Xeon D-1557 vs Xeon E5-2620 v4

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.

Xeon D-1557 vs Xeon E5-2620 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.

Xeon D-1557 vs Xeon E5-2620 v4: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon D-1557

2016

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 45W instead of 85W, a 40W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (1.5 MB vs 20 MB).

Xeon E5-2620 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅+1233.3% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 1.5 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (9,255 vs 9,285).
❌Launch MSRP is still $417 MSRP, while Xeon D-1557 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌88.9% higher power demand at 85W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon D-1557 better than Xeon E5-2620 v4?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon E5-2620 v4 is ahead with a 2.9% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon D-1557 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark. Xeon E5-2620 v4 also has the bigger cache pool with 1233.3% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 1.5 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon D-1557 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads.

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

Xeon D-1557 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-2620 v4 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon D-1557 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $417 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.3% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon E5-2620 v4 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.9% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E5-2620 v4 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (22.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Xeon D-1557 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon D-1557 vs Xeon E5-2620 v4 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon D-1557

The Xeon D-1557 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 1.5 MB (per core). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1667. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 9,285 points. Launch price was $694.

Xeon E5-2620 v4

The Xeon E5-2620 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 9,255 points. Launch price was $417.

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Processing Power

The Xeon D-1557 packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon E5-2620 v4 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon D-1557 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Xeon D-1557 versus 3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2620 v4 — a 35.3% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2620 v4 (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). Both are built on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture using a 14 nm process. In PassMark, the Xeon D-1557 scores 9,285 against the Xeon E5-2620 v4's 9,255 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon D-1557. L3 cache: 1.5 MB (per core) on the Xeon D-1557 vs 20 MB on the Xeon E5-2620 v4.

Feature	Xeon D-1557	Xeon E5-2620 v4
Cores / Threads	12 / 24+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	2.1 GHz	3 GHz+43%
Base Clock	1.5 GHz	2.1 GHz+40%
L3 Cache	1.5 MB (per core)	20 MB+1233%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+12700%	2 MB
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Broadwell (2015−2019)	Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark	9,285	9,255

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon D-1557 uses the FCBGA1667 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2620 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon D-1557	Xeon E5-2620 v4
Socket	FCBGA1667	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	—	1536 GB
RAM Channels	—	4
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	40