Xeon E5-2640 v3 vs Xeon Silver 4208
Xeon E5-2640 v3
Xeon Silver 4208
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 Xeon Silver 4208 is on rank 329, so the Xeon Silver 4208 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 Xeon Silver 4208
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2640 v3 | Xeon Silver 4208 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($189) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2640 v3 | Xeon Silver 4208 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($189) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 Xeon Silver 4208
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.
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) | 8 MB+3100% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 11,055 | 11,040 |
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 199.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Silver 4208 supports up to 1024 of RAM compared to 768 GB — 28.6% 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+59900% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 768 GB+78643100% | 1024 |
| RAM Channels | 4 | 6+50% |
| ECC Support | ✅ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 40 | 48+20% |
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.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2640 v3 | Xeon Silver 4208 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | Yes | Yes |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | Server | — |
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