Ryzen 7 4980U vs Xeon E5-2687W v4

Ryzen 7 4980U vs Xeon E5-2687W v4 Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 7 4980U

8 / 16

17,469

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Xeon E5-2687W v4

12 / 24

17,640

+1.0%

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 7 4980U vs Xeon E5-2687W v4 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 7 4980U vs Xeon E5-2687W v4: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Ryzen 7 4980U

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 160W, a 145W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,469 vs 17,640).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2687W v4, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E5-2687W v4

2016

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅+275% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 0.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $2,141 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 4980U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌966.7% higher power demand at 160W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 4980U better than Xeon E5-2687W v4?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E5-2687W v4 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 7 4980U 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, Xeon E5-2687W v4 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 275% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 4980U is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-2687W v4 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 7 4980U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $2,141 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Xeon E5-2687W v4 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1% better PassMark. Xeon E5-2687W v4 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (8.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 7 4980U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2016). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Ryzen 7 4980U vs Xeon E5-2687W v4 Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen 7 4980U

The Ryzen 7 4980U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 April 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,469 points. Launch price was $299.

Xeon E5-2687W v4

The Xeon E5-2687W v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB. L2 cache: 3 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 160 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 17,640 points. Launch price was $2,141.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 4980U packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E5-2687W v4 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon E5-2687W v4 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4980U versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-2687W v4 — a 22.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 4980U (base: 2 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 7 4980U uses the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon E5-2687W v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 4980U scores 17,469 against the Xeon E5-2687W v4's 17,640 — a 1% lead for the Xeon E5-2687W v4. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 4980U vs 30 MB on the Xeon E5-2687W v4.

Feature	Ryzen 7 4980U	Xeon E5-2687W v4
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	12 / 24+50%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+26%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	2 GHz	3 GHz+50%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	30 MB+275%
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	3 MB+500%
Process	7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021)	Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark	17,469	17,640
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,063
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	8,255

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 4980U uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2687W v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.