Xeon E5-2699 v4 vs Xeon Gold 5220

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Xeon E5-2699 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.7% higher average FPS across 40 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+122.2% larger total L3 cache (55 MB vs 25 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $4,115 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 5220 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌16% higher power demand at 145W vs 125W.

Xeon Gold 5220

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 125W instead of 145W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2699 v4 across 40 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (24,480 vs 24,711).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 55 MB).

Xeon E5-2699 v4

2016

Xeon Gold 5220

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.7% higher average FPS across 40 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+122.2% larger total L3 cache (55 MB vs 25 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 125W instead of 145W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $4,115 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 5220 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌16% higher power demand at 145W vs 125W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2699 v4 across 40 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (24,480 vs 24,711).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 55 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-2699 v4 better than Xeon Gold 5220?

Yes. Xeon E5-2699 v4 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 11.7% average FPS lead across 40 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.9% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E5-2699 v4 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 11.7% more average FPS across 40 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2699 v4 is the better fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 22 cores and 44 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 122.2% larger total L3 cache (55 MB vs 25 MB).

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

Xeon E5-2699 v4 is the smarter buy today. Xeon E5-2699 v4 is at an unclear MSRP at $4,115 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 11.7% average FPS lead across 40 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (6.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Xeon Gold 5220 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2016). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Xeon E5-2699 v4 Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 5220 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon E5-2699 v4	Xeon Gold 5220
1080p
low	187 FPS	182 FPS
medium	164 FPS	147 FPS
high	131 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	154 FPS	144 FPS
medium	130 FPS	114 FPS
high	100 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	67 FPS
medium	62 FPS	56 FPS
high	48 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	35 FPS

Open Xeon E5-2699 v4 Open Xeon Gold 5220

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon E5-2699 v4	Xeon Gold 5220
1080p
low	211 FPS	211 FPS
medium	192 FPS	186 FPS
high	164 FPS	161 FPS
ultra	132 FPS	136 FPS
1440p
low	182 FPS	182 FPS
medium	165 FPS	165 FPS
high	143 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	120 FPS
4K
low	115 FPS	118 FPS
medium	105 FPS	108 FPS
high	93 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	74 FPS	82 FPS

Open Xeon E5-2699 v4 Open Xeon Gold 5220

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon E5-2699 v4	Xeon Gold 5220
1080p
low	618 FPS	612 FPS
medium	618 FPS	612 FPS
high	618 FPS	612 FPS
ultra	618 FPS	612 FPS
1440p
low	618 FPS	612 FPS
medium	618 FPS	605 FPS
high	590 FPS	573 FPS
ultra	532 FPS	506 FPS
4K
low	469 FPS	455 FPS
medium	382 FPS	357 FPS
high	347 FPS	318 FPS
ultra	289 FPS	259 FPS

Open Xeon E5-2699 v4 Open Xeon Gold 5220

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon E5-2699 v4	Xeon Gold 5220
1080p
low	618 FPS	612 FPS
medium	618 FPS	612 FPS
high	618 FPS	612 FPS
ultra	614 FPS	563 FPS
1440p
low	618 FPS	612 FPS
medium	618 FPS	587 FPS
high	572 FPS	505 FPS
ultra	484 FPS	433 FPS
4K
low	551 FPS	462 FPS
medium	493 FPS	414 FPS
high	436 FPS	369 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	320 FPS

Open Xeon E5-2699 v4 Open Xeon Gold 5220

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E5-2699 v4 and Xeon Gold 5220

Xeon E5-2699 v4

The Xeon E5-2699 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 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: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 145 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 24,711 points. Launch price was $4,115.

Xeon Gold 5220

The Xeon Gold 5220 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 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB. L2 cache: 18 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2667. Passmark benchmark score: 24,480 points. Launch price was $1,555.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon E5-2699 v4 packs 22 cores / 44 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5220 offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Xeon E5-2699 v4 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-2699 v4 versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5220 — a 8% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5220 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Xeon E5-2699 v4 uses the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5220 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2699 v4 scores 24,711 against the Xeon Gold 5220's 24,480 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon E5-2699 v4. L3 cache: 55 MB on the Xeon E5-2699 v4 vs 24.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 5220.

Feature	Xeon E5-2699 v4	Xeon Gold 5220
Cores / Threads	22 / 44+22%	18 / 36
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz	3.9 GHz+8%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	55 MB+122%	24.75 MB
L2 Cache	5.5 MB	18 MB+227%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Broadwell (2015−2019)	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark	24,711	24,480

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-2699 v4 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 5220 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E5-2699 v4	Xeon Gold 5220
Socket	LGA2011	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	1536	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	40	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5-2699 v4) / not specified (Xeon Gold 5220). Direct competitor: Xeon E5-2699 v4 rivals Xeon Silver 4114.