Xeon W-2125
VS
Ryzen Z2

Xeon W-2125 vs Ryzen Z2

Intel

Xeon W-2125

4 Cores8 Thrd120 WWMax: 4.5 GHz2017
VS
AMD

Ryzen Z2

8 Cores16 Thrd8 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2025

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 W-2125 is positioned at rank 590 and the Ryzen Z2 is on rank 115, so the Ryzen Z2 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon W-2125

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
9228%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
1742%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1548%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
1196%
#354
EPYC 7502P
MSRP: $2300|Avg: $1299
99%
#355
Xeon w7-3455
MSRP: $2489|Avg: $2625
98%
#356
EPYC 9334
MSRP: $2990|Avg: $1810
97%
#357
Xeon w9-3575X
MSRP: $3789|Avg: $675
97%
#358
Xeon w7-3465X
MSRP: $2889|Avg: $468
96%
#359
Xeon Gold 6530
MSRP: $2128|Avg: $1846
96%
#359
EPYC 9354
MSRP: $3420|Avg: $2498
96%
#361
Xeon Silver 4114
MSRP: $612|Avg: $30
95%
#590
Xeon W-2125
MSRP: $444|Avg: $42
100%
#592
EPYC 7261
MSRP: $501|Avg: $8
99%
#594
Xeon E5-1620 v2
MSRP: $294|Avg: $50
99%
#605
Xeon E3-1270 v3
MSRP: $339|Avg: $410
95%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen Z2

#31
Ryzen 5 230
MSRP: $200|Avg: $190
100%
#103
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
290%
#104
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
286%
#105
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
263%
#106
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
261%
#107
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
259%
#109
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
250%
#110
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
240%
#111
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
239%
#112
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
233%
#115
Ryzen Z2
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#126
Celeron N4000
MSRP: $107|Avg: $30
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Ryzen Z2 (2025) utilizes 4 nm technology and DDR5, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightXeon W-2125Ryzen Z2
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($42)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm)
✨ Modern (Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) / 4 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon W-2125 (2017) relies on 14 nm technology and DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400, DDR4-2666, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightXeon W-2125Ryzen Z2
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($42)
More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon W-2125 and Ryzen Z2

Intel

Xeon W-2125

The Xeon W-2125 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 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400, DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 10,000 points. Launch price was $444.

AMD

Ryzen Z2

The Ryzen Z2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7/FP7r2/FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,106 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

The Xeon W-2125 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen Z2 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen Z2 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Xeon W-2125 versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen Z2 — a 12.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z2 (base: 4 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Xeon W-2125 uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen Z2 uses Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon W-2125 scores 10,000 against the Ryzen Z2's 10,106 — a 1.1% lead for the Ryzen Z2. L3 cache: 8.25 MB (total) on the Xeon W-2125 vs 16 MB on the Ryzen Z2.

FeatureXeon W-2125Ryzen Z2
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
8 / 16+100%
Boost Clock
4.5 GHz
5.1 GHz+13%
Base Clock
4 GHz+21%
3.3 GHz
L3 Cache
8.25 MB (total)
16 MB+94%
L2 Cache
1 MB (per core)
8 MB+700%
Process
14 nm
4 nm-71%
Architecture
Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025)
PassMark
10,000
10,106+1%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon W-2125 uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Z2 uses FP7/FP7r2/FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureXeon W-2125Ryzen Z2
Socket
LGA2066
FP7/FP7r2/FP8
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity
512 GB
RAM Channels
4
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
48
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon W-2125) / not specified (Ryzen Z2). Primary use case: Xeon W-2125 targets Workstation.

FeatureXeon W-2125Ryzen Z2
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Workstation