CPU
GPU
Xeon E5-2696 v4
EPYC 7272
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 E5-2696 v4
Performance Per Dollar EPYC 7272
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2696 v4 | EPYC 7272 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Zen 2 (2017−2020) / 7 nm, 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2696 v4 | EPYC 7272 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 E5-2696 v4 and EPYC 7272
Xeon E5-2696 v4
The Xeon E5-2696 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 22 cores and 44 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 55 MB. L2 cache: 5.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCLGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 24,938 points. Launch price was $800.
EPYC 7272
The EPYC 7272 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 25,161 points. Launch price was $625.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2696 v4 packs 22 cores / 44 threads, while the EPYC 7272 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon E5-2696 v4 has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-2696 v4 versus 3.2 GHz on the EPYC 7272 — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2696 v4 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Xeon E5-2696 v4 uses the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 7272 uses Zen 2 (2017−2020) (7 nm, 14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2696 v4 scores 24,938 against the EPYC 7272's 25,161 — a 0.9% lead for the EPYC 7272. L3 cache: 55 MB on the Xeon E5-2696 v4 vs 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7272.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2696 v4 | EPYC 7272 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 22 / 44+83% | 12 / 24 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz+12% | 3.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.9 GHz+32% |
| L3 Cache | 55 MB+72% | 32 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 5.5 MB+1000% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm | 7 nm, 14 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Broadwell (2015−2019) | Zen 2 (2017−2020) |
| PassMark | 24,938 | 25,161 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2696 v4 uses the FCLGA2011-3 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 7272 uses SP3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2696 v4 | EPYC 7272 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCLGA2011-3 | SP3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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