Xeon E5-4669 v3 vs Xeon Gold 6126

Intel

Xeon E5-4669 v3

18 Cores36 Thrd135 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2015
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 6126

12 Cores24 Thrd125 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2017
Similar parts
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Xeon E5-4669 v3 vs Xeon Gold 6126 Performance Spectrum

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.

Xeon E5-4669 v3 vs Xeon Gold 6126 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 E5-4669 v3 vs Xeon Gold 6126: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon E5-4669 v3

2015

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +4.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +133.8% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 19 MB).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (17,430 vs 17,492).
  • No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon Gold 6126

2017

Why buy it

  • +0.4% higher PassMark.
  • Draws 125W instead of 135W, a 10W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-4669 v3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 45 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6126 better than Xeon E5-4669 v3?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon E5-4669 v3 is ahead with a 4.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6126 pulls ahead with 0.4% better PassMark. Xeon E5-4669 v3 also has the bigger cache pool with 133.8% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 19 MB).
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6126 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 Gold 6126 still makes the most sense overall. Xeon Gold 6126 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Xeon Gold 6126 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2015), more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 18/36, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E5-4669 v3 vs Xeon Gold 6126 Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Xeon E5-4669 v3

The Xeon E5-4669 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 135 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,430 points. Launch price was $800.

Intel

Xeon Gold 6126

The Xeon Gold 6126 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 25 April 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB. L2 cache: 12 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 17,492 points. Launch price was $1,776.

Processing Power

The Xeon E5-4669 v3 packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6126 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon E5-4669 v3 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Xeon E5-4669 v3 versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6126 — a 24.2% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6126 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Xeon E5-4669 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6126 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-4669 v3 scores 17,430 against the Xeon Gold 6126's 17,492 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon Gold 6126. L3 cache: 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-4669 v3 vs 19.25 MB on the Xeon Gold 6126.

FeatureXeon E5-4669 v3Xeon Gold 6126
Cores / Threads
18 / 36+50%
12 / 24
Boost Clock
2.9 GHz
3.7 GHz+28%
Base Clock
2.1 GHz
2.6 GHz+24%
L3 Cache
45 MB (total)+134%
19.25 MB
L2 Cache
256K (per core)+2033%
12 MB
Process
22 nm
14 nm-36%
Architecture
Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark
17,430
17,492
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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-4669 v3 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 6126 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureXeon E5-4669 v3Xeon Gold 6126
Socket
LGA2011
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
2666
Max RAM Capacity
768
RAM Channels
6
ECC Support
Yes
PCIe Lanes
48
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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5-4669 v3) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6126). Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 6126 rivals EPYC 7301.

FeatureXeon E5-4669 v3Xeon Gold 6126
Integrated GPU
No
IGPU Model
None
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d