Xeon E5-2679 v4 vs Ryzen Z2 Extreme
Xeon E5-2679 v4
Ryzen Z2 Extreme
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2679 v4
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2679 v4 | Ryzen Z2 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($500) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Strix Point (Zen 5) (2025) / 4 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2679 v4 | Ryzen Z2 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($500) | ✅ 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 E5-2679 v4 and Ryzen Z2 Extreme
Xeon E5-2679 v4
The Xeon E5-2679 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 50 MB. L2 cache: 5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 200 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 24,131 points. Launch price was $800.
Ryzen Z2 Extreme
The Ryzen Z2 Extreme is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Strix Point (Zen 5) (2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,177 points. Launch price was $299.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2679 v4 packs 20 cores / 40 threads, while the Ryzen Z2 Extreme offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-2679 v4 has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2679 v4 versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen Z2 Extreme — a 41% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z2 Extreme (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Xeon E5-2679 v4 uses the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen Z2 Extreme uses Strix Point (Zen 5) (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2679 v4 scores 24,131 against the Ryzen Z2 Extreme's 24,177 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen Z2 Extreme. L3 cache: 50 MB on the Xeon E5-2679 v4 vs 16 MB on the Ryzen Z2 Extreme.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2679 v4 | Ryzen Z2 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 20 / 40+150% | 8 / 16 |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz | 5 GHz+52% |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz+25% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 50 MB+213% | 16 MB |
| L2 Cache | 5 MB | 8 MB+60% |
| Process | 14 nm | 4 nm-71% |
| Architecture | Broadwell (2015−2019) | Strix Point (Zen 5) (2025) |
| PassMark | 24,131 | 24,177 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,000 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 12,000 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2679 v4 uses the LGA2011-3 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Z2 Extreme uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2679 v4 | Ryzen Z2 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011-3 | FP8 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 1536 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 40 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Xeon E5-2679 v4) / not specified (Ryzen Z2 Extreme).
| Feature | Xeon E5-2679 v4 | Ryzen Z2 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
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