Xeon Silver 4208 vs Xeon E5-2643 v4
Xeon Silver 4208
Xeon E5-2643 v4
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 E5-2643 v4 is on rank 947, 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 E5-2643 v4
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon Silver 4208 | Xeon E5-2643 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($555) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon Silver 4208 | Xeon E5-2643 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($555) |
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 E5-2643 v4
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 E5-2643 v4
The Xeon E5-2643 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 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 135 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 11,024 points. Launch price was $1,552.
Processing Power
The Xeon Silver 4208 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E5-2643 v4 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon Silver 4208 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Silver 4208 versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E5-2643 v4 — a 14.5% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2643 v4 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Xeon Silver 4208 uses the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2643 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Silver 4208 scores 11,040 against the Xeon E5-2643 v4's 11,024 — a 0.1% lead for the Xeon Silver 4208. L3 cache: 11 MB on the Xeon Silver 4208 vs 20 MB on the Xeon E5-2643 v4.
| Feature | Xeon Silver 4208 | Xeon E5-2643 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16+33% | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.7 GHz+16% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 3.4 GHz+62% |
| L3 Cache | 11 MB | 20 MB+82% |
| L2 Cache | 8 MB+433% | 1.5 MB |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) | Broadwell (2015−2019) |
| PassMark | 11,040 | 11,024 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon Silver 4208 uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2643 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon Silver 4208 | Xeon E5-2643 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA3647 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
| Max RAM Speed | 2400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 1024 | — |
| RAM Channels | 6 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 48 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Silver 4208) / not specified (Xeon E5-2643 v4).
| Feature | Xeon Silver 4208 | Xeon E5-2643 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | Yes | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
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