Xeon E5-2640 v3 vs Xeon Silver 4208

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 E5-2640 v3 vs Xeon Silver 4208 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 E5-2640 v3 vs Xeon Silver 4208: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon E5-2640 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+81.8% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 11 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $939 MSRP, while Xeon Silver 4208 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon Silver 4208

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 85W instead of 90W, a 5W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 40) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2640 v3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (11,040 vs 11,055).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (11 MB vs 20 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-2640 v3 better than Xeon Silver 4208?

Yes. Xeon E5-2640 v3 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.1% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E5-2640 v3 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2640 v3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 81.8% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 11 MB).

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

Xeon E5-2640 v3 is the better buy right now. Xeon E5-2640 v3 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $939 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (11.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon Silver 4208 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2014). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Xeon E5-2640 v3 vs Xeon Silver 4208 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Xeon Silver 4208

The Xeon Silver 4208 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 11 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 11,040 points. Launch price was $417.

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Processing Power

Both the Xeon E5-2640 v3 and Xeon Silver 4208 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2640 v3 versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Silver 4208 — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2640 v3 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Xeon E5-2640 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon Silver 4208 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2640 v3 scores 11,055 against the Xeon Silver 4208's 11,040 — a 0.1% lead for the Xeon E5-2640 v3. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2640 v3 vs 11 MB on the Xeon Silver 4208.

Feature	Xeon E5-2640 v3	Xeon Silver 4208
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz+6%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+24%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+82%	11 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+3100%	8 MB
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark	11,055	11,040

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-2640 v3 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Silver 4208 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-1866 on the Xeon E5-2640 v3 versus 2400 on the Xeon Silver 4208 — the Xeon Silver 4208 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Silver 4208 supports up to 1024 GB of RAM compared to 768 GB — 33.3% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Xeon E5-2640 v3) vs 6 (Xeon Silver 4208). PCIe lanes: 40 (Xeon E5-2640 v3) vs 48 (Xeon Silver 4208) — the Xeon Silver 4208 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel X99,Intel C612 (Xeon E5-2640 v3) and C621 (Xeon Silver 4208).

Feature	Xeon E5-2640 v3	Xeon Silver 4208
Socket	LGA2011	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-1866	2400+29%
Max RAM Capacity	768 GB	1024 GB+33%
RAM Channels	4	6+50%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	40	48+20%

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Primary use case: Xeon E5-2640 v3 targets Server.