Ryzen 3 1200 vs Xeon E3-1245 v2

CPU

GPU

Ryzen 3 1200

4 Cores4 Thrd65 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2017

Popular choices:

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Xeon E3-1245 v2

4 Cores8 Thrd77 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2012

Popular choices:

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Performance Spectrum - CPU

Ryzen 3 1200

4 / 4

6,407

+0.8%

Athlon II X4 651

Ryzen Embedded R1606G

FX-8320E

Ryzen 3 3300U

Ryzen Threadripper 2920X

Ryzen 9 5900XT

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Xeon E3-1245 v2

4 / 8

6,357

0.0%

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.

Ryzen 3 1200

2017

Why buy it

✅+51.7% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $164 less on MSRP ($109 MSRP vs $273 MSRP).
✅Delivers 152.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 58.8 vs 23.3 PassMark/$ ($109 MSRP vs $273 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 77W, a 12W reduction.
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E3-1245 v2, which brings 4 cores / 8 threads.
❌No integrated graphics, while Xeon E3-1245 v2 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Xeon E3-1245 v2

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 4 cores / 8 threads.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics P4000, while Ryzen 3 1200 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (659 vs 1,000).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (2,273 vs 3,000).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 23.3 vs 58.8 PassMark/$ ($273 MSRP vs $109 MSRP).
❌18.5% higher power demand at 77W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 1200.

Ryzen 3 1200

2017

Xeon E3-1245 v2

2012

Why buy it

✅+51.7% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $164 less on MSRP ($109 MSRP vs $273 MSRP).
✅Delivers 152.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 58.8 vs 23.3 PassMark/$ ($109 MSRP vs $273 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 77W, a 12W reduction.
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 4 cores / 8 threads.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics P4000, while Ryzen 3 1200 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E3-1245 v2, which brings 4 cores / 8 threads.
❌No integrated graphics, while Xeon E3-1245 v2 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (659 vs 1,000).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (2,273 vs 3,000).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 23.3 vs 58.8 PassMark/$ ($273 MSRP vs $109 MSRP).
❌18.5% higher power demand at 77W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 1200.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 1200 better than Xeon E3-1245 v2?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E3-1245 v2 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 3 1200 is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 3 1200 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.7% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 1200 is the better fit. You are getting 32% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Ryzen 3 1200 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 3 1200 is $164 cheaper on MSRP at $109 MSRP versus $273 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 152.4% better value on MSRP (58.8 vs 23.3 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 3 1200 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2012) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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.

Ryzen 3 1200 Benchmark Check

Xeon E3-1245 v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 3 1200	Xeon E3-1245 v2
1080p
low	160 FPS	159 FPS
medium	146 FPS	141 FPS
high	116 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	90 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	145 FPS
medium	118 FPS	119 FPS
high	91 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	66 FPS
medium	60 FPS	58 FPS
high	46 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	35 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 1200 Open Xeon E3-1245 v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 3 1200	Xeon E3-1245 v2
1080p
low	160 FPS	159 FPS
medium	145 FPS	159 FPS
high	136 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	126 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	159 FPS
medium	125 FPS	151 FPS
high	116 FPS	139 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	113 FPS
4K
low	113 FPS	135 FPS
medium	100 FPS	123 FPS
high	78 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	58 FPS	76 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 1200 Open Xeon E3-1245 v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 3 1200	Xeon E3-1245 v2
1080p
low	160 FPS	159 FPS
medium	160 FPS	159 FPS
high	160 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	159 FPS
1440p
low	160 FPS	159 FPS
medium	160 FPS	159 FPS
high	160 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	159 FPS
4K
low	160 FPS	159 FPS
medium	160 FPS	159 FPS
high	139 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	109 FPS	159 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 1200 Open Xeon E3-1245 v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 3 1200	Xeon E3-1245 v2
1080p
low	160 FPS	159 FPS
medium	160 FPS	159 FPS
high	160 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	159 FPS
1440p
low	160 FPS	159 FPS
medium	160 FPS	159 FPS
high	160 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	159 FPS
4K
low	160 FPS	159 FPS
medium	160 FPS	159 FPS
high	160 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	159 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 1200 Open Xeon E3-1245 v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 3 1200 and Xeon E3-1245 v2

Ryzen 3 1200

The Ryzen 3 1200 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Summit Ridge (Zen) (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,407 points. Launch price was $109.

Xeon E3-1245 v2

The Xeon E3-1245 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 May 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 77 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,357 points. Launch price was $462.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 3 1200 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Xeon E3-1245 v2's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 1200 versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E3-1245 v2 — a 11.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1245 v2 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Ryzen 3 1200 uses the Summit Ridge (Zen) (2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1245 v2 uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 3 1200 scores 6,407 against the Xeon E3-1245 v2's 6,357 — a 0.8% lead for the Ryzen 3 1200. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,000 vs 659, a 41.1% lead for the Ryzen 3 1200 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 3,000 vs 2,273 (27.6% advantage for the Ryzen 3 1200). Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Ryzen 3 1200	Xeon E3-1245 v2
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz	3.8 GHz+12%
Base Clock	3.1 GHz	3.4 GHz+10%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Summit Ridge (Zen) (2017)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	6,407	6,357
Cinebench R23 Multi	3,013	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,000+52%	659
Geekbench 6 Multi	3,000+32%	2,273

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 3 1200 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1245 v2 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Ryzen 3 1200 versus DDR3-1600 on the Xeon E3-1245 v2 — the Ryzen 3 1200 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 3 1200 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 3 1200) vs 16 (Xeon E3-1245 v2) — the Ryzen 3 1200 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370,B450,X470 (Ryzen 3 1200) and Intel C202,Intel C204,Intel C206,Intel C216 (Xeon E3-1245 v2).

Feature	Ryzen 3 1200	Xeon E3-1245 v2
Socket	AM4	LGA1155
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666+33%	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB+100%	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24+50%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 3 1200 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 3 1200) vs Yes (Xeon E3-1245 v2). The Xeon E3-1245 v2 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics P4000), while the Ryzen 3 1200 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 3 1200 targets Budget, Xeon E3-1245 v2 targets Server.

Feature	Ryzen 3 1200	Xeon E3-1245 v2
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	HD Graphics P4000
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	Yes
Target Use	Budget	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 3 1200 launched at $109 MSRP, while the Xeon E3-1245 v2 debuted at $273. On MSRP ($109 vs $273), the Ryzen 3 1200 is $164 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 3 1200 delivers 58.8 pts/$ vs 23.3 pts/$ for the Xeon E3-1245 v2 — making the Ryzen 3 1200 the 86.5% better value option.