Xeon E5-2643 v4 vs Xeon Silver 4208
Xeon E5-2643 v4
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 E5-2643 v4 is positioned at rank 947 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 E5-2643 v4
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Silver 4208
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2643 v4 | Xeon Silver 4208 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($555) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2643 v4 | Xeon Silver 4208 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($555) | ✅ 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 E5-2643 v4 and Xeon Silver 4208
Xeon E5-2643 v4
The Xeon E5-2643 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 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 135 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 11,024 points. Launch price was $1,552.
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
The Xeon E5-2643 v4 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon Silver 4208 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon Silver 4208 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E5-2643 v4 versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Silver 4208 — a 14.5% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2643 v4 (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Xeon E5-2643 v4 uses the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Silver 4208 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2643 v4 scores 11,024 against the Xeon Silver 4208's 11,040 — a 0.1% lead for the Xeon Silver 4208. L3 cache: 20 MB on the Xeon E5-2643 v4 vs 11 MB on the Xeon Silver 4208.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2643 v4 | Xeon Silver 4208 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 8 / 16+33% |
| Boost Clock | 3.7 GHz+16% | 3.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.4 GHz+62% | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 20 MB+82% | 11 MB |
| L2 Cache | 1.5 MB | 8 MB+433% |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Broadwell (2015−2019) | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 11,024 | 11,040 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2643 v4 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Silver 4208 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2643 v4 | Xeon Silver 4208 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | LGA3647 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+67% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | 2400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 1024 |
| RAM Channels | — | 6 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 48 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5-2643 v4) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Silver 4208).
| Feature | Xeon E5-2643 v4 | Xeon Silver 4208 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | Yes |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
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