Xeon E5-2686 v4 vs Xeon W-1290
Xeon E5-2686 v4
Xeon W-1290
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 E5-2686 v4
Performance Per Dollar Xeon W-1290
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2686 v4 | Xeon W-1290 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($300) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Comet Lake (2020−2025) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2686 v4 | Xeon W-1290 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($300) |
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 E5-2686 v4 and Xeon W-1290
Xeon E5-2686 v4
The Xeon E5-2686 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB. L2 cache: 4.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCLGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 145 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,860 points. Launch price was $800.
Xeon W-1290
The Xeon W-1290 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 20,112 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2686 v4 packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the Xeon W-1290 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon E5-2686 v4 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2686 v4 versus 5.1 GHz on the Xeon W-1290 — a 51.9% clock advantage for the Xeon W-1290 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Xeon E5-2686 v4 uses the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon W-1290 uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2686 v4 scores 19,860 against the Xeon W-1290's 20,112 — a 1.3% lead for the Xeon W-1290. L3 cache: 45 MB on the Xeon E5-2686 v4 vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon W-1290.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2686 v4 | Xeon W-1290 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 18 / 36+80% | 10 / 20 |
| Boost Clock | 3 GHz | 5.1 GHz+70% |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz | 3.2 GHz+39% |
| L3 Cache | 45 MB+125% | 20 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 4.5 MB+1700% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Broadwell (2015−2019) | Comet Lake (2020−2025) |
| PassMark | 19,860 | 20,112+1% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 895 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 6,822 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2686 v4 uses the FCLGA2011-3 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon W-1290 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2686 v4 | Xeon W-1290 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCLGA2011-3 | LGA1200 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+33% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 1536 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 40 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Xeon E5-2686 v4) / not specified (Xeon W-1290).
| Feature | Xeon E5-2686 v4 | Xeon W-1290 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
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