Xeon E5-2603 v4 vs Xeon E5-2609 v3

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 E5-2603 v4 vs Xeon E5-2609 v3 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 E5-2603 v4 vs Xeon E5-2609 v3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon E5-2603 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅+1.2% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Xeon E5-2609 v3

2014

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (4,465 vs 4,517).
❌Launch MSRP is still $306 MSRP, while Xeon E5-2603 v4 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-2603 v4 better than Xeon E5-2609 v3?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon E5-2609 v3 is ahead with a 1.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2603 v4 pulls ahead with 1.2% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2603 v4 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 6 threads.

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

Xeon E5-2603 v4 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-2609 v3 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon E5-2603 v4 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $306 MSRP, and it still gives you 1.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon E5-2609 v3 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E5-2609 v3 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (14.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 E5-2603 v4 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2014) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 6 threads instead of 6/6. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E5-2603 v4 vs Xeon E5-2609 v3 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon E5-2603 v4

The Xeon E5-2603 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 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 4,517 points. Launch price was $213.

Xeon E5-2609 v3

The Xeon E5-2609 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 4,465 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

Both the Xeon E5-2603 v4 and Xeon E5-2609 v3 share an identical 6-core/6-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.7 GHz on the Xeon E5-2603 v4 versus 1.9 GHz on the Xeon E5-2609 v3 — a 11.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2609 v3 (base: 1.7 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Xeon E5-2603 v4 uses the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2609 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2603 v4 scores 4,517 against the Xeon E5-2609 v3's 4,465 — a 1.2% lead for the Xeon E5-2603 v4. L3 cache: 15 MB on the Xeon E5-2603 v4 vs 15 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2609 v3.

Feature	Xeon E5-2603 v4	Xeon E5-2609 v3
Cores / Threads	6 / 6	6 / 6
Boost Clock	1.7 GHz	1.9 GHz+12%
Base Clock	1.7 GHz	1.9 GHz+12%
L3 Cache	15 MB	15 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	256K (per core)+16967%
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Broadwell (2015−2019)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	4,517+1%	4,465