
Steam Deck OLED APU vs Xeon E5-2609 v3

Steam Deck OLED APU

Xeon E5-2609 v3
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Steam Deck OLED APU is positioned at rank 827 and the Xeon E5-2609 v3 is on rank 728, so the Xeon E5-2609 v3 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Steam Deck OLED APU
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2609 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Steam Deck OLED APU | Xeon E5-2609 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($306) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Van Gogh (Custom) (2023) / 6 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Steam Deck OLED APU | Xeon E5-2609 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($306) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Steam Deck OLED APU and Xeon E5-2609 v3

Steam Deck OLED APU
The Steam Deck OLED APU is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 9 November 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Van Gogh (Custom) (2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 6 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 4 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,457 points. Launch price was $69.

Xeon E5-2609 v3
The Xeon E5-2609 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 4,465 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Steam Deck OLED APU packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon E5-2609 v3 offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Xeon E5-2609 v3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Steam Deck OLED APU versus 1.9 GHz on the Xeon E5-2609 v3 — a 59.3% clock advantage for the Steam Deck OLED APU (base: 2.4 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Steam Deck OLED APU uses the Van Gogh (Custom) (2023) architecture (6 nm), while the Xeon E5-2609 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Steam Deck OLED APU scores 4,457 against the Xeon E5-2609 v3's 4,465 — a 0.2% lead for the Xeon E5-2609 v3. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Steam Deck OLED APU vs 15 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2609 v3.
| Feature | Steam Deck OLED APU | Xeon E5-2609 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 6 / 6+50% |
| Boost Clock | 3.5 GHz+84% | 1.9 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz+26% | 1.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB | 15 MB (total)+275% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+700% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 6 nm-73% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Van Gogh (Custom) (2023) | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 4,457 | 4,465 |
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