Xeon X5690 vs Xeon E5-4640
Xeon X5690
Xeon E5-4640
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 X5690 is positioned at rank 514 and the Xeon E5-4640 is on rank 1016, so the Xeon X5690 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon X5690
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-4640
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon X5690 | Xeon E5-4640 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($250) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($2,725) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon X5690 | Xeon E5-4640 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+993%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($250) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($2,725) |
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 X5690 and Xeon E5-4640
Xeon X5690
The Xeon X5690 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.46 GHz, with boost up to 3.73 GHz. L3 cache: 12288 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,031 points. Launch price was $205.
Xeon E5-4640
The Xeon E5-4640 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 May 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 20480 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,012 points. Launch price was $2,730.
Processing Power
The Xeon X5690 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-4640 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-4640 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.73 GHz on the Xeon X5690 versus 2.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-4640 — a 28.5% clock advantage for the Xeon X5690 (base: 3.46 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Xeon X5690 uses the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E5-4640 uses Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon X5690 scores 7,031 against the Xeon E5-4640's 7,012 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon X5690. L3 cache: 12288 kB (total) on the Xeon X5690 vs 20480 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-4640.
| Feature | Xeon X5690 | Xeon E5-4640 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 8 / 16+33% |
| Boost Clock | 3.73 GHz+33% | 2.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.46 GHz+44% | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12288 kB (total) | 20480 kB (total)+67% |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) | Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) |
| PassMark | 7,031 | 7,012 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 3,000 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon X5690 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5-4640 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon X5690 | Xeon E5-4640 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 5.0+150% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| RAM Channels | 3 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon X5690) / not specified (Xeon E5-4640). Primary use case: Xeon X5690 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon X5690 rivals Core i7-980X.
| Feature | Xeon X5690 | Xeon E5-4640 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Workstation | — |
Value Analysis
The Xeon X5690 launched at $250 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-4640 debuted at $2725.
| Feature | Xeon X5690 | Xeon E5-4640 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $250-91% | $2725 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $250 | — |
| Release Date | 2011 | 2012 |
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