Xeon E-2386G vs Xeon E5-2690 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 E-2386G vs Xeon E5-2690 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 E-2386G vs Xeon E5-2690 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 E-2386G

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 95W instead of 135W, a 40W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 35 MB).

Xeon E5-2690 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅+191.7% larger total L3 cache (35 MB vs 12 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E-2386G across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,255 vs 19,468).
❌Launch MSRP is still $2,090 MSRP, while Xeon E-2386G mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌42.1% higher power demand at 135W vs 95W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E-2386G better than Xeon E5-2690 v4?

Yes. Xeon E-2386G is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 15.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E-2386G is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 15.9% 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 E-2386G is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Xeon E-2386G is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-2690 v4 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon E-2386G comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $2,090 MSRP, and it still gives you a 15.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E5-2690 v4 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (9.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 E-2386G makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 14/28. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E-2386G vs Xeon E5-2690 v4 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon E-2386G

The Xeon E-2386G is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Rocket Lake-E (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,468 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon E5-2690 v4

The Xeon E5-2690 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 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 35 MB. L2 cache: 3.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 135 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 19,255 points. Launch price was $2,090.

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Processing Power

The Xeon E-2386G packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-2690 v4 offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Xeon E5-2690 v4 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Xeon E-2386G versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-2690 v4 — a 37.2% clock advantage for the Xeon E-2386G (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Xeon E-2386G uses the Rocket Lake-E (2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2690 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E-2386G scores 19,468 against the Xeon E5-2690 v4's 19,255 — a 1.1% lead for the Xeon E-2386G. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2386G vs 35 MB on the Xeon E5-2690 v4.

Feature	Xeon E-2386G	Xeon E5-2690 v4
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	14 / 28+133%
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+46%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+35%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	35 MB+192%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+14529%	3.5 MB
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Rocket Lake-E (2021)	Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark	19,468+1%	19,255

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E-2386G uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2690 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E-2386G	Xeon E5-2690 v4
Socket	LGA1200	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity	—	1536 GB
RAM Channels	—	4
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	40