Ryzen Z2 vs Xeon E5-2687W

Ryzen Z2 vs Xeon E5-2687W Performance Spectrum

Ryzen Z2

8 / 16

10,106

+0.7%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX

Xeon E5-2687W

8 / 16

10,036

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 Z2 vs Xeon E5-2687W 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 Z2 vs Xeon E5-2687W: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Ryzen Z2

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 8W instead of 150W, a 142W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP7/FP7r2/FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).

Xeon E5-2687W

2012

Why buy it

✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Z2 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,036 vs 10,106).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,885 MSRP, while Ryzen Z2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1775% higher power demand at 150W vs 8W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Ryzen Z2 moves to FP7/FP7r2/FP8 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Z2 better than Xeon E5-2687W?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E5-2687W makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen Z2 is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen Z2 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 23.3% 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 Z2 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen Z2 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-2687W is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen Z2 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,885 MSRP, and it still gives you a 23.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E5-2687W is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (5.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Z2 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2012), a healthier platform with FP7/FP7r2/FP8 and DDR5 instead of LGA2011, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Ryzen Z2 vs Xeon E5-2687W Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen Z2

The Ryzen Z2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7/FP7r2/FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,106 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E5-2687W

The Xeon E5-2687W is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 6 March 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 20480 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 10,036 points. Launch price was $815.

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Processing Power

Both the Ryzen Z2 and Xeon E5-2687W share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen Z2 versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-2687W — a 29.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z2 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Ryzen Z2 uses the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Xeon E5-2687W uses Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Z2 scores 10,106 against the Xeon E5-2687W's 10,036 — a 0.7% lead for the Ryzen Z2. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Ryzen Z2 vs 20480 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2687W.

Feature	Ryzen Z2	Xeon E5-2687W
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+34%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+6%	3.1 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB	20480 kB (total)+25%
L2 Cache	8 MB+3100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	4 nm-88%	32 nm
Architecture	Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025)	Sandy Bridge-EP (2012)
PassMark	10,106	10,036

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen Z2 uses the FP7/FP7r2/FP8 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E5-2687W uses LGA2011 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.