Xeon Phi 7290 vs Xeon W-2145

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 Phi 7290 vs Xeon W-2145 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 Phi 7290 vs Xeon W-2145: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon Phi 7290

2016

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-2145 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,839 vs 18,024).
❌75% higher power demand at 245W vs 140W.

Xeon W-2145

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 140W instead of 245W, a 105W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $1,113 MSRP, while Xeon Phi 7290 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon W-2145 better than Xeon Phi 7290?

Yes. Xeon W-2145 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 20.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1% 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 W-2145 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 20.7% 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 W-2145 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Xeon W-2145 is the better buy right now. Xeon W-2145 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $1,113 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 20.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (16.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Xeon W-2145 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 72/288. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon Phi 7290 vs Xeon W-2145 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon Phi 7290

The Xeon Phi 7290 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Knights Landing (2016) architecture. It features 72 cores and 288 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 245 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,839 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon W-2145

The Xeon W-2145 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 11 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 18,024 points. Launch price was $1,113.

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Processing Power

The Xeon Phi 7290 packs 72 cores / 288 threads, while the Xeon W-2145 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon Phi 7290 has 64 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.7 GHz on the Xeon Phi 7290 versus 4.5 GHz on the Xeon W-2145 — a 90.3% clock advantage for the Xeon W-2145 (base: 1.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Xeon Phi 7290 uses the Knights Landing (2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon W-2145 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Phi 7290 scores 17,839 against the Xeon W-2145's 18,024 — a 1% lead for the Xeon W-2145. L3 cache: 0 kB (total) on the Xeon Phi 7290 vs 11 MB (total) on the Xeon W-2145.

Feature	Xeon Phi 7290	Xeon W-2145
Cores / Threads	72 / 288+800%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	1.7 GHz	4.5 GHz+165%
Base Clock	1.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+147%
L3 Cache	0 kB (total)	11 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Knights Landing (2016)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	17,839	18,024+1%

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon Phi 7290 uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon W-2145 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.