Xeon E5-2680 v3 vs Xeon Silver 4116

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 E5-2680 v3 vs Xeon Silver 4116 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 E5-2680 v3 vs Xeon Silver 4116: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon E5-2680 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅+81.8% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 17 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Silver 4116 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,864 vs 14,918).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,745 MSRP, while Xeon Silver 4116 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌41.2% higher power demand at 120W vs 85W.

Xeon Silver 4116

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 85W instead of 120W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (17 MB vs 30 MB).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Silver 4116 better than Xeon E5-2680 v3?

Yes. Xeon Silver 4116 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.4% 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 Silver 4116 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.2% 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 Silver 4116 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads.

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

Xeon Silver 4116 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-2680 v3 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon Silver 4116 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,745 MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E5-2680 v3 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (8.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Xeon Silver 4116 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2014) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 12/24. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E5-2680 v3 vs Xeon Silver 4116 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon E5-2680 v3

The Xeon E5-2680 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 14,864 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon Silver 4116

The Xeon Silver 4116 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 16.5 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 14,918 points. Launch price was $1,002.

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Processing Power

Both the Xeon E5-2680 v3 and Xeon Silver 4116 share an identical 12-core/24-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2680 v3 versus 3 GHz on the Xeon Silver 4116 — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2680 v3 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Xeon E5-2680 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon Silver 4116 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2680 v3 scores 14,864 against the Xeon Silver 4116's 14,918 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon Silver 4116. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2680 v3 vs 16.5 MB (total) on the Xeon Silver 4116.

Feature	Xeon E5-2680 v3	Xeon Silver 4116
Cores / Threads	12 / 24	12 / 24
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz+10%	3 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+19%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)+82%	16.5 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+25500%	1 MB (per core)
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	14,864	14,918

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-2680 v3 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Silver 4116 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.