Xeon Silver 4208 vs Xeon E5-2640 v3
Xeon Silver 4208
Xeon E5-2640 v3
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. The Xeon Silver 4208 is positioned at rank 329 and the Xeon E5-2640 v3 is on rank 819, so the Xeon Silver 4208 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Silver 4208
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2640 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon Silver 4208 | Xeon E5-2640 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($189) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon Silver 4208 | Xeon E5-2640 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($189) |
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 Silver 4208 and Xeon E5-2640 v3
Xeon Silver 4208
The Xeon Silver 4208 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 11 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 11,040 points. Launch price was $417.
Xeon E5-2640 v3
The Xeon E5-2640 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 90 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 11,055 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon Silver 4208 and Xeon E5-2640 v3 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Silver 4208 versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2640 v3 — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2640 v3 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Xeon Silver 4208 uses the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2640 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Silver 4208 scores 11,040 against the Xeon E5-2640 v3's 11,055 — a 0.1% lead for the Xeon E5-2640 v3. L3 cache: 11 MB on the Xeon Silver 4208 vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2640 v3.
| Feature | Xeon Silver 4208 | Xeon E5-2640 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 8 / 16 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.4 GHz+6% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 2.6 GHz+24% |
| L3 Cache | 11 MB | 20 MB (total)+82% |
| L2 Cache | 8 MB+3100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 11,040 | 11,055 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon Silver 4208 uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2640 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 2400 on the Xeon Silver 4208 versus DDR4-1866 on the Xeon E5-2640 v3 — the Xeon Silver 4208 supports 199.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Silver 4208 supports up to 1024 of RAM compared to 768 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 6 (Xeon Silver 4208) vs 4 (Xeon E5-2640 v3). PCIe lanes: 48 (Xeon Silver 4208) vs 40 (Xeon E5-2640 v3) — the Xeon Silver 4208 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: C621 (Xeon Silver 4208) and Intel X99,Intel C612 (Xeon E5-2640 v3).
| Feature | Xeon Silver 4208 | Xeon E5-2640 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA3647 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
| Max RAM Speed | 2400+59900% | DDR4-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 1024 | 768 GB+78643100% |
| RAM Channels | 6+50% | 4 |
| ECC Support | ✅ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 48+20% | 40 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Primary use case: Xeon E5-2640 v3 targets Server.
| Feature | Xeon Silver 4208 | Xeon E5-2640 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | Yes | Yes |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Server |
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