Xeon E5-2630 v3
VS
Ryzen Z2

Xeon E5-2630 v3 vs Ryzen Z2

Intel

Xeon E5-2630 v3

8 Cores16 Thrd85 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2014
VS
AMD

Ryzen Z2

8 Cores16 Thrd8 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2025

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 E5-2630 v3 is positioned at rank 256 and the Ryzen Z2 is on rank 115, so the Ryzen Z2 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2630 v3

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
4047%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
764%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
679%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
524%
#218
Xeon Gold 5512U
MSRP: $1230|Avg: N/A
98%
#219
Xeon D-1733NT
MSRP: $300|Avg: $300
96%
#220
Xeon 6520P
MSRP: $1295|Avg: $1295
96%
#256
Xeon E5-2630 v3
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen Z2

#31
Ryzen 5 230
MSRP: $200|Avg: $190
100%
#103
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
290%
#104
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
286%
#105
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
263%
#106
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
261%
#107
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
259%
#109
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
250%
#110
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
240%
#111
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
239%
#112
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
233%
#115
Ryzen Z2
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#126
Celeron N4000
MSRP: $107|Avg: $30
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Ryzen Z2 (2025) utilizes 4 nm technology and DDR5, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightXeon E5-2630 v3Ryzen Z2
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm)
✨ Modern (Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) / 4 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E5-2630 v3 (2014) relies on 22 nm technology and DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightXeon E5-2630 v3Ryzen Z2
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 E5-2630 v3 and Ryzen Z2

Intel

Xeon E5-2630 v3

The Xeon E5-2630 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 20 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, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 10,270 points. Launch price was $800.

AMD

Ryzen Z2

The Ryzen Z2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7/FP7r2/FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,106 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

Both the Xeon E5-2630 v3 and Ryzen Z2 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Xeon E5-2630 v3 versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen Z2 — a 45.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z2 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Xeon E5-2630 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Ryzen Z2 uses Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2630 v3 scores 10,270 against the Ryzen Z2's 10,106 — a 1.6% lead for the Xeon E5-2630 v3. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2630 v3 vs 16 MB on the Ryzen Z2.

FeatureXeon E5-2630 v3Ryzen Z2
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
8 / 16
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz
5.1 GHz+59%
Base Clock
2.4 GHz
3.3 GHz+38%
L3 Cache
20 MB (total)+25%
16 MB
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
8 MB+3100%
Process
22 nm
4 nm-82%
Architecture
Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025)
PassMark
10,270+2%
10,106
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-2630 v3 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Z2 uses FP7/FP7r2/FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureXeon E5-2630 v3Ryzen Z2
Socket
LGA2011
FP7/FP7r2/FP8
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 4.0