Core Ultra 7 155U vs Xeon E5-4650 v4

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: +10.8% higher average FPS across 10 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (16,185 vs 16,225).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 35 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-4650 v4, which brings 14 cores / 28 threads.

Xeon E5-4650 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅+191.7% larger total L3 cache (35 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 14 cores / 28 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 155U across 10 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 7 155U moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.

Core Ultra 7 155U

2023

Xeon E5-4650 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.8% higher average FPS across 10 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅+191.7% larger total L3 cache (35 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 14 cores / 28 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (16,185 vs 16,225).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 35 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-4650 v4, which brings 14 cores / 28 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 155U across 10 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 7 155U moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-4650 v4 better than Core Ultra 7 155U?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-4650 v4 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 E5-4650 v4 is the better fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 191.7% larger total L3 cache (35 MB vs 12 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Xeon E5-4650 v4 still looks like the safer overall buy. Xeon E5-4650 v4 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 0.2% 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 2016) and a healthier platform with FCBGA2049 and DDR5 instead of LGA2011. 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.

Core Ultra 7 155U Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-4650 v4 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 7 155U	Xeon E5-4650 v4
1080p
low	276 FPS	175 FPS
medium	248 FPS	151 FPS
high	209 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	180 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	147 FPS
medium	185 FPS	123 FPS
high	152 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	160 FPS	68 FPS
medium	130 FPS	61 FPS
high	100 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 155U Open Xeon E5-4650 v4

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 7 155U	Xeon E5-4650 v4
1080p
low	214 FPS	210 FPS
medium	176 FPS	191 FPS
high	159 FPS	162 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	131 FPS
1440p
low	181 FPS	180 FPS
medium	155 FPS	164 FPS
high	143 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	122 FPS	110 FPS
4K
low	141 FPS	114 FPS
medium	124 FPS	105 FPS
high	118 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	73 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 155U Open Xeon E5-4650 v4

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 7 155U	Xeon E5-4650 v4
1080p
low	405 FPS	406 FPS
medium	405 FPS	406 FPS
high	405 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	406 FPS
1440p
low	405 FPS	406 FPS
medium	405 FPS	406 FPS
high	405 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	406 FPS
4K
low	405 FPS	406 FPS
medium	405 FPS	378 FPS
high	405 FPS	344 FPS
ultra	342 FPS	288 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 155U Open Xeon E5-4650 v4

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 7 155U	Xeon E5-4650 v4
1080p
low	405 FPS	406 FPS
medium	405 FPS	406 FPS
high	405 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	406 FPS
1440p
low	405 FPS	406 FPS
medium	405 FPS	406 FPS
high	405 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	406 FPS
4K
low	405 FPS	406 FPS
medium	405 FPS	406 FPS
high	405 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	403 FPS	359 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 155U Open Xeon E5-4650 v4

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 7 155U and Xeon E5-4650 v4

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.

Xeon E5-4650 v4

The Xeon E5-4650 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 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 35 MB. L2 cache: 3.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 16,225 points. Launch price was $3,838.

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Processing Power

The Core Ultra 7 155U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Xeon E5-4650 v4 offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Xeon E5-4650 v4 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 155U versus 2.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-4650 v4 — a 52.6% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 155U (base: 1.7 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core Ultra 7 155U uses the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon E5-4650 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 7 155U scores 16,185 against the Xeon E5-4650 v4's 16,225 — a 0.2% lead for the Xeon E5-4650 v4. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 7 155U vs 35 MB on the Xeon E5-4650 v4.

Feature	Core Ultra 7 155U	Xeon E5-4650 v4
Cores / Threads	12 / 14	14 / 28+17%
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+71%	2.8 GHz
Base Clock	1.7 GHz	2.2 GHz+29%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	35 MB+192%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	3.5 MB+75%
Process	7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Meteor Lake-P (2023)	Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark	16,185	16,225

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Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 7 155U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E5-4650 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.