Xeon E-2126G vs Xeon E5-2660 v2

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.

Xeon E-2126G

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 80W instead of 95W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 3.9 vs 7.4 PassMark/$ ($2,702 MSRP vs $1,393 MSRP).

Xeon E5-2660 v2

2013

Why buy it

✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $1,309 less on MSRP ($1,393 MSRP vs $2,702 MSRP).
✅Delivers 92.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 7.4 vs 3.9 PassMark/$ ($1,393 MSRP vs $2,702 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,353 vs 10,437).
❌18.8% higher power demand at 95W vs 80W.

Xeon E-2126G

2018

Xeon E5-2660 v2

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 80W instead of 95W, a 15W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $1,309 less on MSRP ($1,393 MSRP vs $2,702 MSRP).
✅Delivers 92.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 7.4 vs 3.9 PassMark/$ ($1,393 MSRP vs $2,702 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 3.9 vs 7.4 PassMark/$ ($2,702 MSRP vs $1,393 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,353 vs 10,437).
❌18.8% higher power demand at 95W vs 80W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E-2126G better than Xeon E5-2660 v2?

Yes. Xeon E-2126G is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1.0% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.8% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E-2126G is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.0% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E-2126G is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 6 threads.

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

Xeon E-2126G is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-2660 v2 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon E-2126G is 94.0% more expensive on MSRP at $2,702 MSRP versus $1,393 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.0% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E5-2660 v2 is also 92.4% better value on MSRP (7.4 vs 3.9 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Xeon E-2126G is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 6 threads instead of 10/20. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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.

Xeon E-2126G Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-2660 v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon E-2126G	Xeon E5-2660 v2
1080p
low	172 FPS	163 FPS
medium	140 FPS	138 FPS
high	111 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	90 FPS
1440p
low	149 FPS	139 FPS
medium	121 FPS	115 FPS
high	96 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	65 FPS
medium	73 FPS	58 FPS
high	57 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	35 FPS

Open Xeon E-2126G Open Xeon E5-2660 v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon E-2126G	Xeon E5-2660 v2
1080p
low	261 FPS	179 FPS
medium	258 FPS	161 FPS
high	232 FPS	141 FPS
ultra	202 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	261 FPS	154 FPS
medium	232 FPS	142 FPS
high	211 FPS	125 FPS
ultra	183 FPS	101 FPS
4K
low	227 FPS	101 FPS
medium	191 FPS	93 FPS
high	175 FPS	83 FPS
ultra	147 FPS	67 FPS

Open Xeon E-2126G Open Xeon E5-2660 v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon E-2126G	Xeon E5-2660 v2
1080p
low	261 FPS	259 FPS
medium	261 FPS	259 FPS
high	261 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	261 FPS	259 FPS
medium	261 FPS	259 FPS
high	261 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	259 FPS
4K
low	261 FPS	259 FPS
medium	239 FPS	259 FPS
high	202 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	159 FPS	259 FPS

Open Xeon E-2126G Open Xeon E5-2660 v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon E-2126G	Xeon E5-2660 v2
1080p
low	261 FPS	259 FPS
medium	261 FPS	259 FPS
high	261 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	261 FPS	259 FPS
medium	261 FPS	259 FPS
high	261 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	259 FPS
4K
low	261 FPS	259 FPS
medium	261 FPS	259 FPS
high	261 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	259 FPS

Open Xeon E-2126G Open Xeon E5-2660 v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E-2126G and Xeon E5-2660 v2

Xeon E-2126G

The Xeon E-2126G is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 12 July 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 10,437 points. Launch price was $255.

Xeon E5-2660 v2

The Xeon E5-2660 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 10,353 points. Launch price was $850.

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Processing Power

The Xeon E-2126G packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Xeon E5-2660 v2 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon E5-2660 v2 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Xeon E-2126G versus 3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2660 v2 — a 40% clock advantage for the Xeon E-2126G (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Xeon E-2126G uses the Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2660 v2 uses Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E-2126G scores 10,437 against the Xeon E5-2660 v2's 10,353 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon E-2126G. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2126G vs 25 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2660 v2.

Feature	Xeon E-2126G	Xeon E5-2660 v2
Cores / Threads	6 / 6	10 / 20+67%
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz+50%	3 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+50%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	25 MB (total)+108%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019)	Ivy Bridge-EP (2013)
PassMark	10,437	10,353

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E-2126G uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2660 v2 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E-2126G	Xeon E5-2660 v2
Socket	LGA1151	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1866
Max RAM Capacity	—	768 GB
RAM Channels	—	4
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	40

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Value Analysis

The Xeon E-2126G launched at $2702 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-2660 v2 debuted at $1393. On MSRP ($2702 vs $1393), the Xeon E5-2660 v2 is $1309 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E-2126G delivers 3.9 pts/$ vs 7.4 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-2660 v2 — making the Xeon E5-2660 v2 the 63.2% better value option.