Xeon E3-1226 v3 vs Xeon W-2104

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 E3-1226 v3 vs Xeon W-2104 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 E3-1226 v3 vs Xeon W-2104: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon E3-1226 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 84W instead of 120W, a 36W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (5,529 vs 5,530).

Xeon W-2104

2017

Why buy it

✅+0% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E3-1226 v3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $294 MSRP, while Xeon E3-1226 v3 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌42.9% higher power demand at 120W vs 84W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon W-2104 better than Xeon E3-1226 v3?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon E3-1226 v3 is ahead with a 5.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon W-2104 pulls ahead with 0% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon W-2104 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Xeon W-2104 is the better buy right now. Xeon W-2104 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $294 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon E3-1226 v3 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 5.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (18.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 W-2104 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2014) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E3-1226 v3 vs Xeon W-2104 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon E3-1226 v3

The Xeon E3-1226 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 84 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,529 points. Launch price was $213.

Xeon W-2104

The Xeon W-2104 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 5,530 points. Launch price was $255.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Xeon E3-1226 v3 and Xeon W-2104 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E3-1226 v3 versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon W-2104 — a 14.5% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1226 v3 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Xeon E3-1226 v3 uses the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon W-2104 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1226 v3 scores 5,529 against the Xeon W-2104's 5,530 — a 0% lead for the Xeon W-2104. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1226 v3 vs 8.25 MB (total) on the Xeon W-2104.

Feature	Xeon E3-1226 v3	Xeon W-2104
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+16%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+3%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8.25 MB (total)+3%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+25500%	1 MB (per core)
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell-WS (2013−2014)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	5,529	5,530

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1226 v3 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon W-2104 uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.