Xeon E5-1603 v3 vs Athlon 220GE
Xeon E5-1603 v3
Athlon 220GE
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. The Xeon E5-1603 v3 is positioned at rank #683 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1603 v3
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 220GE
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-1603 v3 | Athlon 220GE |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($40) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Zen (2017−2020) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-1603 v3 | Athlon 220GE |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+51%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($40) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) |
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 E5-1603 v3 and Athlon 220GE
Xeon E5-1603 v3
The Xeon E5-1603 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 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1333, DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 4,460 points. Launch price was $800.
Athlon 220GE
The Athlon 220GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 4,441 points. Launch price was $65.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-1603 v3 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon 220GE offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon E5-1603 v3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-1603 v3 versus 3.4 GHz on the Athlon 220GE — a 19.4% clock advantage for the Athlon 220GE (base: 2.8 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Xeon E5-1603 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Athlon 220GE uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-1603 v3 scores 4,460 against the Athlon 220GE's 4,441 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon E5-1603 v3. L3 cache: 10 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1603 v3 vs 4 MB (total) on the Athlon 220GE.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1603 v3 | Athlon 220GE |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz | 3.4 GHz+21% |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz | 3.4 GHz+21% |
| L3 Cache | 10 MB (total)+150% | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512K (per core)+100% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) | Zen (2017−2020) |
| PassMark | 4,460 | 4,441 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 886 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 2,023 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-1603 v3 uses the LGA2011-3 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon 220GE uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1603 v3 | Athlon 220GE |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011-3 | AM4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2667 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 8 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5-1603 v3) / AMD-V (Athlon 220GE). The Athlon 220GE includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 3), while the Xeon E5-1603 v3 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 220GE targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon 220GE rivals Pentium Gold G5400.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1603 v3 | Athlon 220GE |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Radeon Vega 3 |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
Value Analysis
The Xeon E5-1603 v3 launched at $273 MSRP, while the Athlon 220GE debuted at $65. At current prices ($40 vs $60), the Xeon E5-1603 v3 is $20 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E5-1603 v3 delivers 111.5 pts/$ vs 74.0 pts/$ for the Athlon 220GE — making the Xeon E5-1603 v3 the 40.4% better value option.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1603 v3 | Athlon 220GE |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $273 | $65-76% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $40-33% | $60 |
| Performance per Dollar | 111.5+51% | 74.0 |
| Release Date | 2014 | 2018 |
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