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 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +59.2% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Costs $1,394 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,723 MSRP).
✅Delivers 847.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 7.2 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,723 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-1680 v2, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E5-1680 v2

2013

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 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 Ryzen 7 3700X across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (12,396 vs 22,430).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.2 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($1,723 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Xeon E5-1680 v2

2013

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +59.2% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Costs $1,394 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,723 MSRP).
✅Delivers 847.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 7.2 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,723 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅66.7% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-1680 v2, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (12,396 vs 22,430).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.2 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($1,723 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than Xeon E5-1680 v2?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-1680 v2 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 7 3700X 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, Ryzen 7 3700X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 59.2% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 3700X is the better fit. You are getting 80.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 3700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 3700X is $1,394 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $1,723 MSRP, and it gives you a 59.2% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 847.6% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 7.2 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Ryzen 7 3700X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2013), 28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 7 3700X Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-1680 v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-1680 v2
1080p
low	200 FPS	167 FPS
medium	163 FPS	145 FPS
high	137 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	140 FPS
medium	121 FPS	118 FPS
high	100 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	64 FPS
medium	71 FPS	57 FPS
high	56 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	36 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon E5-1680 v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-1680 v2
1080p
low	561 FPS	310 FPS
medium	525 FPS	310 FPS
high	428 FPS	297 FPS
ultra	383 FPS	254 FPS
1440p
low	545 FPS	310 FPS
medium	471 FPS	302 FPS
high	394 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	220 FPS
4K
low	350 FPS	217 FPS
medium	304 FPS	196 FPS
high	274 FPS	179 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	147 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon E5-1680 v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-1680 v2
1080p
low	561 FPS	310 FPS
medium	561 FPS	310 FPS
high	561 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	310 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	310 FPS
medium	561 FPS	310 FPS
high	538 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	470 FPS	310 FPS
4K
low	499 FPS	310 FPS
medium	394 FPS	310 FPS
high	343 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	275 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon E5-1680 v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-1680 v2
1080p
low	561 FPS	310 FPS
medium	561 FPS	310 FPS
high	561 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	310 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	310 FPS
medium	561 FPS	310 FPS
high	561 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	555 FPS	310 FPS
4K
low	561 FPS	310 FPS
medium	501 FPS	310 FPS
high	447 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	396 FPS	310 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon E5-1680 v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 3700X and Xeon E5-1680 v2

Ryzen 7 3700X

The Ryzen 7 3700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. 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: 22,430 points. Launch price was $329.

Xeon E5-1680 v2

The Xeon E5-1680 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600, DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 12,396 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 7 3700X and Xeon E5-1680 v2 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon E5-1680 v2 — a 12% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 3700X (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon E5-1680 v2 uses Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 22,430 against the Xeon E5-1680 v2's 12,396 — a 57.6% lead for the Ryzen 7 3700X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X vs 25 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1680 v2.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-1680 v2
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+13%	3.9 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+20%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+28%	25 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-68%	22 nm
Architecture	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)	Ivy Bridge-EP (2013)
PassMark	22,430+81%	12,396
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	8,579
Geekbench 6 Single	—	750
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	4,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E5-1680 v2 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus DDR3-1866 on the Xeon E5-1680 v2 — the Ryzen 7 3700X supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E5-1680 v2 supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 7 3700X) vs 4 (Xeon E5-1680 v2). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 7 3700X) vs 40 (Xeon E5-1680 v2) — the Xeon E5-1680 v2 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 3700X) and C602,X79 (Xeon E5-1680 v2).

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-1680 v2
Socket	AM4	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200+33%	DDR3-1866
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	40+67%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon E5-1680 v2). Primary use case: Xeon E5-1680 v2 targets Server/Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon E5-1680 v2 rivals Core i7-4960X.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-1680 v2
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	—	Server/Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 3700X launched at $329 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-1680 v2 debuted at $1723. On MSRP ($329 vs $1723), the Ryzen 7 3700X is $1394 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 3700X delivers 68.2 pts/$ vs 7.2 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-1680 v2 — making the Ryzen 7 3700X the 161.8% better value option.