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: +29.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,171 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 463.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 12.1 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,500 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 120W, a 55W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 45 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2686 V3, which brings 18 cores / 36 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E5-2686 V3

2014

Why buy it

✅+40.6% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 18 cores / 36 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 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,148 vs 22,430).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.1 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($1,500 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌84.6% higher power demand at 120W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Xeon E5-2686 V3

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +29.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,171 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 463.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 12.1 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,500 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 120W, a 55W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+40.6% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 18 cores / 36 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅66.7% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 45 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2686 V3, which brings 18 cores / 36 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,148 vs 22,430).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.1 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($1,500 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌84.6% higher power demand at 120W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than Xeon E5-2686 V3?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2686 V3 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 29.2% more average FPS across 50 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 23.6% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 3700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 3700X is $1,171 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $1,500 MSRP, and it gives you a 29.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 463.5% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 12.1 PassMark/$), 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 2014) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 18/36. 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 E5-2686 V3 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-2686 V3
1080p
low	200 FPS	177 FPS
medium	163 FPS	154 FPS
high	137 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	148 FPS
medium	121 FPS	125 FPS
high	100 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	69 FPS
medium	71 FPS	62 FPS
high	56 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	39 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon E5-2686 V3

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-2686 V3
1080p
low	561 FPS	212 FPS
medium	525 FPS	193 FPS
high	428 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	383 FPS	132 FPS
1440p
low	545 FPS	183 FPS
medium	471 FPS	166 FPS
high	394 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	112 FPS
4K
low	350 FPS	115 FPS
medium	304 FPS	106 FPS
high	274 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	74 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon E5-2686 V3

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-2686 V3
1080p
low	561 FPS	454 FPS
medium	561 FPS	454 FPS
high	561 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	454 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	454 FPS
medium	561 FPS	454 FPS
high	538 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	470 FPS	454 FPS
4K
low	499 FPS	443 FPS
medium	394 FPS	360 FPS
high	343 FPS	327 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	272 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon E5-2686 V3

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-2686 V3
1080p
low	561 FPS	454 FPS
medium	561 FPS	454 FPS
high	561 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	454 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	454 FPS
medium	561 FPS	454 FPS
high	561 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	555 FPS	454 FPS
4K
low	561 FPS	454 FPS
medium	501 FPS	454 FPS
high	447 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	396 FPS	361 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon E5-2686 V3

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 3700X and Xeon E5-2686 V3

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 E5-2686 V3

The Xeon E5-2686 V3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4 2133 MHz Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 18,148 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 3700X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Xeon E5-2686 V3 has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-2686 V3 — a 22.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 3700X (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 22,430 against the Xeon E5-2686 V3's 18,148 — a 21.1% lead for the Ryzen 7 3700X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X vs 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2686 V3.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-2686 V3
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	18 / 36+125%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+26%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+80%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB	45 MB (total)+41%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-68%	22 nm
Architecture	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	22,430+24%	18,148
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	10,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,033
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	8,649

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Xeon E5-2686 V3 supports up to 768 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 142.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 7 3700X) vs 4 (Xeon E5-2686 V3). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 7 3700X) vs 40 (Xeon E5-2686 V3) — the Xeon E5-2686 V3 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 C612,X99 (Xeon E5-2686 V3).

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-2686 V3
Socket	AM4	LGA2011-3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	768 GB+500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	40+67%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X) / Yes (Xeon E5-2686 V3).

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-2686 V3
Integrated GPU	No	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	Yes

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 3700X launched at $329 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 debuted at $1500. On MSRP ($329 vs $1500), the Ryzen 7 3700X is $1171 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 3700X delivers 68.2 pts/$ vs 12.1 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-2686 V3 — making the Ryzen 7 3700X the 139.7% better value option.