CPU
GPU
Xeon E5-2640 v3
EPYC 7261
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 E5-2640 v3 is positioned at rank 819 and the EPYC 7261 is on rank 592, so the EPYC 7261 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2640 v3
Performance Per Dollar EPYC 7261
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2640 v3 | EPYC 7261 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($189) | ✅ More affordable ($8) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Naples (2017−2018) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2640 v3 | EPYC 7261 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+2283%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($189) | ✅ More affordable ($8) |
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 E5-2640 v3 and EPYC 7261
Xeon E5-2640 v3
The Xeon E5-2640 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 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 90 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 11,055 points. Launch price was $800.
EPYC 7261
The EPYC 7261 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Naples (2017−2018) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 170 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 11,149 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon E5-2640 v3 and EPYC 7261 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2640 v3 versus 2.9 GHz on the EPYC 7261 — a 15.9% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2640 v3 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Xeon E5-2640 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the EPYC 7261 uses Naples (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2640 v3 scores 11,055 against the EPYC 7261's 11,149 — a 0.8% lead for the EPYC 7261. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2640 v3 vs 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7261.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2640 v3 | EPYC 7261 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 8 / 16 |
| Boost Clock | 3.4 GHz+17% | 2.9 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz+4% | 2.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 20 MB (total) | 32 MB (total)+60% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512K (per core)+100% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) | Naples (2017−2018) |
| PassMark | 11,055 | 11,149 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2640 v3 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 7261 uses SP3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2640 v3 | EPYC 7261 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | SP3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+25% | PCIe 4.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-1866 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 768 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 40 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5-2640 v3) / not specified (EPYC 7261). Primary use case: Xeon E5-2640 v3 targets Server.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2640 v3 | EPYC 7261 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | Yes | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Server | — |
Value Analysis
The Xeon E5-2640 v3 launched at $939 MSRP, while the EPYC 7261 debuted at $501. At current prices ($189 vs $8), the EPYC 7261 is $181 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E5-2640 v3 delivers 58.5 pts/$ vs 1393.6 pts/$ for the EPYC 7261 — making the EPYC 7261 the 183.9% better value option.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2640 v3 | EPYC 7261 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $939 | $501-47% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $189 | $8-96% |
| Performance per Dollar | 58.5 | 1393.6+2282% |
| Release Date | 2014 | 2018 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Xeon E5-2640 v3 and EPYC 7261
