Ryzen 3 4100 vs Xeon E5-2643 v4

CPU

GPU

Ryzen 3 4100

4 Cores8 Thrd65 WWMax: 4 GHz2022

Popular choices:

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Xeon E5-2643 v4

6 Cores12 Thrd135 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2016

Popular choices:

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Performance Spectrum - CPU

Ryzen 3 4100

4 / 8

11,062

+0.3%

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

Ryzen 9 7900

Ryzen 9 9950X

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Xeon E5-2643 v4

6 / 12

11,024

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 4100

2022

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $1,453 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $1,552 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1473.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.7 vs 7.1 PassMark/$ ($99 MSRP vs $1,552 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 135W, a 70W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2643 v4 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2643 v4, which brings 6 cores / 12 threads.

Xeon E5-2643 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+149.9% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 6 cores / 12 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (11,024 vs 11,062).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.1 vs 111.7 PassMark/$ ($1,552 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
❌107.7% higher power demand at 135W vs 65W.

Ryzen 3 4100

2022

Xeon E5-2643 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $1,453 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $1,552 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1473.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.7 vs 7.1 PassMark/$ ($99 MSRP vs $1,552 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 135W, a 70W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+149.9% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 6 cores / 12 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2643 v4 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2643 v4, which brings 6 cores / 12 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (11,024 vs 11,062).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.1 vs 111.7 PassMark/$ ($1,552 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
❌107.7% higher power demand at 135W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 4100 better than Xeon E5-2643 v4?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2643 v4 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 3 4100 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, Ryzen 3 4100 is the better fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 3 4100 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 3 4100 is $1,453 cheaper on MSRP at $99 MSRP versus $1,552 MSRP, and it gives you 0.3% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Xeon E5-2643 v4 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 5.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 1473.1% better value on MSRP (111.7 vs 7.1 PassMark/$), 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 4100 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/12. 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 4100 Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-2643 v4 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 3 4100	Xeon E5-2643 v4
1080p
low	182 FPS	174 FPS
medium	145 FPS	149 FPS
high	118 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	155 FPS	146 FPS
medium	122 FPS	122 FPS
high	97 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	74 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	65 FPS
medium	58 FPS	58 FPS
high	46 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	36 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 4100 Open Xeon E5-2643 v4

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 3 4100	Xeon E5-2643 v4
1080p
low	277 FPS	276 FPS
medium	235 FPS	269 FPS
high	204 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	157 FPS	191 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	269 FPS
medium	203 FPS	232 FPS
high	177 FPS	201 FPS
ultra	142 FPS	169 FPS
4K
low	181 FPS	188 FPS
medium	164 FPS	164 FPS
high	132 FPS	144 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	110 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 4100 Open Xeon E5-2643 v4

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 3 4100	Xeon E5-2643 v4
1080p
low	277 FPS	276 FPS
medium	277 FPS	276 FPS
high	277 FPS	276 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	276 FPS
1440p
low	277 FPS	276 FPS
medium	277 FPS	276 FPS
high	277 FPS	276 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	276 FPS
4K
low	277 FPS	276 FPS
medium	277 FPS	276 FPS
high	277 FPS	276 FPS
ultra	247 FPS	246 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 4100 Open Xeon E5-2643 v4

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 3 4100	Xeon E5-2643 v4
1080p
low	277 FPS	276 FPS
medium	277 FPS	276 FPS
high	277 FPS	276 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	276 FPS
1440p
low	277 FPS	276 FPS
medium	277 FPS	276 FPS
high	277 FPS	276 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	276 FPS
4K
low	277 FPS	276 FPS
medium	277 FPS	276 FPS
high	277 FPS	276 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	276 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 4100 Open Xeon E5-2643 v4

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 3 4100 and Xeon E5-2643 v4

Ryzen 3 4100

The Ryzen 3 4100 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8.00391 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 11,062 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E5-2643 v4

The Xeon E5-2643 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 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 135 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 11,024 points. Launch price was $1,552.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 3 4100 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon E5-2643 v4 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon E5-2643 v4 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 4100 versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E5-2643 v4 — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 4100 (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Ryzen 3 4100 uses the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon E5-2643 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 3 4100 scores 11,062 against the Xeon E5-2643 v4's 11,024 — a 0.3% lead for the Ryzen 3 4100. L3 cache: 8.00391 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 4100 vs 20 MB on the Xeon E5-2643 v4.

Feature	Ryzen 3 4100	Xeon E5-2643 v4
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	4 GHz+8%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+12%	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	8.00391 MB (total)	20 MB+150%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1.5 MB+200%
Process	7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Renoir (2020−2023)	Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark	11,062	11,024

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 3 4100 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2643 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 3 4100	Xeon E5-2643 v4
Socket	AM4	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 3 4100 launched at $99 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-2643 v4 debuted at $1552. On MSRP ($99 vs $1552), the Ryzen 3 4100 is $1453 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 3 4100 delivers 111.7 pts/$ vs 7.1 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-2643 v4 — making the Ryzen 3 4100 the 176.1% better value option.