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 8700F

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 155W, a 90W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Spire), unlike Xeon E7-4890 v2.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 38 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E7-4890 v2, which brings 15 cores / 30 threads and 32 PCIe lanes.
❌Launch MSRP is still $270 MSRP, while Xeon E7-4890 v2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E7-4890 v2

2014

Why buy it

✅+134.4% larger total L3 cache (38 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 15 cores / 30 threads, plus 32 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅60% more PCIe lanes (32 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 8700F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (6,500 vs 18,040).
❌138.5% higher power demand at 155W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Ryzen 7 8700F moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 7 8700F.

Ryzen 7 8700F

2024

Xeon E7-4890 v2

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 155W, a 90W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Spire), unlike Xeon E7-4890 v2.

Why buy it

✅+134.4% larger total L3 cache (38 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 15 cores / 30 threads, plus 32 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅60% more PCIe lanes (32 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 38 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E7-4890 v2, which brings 15 cores / 30 threads and 32 PCIe lanes.
❌Launch MSRP is still $270 MSRP, while Xeon E7-4890 v2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 8700F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (6,500 vs 18,040).
❌138.5% higher power demand at 155W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Ryzen 7 8700F moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 7 8700F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 8700F better than Xeon E7-4890 v2?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E7-4890 v2 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 7 8700F 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 8700F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 17.1% 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, Ryzen 7 8700F is the better fit. You are getting 177.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 8700F is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 8700F is at an unclear MSRP at $270 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 17.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (115.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 8700F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2014), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA2011, more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 15/30, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 8700F Benchmark Check

Xeon E7-4890 v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 8700F	Xeon E7-4890 v2
1080p
low	266 FPS	186 FPS
medium	240 FPS	148 FPS
high	206 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	92 FPS
1440p
low	233 FPS	153 FPS
medium	190 FPS	119 FPS
high	158 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	158 FPS	72 FPS
medium	131 FPS	59 FPS
high	102 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	38 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 8700F Open Xeon E7-4890 v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 8700F	Xeon E7-4890 v2
1080p
low	483 FPS	368 FPS
medium	403 FPS	324 FPS
high	347 FPS	270 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	216 FPS
1440p
low	423 FPS	318 FPS
medium	374 FPS	282 FPS
high	322 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	273 FPS	184 FPS
4K
low	283 FPS	199 FPS
medium	259 FPS	178 FPS
high	244 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	121 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 8700F Open Xeon E7-4890 v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 8700F	Xeon E7-4890 v2
1080p
low	781 FPS	774 FPS
medium	781 FPS	774 FPS
high	767 FPS	763 FPS
ultra	649 FPS	679 FPS
1440p
low	766 FPS	744 FPS
medium	629 FPS	638 FPS
high	544 FPS	605 FPS
ultra	463 FPS	537 FPS
4K
low	530 FPS	479 FPS
medium	457 FPS	376 FPS
high	402 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	338 FPS	274 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 8700F Open Xeon E7-4890 v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 8700F	Xeon E7-4890 v2
1080p
low	781 FPS	774 FPS
medium	781 FPS	774 FPS
high	781 FPS	765 FPS
ultra	781 FPS	648 FPS
1440p
low	781 FPS	774 FPS
medium	781 FPS	686 FPS
high	692 FPS	586 FPS
ultra	602 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	615 FPS	581 FPS
medium	553 FPS	506 FPS
high	495 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	431 FPS	377 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 8700F Open Xeon E7-4890 v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 8700F and Xeon E7-4890 v2

Ryzen 7 8700F

The Ryzen 7 8700F is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Phoenix (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.1 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 31,240 points. Launch price was $270.

Xeon E7-4890 v2

The Xeon E7-4890 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 15 cores and 30 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 37.5 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 155 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 30,946 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 8700F packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E7-4890 v2 offers 15 cores / 30 threads — the Xeon E7-4890 v2 has 7 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 8700F versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E7-4890 v2 — a 38.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 8700F (base: 4.1 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Ryzen 7 8700F is built on the Phoenix (2023−2024) architecture. In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 8700F scores 31,240 against the Xeon E7-4890 v2's 30,946 — a 0.9% lead for the Ryzen 7 8700F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 18,040 vs 6,500 (94.1% advantage for the Ryzen 7 8700F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,649 vs 730, a 113.6% lead for the Ryzen 7 8700F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 13,500 vs 5,500 (84.2% advantage for the Ryzen 7 8700F). L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 8700F vs 37.5 MB on the Xeon E7-4890 v2.

Feature	Ryzen 7 8700F	Xeon E7-4890 v2
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	15 / 30+88%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+47%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	4.1 GHz+46%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	37.5 MB+134%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	—
Process	4 nm-82%	22 nm
Architecture	Phoenix (2023−2024)	—
PassMark	31,240	30,946
Cinebench R23 Multi	18,040+178%	6,500
Geekbench 6 Single	2,649+263%	730
Geekbench 6 Multi	13,500+145%	5,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 8700F uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E7-4890 v2 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 7 8700F versus DDR3-1600 on the Xeon E7-4890 v2 — the Ryzen 7 8700F supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E7-4890 v2 supports up to 1536 GB of RAM compared to 256 GB — 142.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 7 8700F) vs 4 (Xeon E7-4890 v2). PCIe lanes: 20 (Ryzen 7 8700F) vs 32 (Xeon E7-4890 v2) — the Xeon E7-4890 v2 offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: XB650,B650,A620 (Ryzen 7 8700F) and C602 (Xeon E7-4890 v2).

Feature	Ryzen 7 8700F	Xeon E7-4890 v2
Socket	AM5	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200+67%	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB	1536 GB+500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	32+60%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 8700F has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 7 8700F supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 7 8700F) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon E7-4890 v2). Primary use case: Ryzen 7 8700F targets High-performance Gaming w/ dGPU, Xeon E7-4890 v2 targets Enterprise Server (Legacy). Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 8700F rivals Core i7-14700F; Xeon E7-4890 v2 rivals Xeon E5-2697 v2.