Core Ultra 7 155U vs Xeon E5-2698B V3

Intel

Core Ultra 7 155U

12 Cores14 Thrd0 WWMax: 4.8 GHz2023

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon E5-2698B V3

16 Cores32 Thrd135 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2015

Popular choices:

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core Ultra 7 155U

2023

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +4.0% higher average FPS across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011-3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (16,185 vs 16,287).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 40 MB).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2698B V3, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads.

Xeon E5-2698B V3

2015

Why buy it

  • +0.6% higher PassMark.
  • +233.3% larger total L3 cache (40 MB vs 12 MB).
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 155U across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Older platform position on LGA2011-3 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 7 155U moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-2698B V3 better than Core Ultra 7 155U?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2698B V3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core Ultra 7 155U is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2698B V3 is the better fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 233.3% larger total L3 cache (40 MB vs 12 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Xeon E5-2698B V3 still looks like the safer overall buy. Xeon E5-2698B V3 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 0.6% better PassMark.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Core Ultra 7 155U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2015) and a healthier platform with FCBGA2049 and DDR5 instead of LGA2011-3. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetCore Ultra 7 155UXeon E5-2698B V3
1080p
low276 FPS177 FPS
medium248 FPS154 FPS
high209 FPS121 FPS
ultra180 FPS97 FPS
1440p
low230 FPS148 FPS
medium185 FPS125 FPS
high152 FPS96 FPS
ultra133 FPS78 FPS
4K
low160 FPS69 FPS
medium130 FPS62 FPS
high100 FPS47 FPS
ultra88 FPS39 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore Ultra 7 155UXeon E5-2698B V3
1080p
low214 FPS212 FPS
medium176 FPS193 FPS
high159 FPS164 FPS
ultra140 FPS132 FPS
1440p
low181 FPS183 FPS
medium155 FPS166 FPS
high143 FPS143 FPS
ultra122 FPS112 FPS
4K
low141 FPS115 FPS
medium124 FPS106 FPS
high118 FPS94 FPS
ultra101 FPS74 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore Ultra 7 155UXeon E5-2698B V3
1080p
low405 FPS407 FPS
medium405 FPS407 FPS
high405 FPS407 FPS
ultra405 FPS407 FPS
1440p
low405 FPS407 FPS
medium405 FPS407 FPS
high405 FPS407 FPS
ultra405 FPS407 FPS
4K
low405 FPS407 FPS
medium405 FPS359 FPS
high405 FPS324 FPS
ultra342 FPS270 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore Ultra 7 155UXeon E5-2698B V3
1080p
low405 FPS407 FPS
medium405 FPS407 FPS
high405 FPS407 FPS
ultra405 FPS407 FPS
1440p
low405 FPS407 FPS
medium405 FPS407 FPS
high405 FPS407 FPS
ultra405 FPS407 FPS
4K
low405 FPS407 FPS
medium405 FPS407 FPS
high405 FPS407 FPS
ultra403 FPS361 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 7 155U and Xeon E5-2698B V3

Intel

Core Ultra 7 155U

The Core Ultra 7 155U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 16,185 points. Launch price was $490.

Intel

Xeon E5-2698B V3

The Xeon E5-2698B V3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 40 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 135 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 16,287 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 7 155U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Xeon E5-2698B V3 offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Xeon E5-2698B V3 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 155U versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2698B V3 — a 34.1% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 155U (base: 1.7 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core Ultra 7 155U uses the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon E5-2698B V3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 7 155U scores 16,185 against the Xeon E5-2698B V3's 16,287 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon E5-2698B V3. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 7 155U vs 40 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2698B V3.

FeatureCore Ultra 7 155UXeon E5-2698B V3
Cores / Threads
12 / 14
16 / 32+33%
Boost Clock
4.8 GHz+41%
3.4 GHz
Base Clock
1.7 GHz
2 GHz+18%
L3 Cache
12 MB (total)
40 MB (total)+233%
L2 Cache
2 MB (per core)+700%
256K (per core)
Process
7 nm-68%
22 nm
Architecture
Meteor Lake-P (2023)
Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark
16,185
16,287
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Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 7 155U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E5-2698B V3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore Ultra 7 155UXeon E5-2698B V3
Socket
FCBGA2049
LGA2011-3
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0+67%
PCIe 3.0