
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,141
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	8,782

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-1680 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600	Xeon E5-1680 v3
Socket	AM4	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	—	768 GB
RAM Channels	—	4
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	40

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 5 PRO 2600) / Yes (Xeon E5-1680 v3).

Feature	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600	Xeon E5-1680 v3
Integrated GPU	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	Yes

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 was priced at $199, while the Xeon E5-1680 v3 came in at $1723. On launch pricing ($199 vs $1723), Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 was $1524 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 delivers 67.0 pts/$ vs 7.7 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-1680 v3 — making the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 the 158.7% better value option.

Feature	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600	Xeon E5-1680 v3
MSRP	$199-88%	$1723
Performance per Dollar	67.0+770%	7.7
Release Date	2018	2014

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