Xeon E-2124 vs Xeon E5-1620 v3

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 E-2124 vs Xeon E5-1620 v3 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 E-2124 vs Xeon E5-1620 v3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon E-2124

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 71W instead of 140W, a 69W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-1620 v3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,915 vs 6,959).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 10 MB).

Xeon E5-1620 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $294 MSRP, while Xeon E-2124 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌97.2% higher power demand at 140W vs 71W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-1620 v3 better than Xeon E-2124?

Yes. Xeon E5-1620 v3 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 9.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.6% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E5-1620 v3 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 9.9% 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, Xeon E5-1620 v3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Xeon E5-1620 v3 is the better buy right now. Xeon E5-1620 v3 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $294 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 9.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (23.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Xeon E-2124 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2014). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Xeon E-2124 vs Xeon E5-1620 v3 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon E-2124

The Xeon E-2124 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 31 May 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 71 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 6,915 points. Launch price was $193.

Xeon E5-1620 v3

The Xeon E5-1620 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1333, DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 6,959 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Xeon E-2124 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Xeon E5-1620 v3's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Xeon E-2124 versus 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-1620 v3 — a 17.7% clock advantage for the Xeon E-2124 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Xeon E-2124 uses the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-1620 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E-2124 scores 6,915 against the Xeon E5-1620 v3's 6,959 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon E5-1620 v3. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2124 vs 10 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1620 v3.

Feature	Xeon E-2124	Xeon E5-1620 v3
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+19%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz	3.5 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	10 MB (total)+25%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	6,915	6,959

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E-2124 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-1620 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.