Xeon E5-2640 v4 vs Xeon E5-2649 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 E5-2640 v4 vs Xeon E5-2649 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 E5-2640 v4 vs Xeon E5-2649 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 E5-2640 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 90W instead of 105W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Xeon E5-2649 V3

2014

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2640 v4 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (12,399 vs 12,470).
❌16.7% higher power demand at 105W vs 90W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-2640 v4 better than Xeon E5-2649 V3?

Yes. Xeon E5-2640 v4 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.6% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E5-2640 v4 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.1% 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 v4 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads.

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

Xeon E5-2640 v4 still makes the most sense overall. Xeon E5-2640 v4 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Xeon E5-2640 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 10 cores / 20 threads instead of 10/20. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E5-2640 v4 vs Xeon E5-2649 V3 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon E5-2640 v4

The Xeon E5-2640 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 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB. L2 cache: 2.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 90 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 12,470 points. Launch price was $939.

Xeon E5-2649 V3

The Xeon E5-2649 V3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4 2133 MHz Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 12,399 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

Both the Xeon E5-2640 v4 and Xeon E5-2649 V3 share an identical 10-core/20-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2640 v4 versus 3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2649 V3 — a 12.5% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2640 v4 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Xeon E5-2640 v4 uses the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2649 V3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2640 v4 scores 12,470 against the Xeon E5-2649 V3's 12,399 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon E5-2640 v4. L3 cache: 25 MB on the Xeon E5-2640 v4 vs 25 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2649 V3.

Feature	Xeon E5-2640 v4	Xeon E5-2649 V3
Cores / Threads	10 / 20	10 / 20
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz+13%	3 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+4%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB	25 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2.5 MB	256K (per core)+10140%
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Broadwell (2015−2019)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	12,470	12,399

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-2640 v4 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E5-2649 V3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.