Xeon E3-1290 vs Ryzen 3 2300U
Xeon E3-1290
Ryzen 3 2300U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Xeon E3-1290 is positioned at rank 525 and the Ryzen 3 2300U is on rank 607, so the Xeon E3-1290 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1290
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 3 2300U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3-1290 | Ryzen 3 2300U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Raven Ridge (2017−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3-1290 | Ryzen 3 2300U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E3-1290 and Ryzen 3 2300U
Xeon E3-1290
The Xeon E3-1290 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 May 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,429 points. Launch price was $885.
Ryzen 3 2300U
The Ryzen 3 2300U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 January 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Raven Ridge (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 5,484 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Xeon E3-1290 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Ryzen 3 2300U's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1290 versus 3.4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 2300U — a 16.2% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1290 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Xeon E3-1290 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 3 2300U uses Raven Ridge (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1290 scores 5,429 against the Ryzen 3 2300U's 5,484 — a 1% lead for the Ryzen 3 2300U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1290 vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 2300U.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1290 | Ryzen 3 2300U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+18% | 3.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz+80% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total)+100% | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Raven Ridge (2017−2019) |
| PassMark | 5,429 | 5,484+1% |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3-1290 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 3 2300U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1290 | Ryzen 3 2300U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | FP5 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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