Ryzen 5 2600 vs Xeon E5-2660 v3

CPU

GPU

Ryzen 5 2600

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

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Xeon E5-2660 v3

10 Cores20 Thrd105 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2014

Popular choices:

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Performance Spectrum - CPU

Ryzen 5 2600

6 / 12

13,145

+0.8%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Xeon E5-2660 v3

10 / 20

13,039

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 5 2600

2018

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $1,246 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $1,445 MSRP).
✅Delivers 632.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 66.1 vs 9.0 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $1,445 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon E5-2660 v3.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2660 v3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2660 v3, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E5-2660 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,039 vs 13,145).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.0 vs 66.1 PassMark/$ ($1,445 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 2600.

Ryzen 5 2600

2018

Xeon E5-2660 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $1,246 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $1,445 MSRP).
✅Delivers 632.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 66.1 vs 9.0 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $1,445 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon E5-2660 v3.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2660 v3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2660 v3, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,039 vs 13,145).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.0 vs 66.1 PassMark/$ ($1,445 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 2600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 2600 better than Xeon E5-2660 v3?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2660 v3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 2600 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 5 2600 is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 2600 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 2600 is $1,246 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $1,445 MSRP, and it gives you 0.8% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Xeon E5-2660 v3 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 3.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 632.0% better value on MSRP (66.1 vs 9.0 PassMark/$), 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 5 2600 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2014) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 10/20. 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 5 2600 Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-2660 v3 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 2600	Xeon E5-2660 v3
1080p
low	183 FPS	161 FPS
medium	157 FPS	141 FPS
high	127 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	152 FPS	135 FPS
medium	125 FPS	115 FPS
high	98 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	63 FPS
medium	60 FPS	57 FPS
high	47 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	35 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 2600 Open Xeon E5-2660 v3

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 2600	Xeon E5-2660 v3
1080p
low	263 FPS	326 FPS
medium	227 FPS	296 FPS
high	202 FPS	257 FPS
ultra	162 FPS	212 FPS
1440p
low	236 FPS	283 FPS
medium	206 FPS	259 FPS
high	183 FPS	226 FPS
ultra	151 FPS	184 FPS
4K
low	186 FPS	183 FPS
medium	165 FPS	167 FPS
high	146 FPS	146 FPS
ultra	111 FPS	116 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 2600 Open Xeon E5-2660 v3

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 2600	Xeon E5-2660 v3
1080p
low	329 FPS	326 FPS
medium	329 FPS	326 FPS
high	329 FPS	326 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	326 FPS
1440p
low	329 FPS	326 FPS
medium	329 FPS	326 FPS
high	322 FPS	326 FPS
ultra	268 FPS	326 FPS
4K
low	304 FPS	326 FPS
medium	248 FPS	326 FPS
high	215 FPS	326 FPS
ultra	167 FPS	278 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 2600 Open Xeon E5-2660 v3

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 2600	Xeon E5-2660 v3
1080p
low	329 FPS	326 FPS
medium	329 FPS	326 FPS
high	329 FPS	326 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	326 FPS
1440p
low	329 FPS	326 FPS
medium	329 FPS	326 FPS
high	329 FPS	326 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	326 FPS
4K
low	329 FPS	326 FPS
medium	329 FPS	326 FPS
high	329 FPS	326 FPS
ultra	310 FPS	326 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 2600 Open Xeon E5-2660 v3

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 2600 and Xeon E5-2660 v3

Ryzen 5 2600

The Ryzen 5 2600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Pinnacle Riege (Zen+) (2018) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB. Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,145 points. Launch price was $199.

Xeon E5-2660 v3

The Xeon E5-2660 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 13,039 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 2600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-2660 v3 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon E5-2660 v3 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 2600 versus 3.3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2660 v3 — a 16.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 2600 (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Ryzen 5 2600 uses the Pinnacle Riege (Zen+) (2018) architecture (12 nm), while the Xeon E5-2660 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 2600 scores 13,145 against the Xeon E5-2660 v3's 13,039 — a 0.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 2600. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 2600 vs 25 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2660 v3.

Feature	Ryzen 5 2600	Xeon E5-2660 v3
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 20+67%
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz+18%	3.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+31%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	25 MB (total)+56%
L2 Cache	3 MB+1100%	256K (per core)
Process	12 nm-45%	22 nm
Architecture	Pinnacle Riege (Zen+) (2018)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	13,145	13,039
Cinebench R23 Multi	6,344	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,163	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	4,893	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 2600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2660 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2933 memory speed. The Xeon E5-2660 v3 supports up to 768 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 169.2% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 5 2600) vs 4 (Xeon E5-2660 v3). PCIe lanes: 20 (Ryzen 5 2600) vs 40 (Xeon E5-2660 v3) — the Xeon E5-2660 v3 offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD B450,AMD X470,AMD B350,AMD X370 (Ryzen 5 2600) and Intel X99,Intel C612 (Xeon E5-2660 v3).

Feature	Ryzen 5 2600	Xeon E5-2660 v3
Socket	AM4	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	768 GB+1100%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	40+100%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 2600 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon E5-2660 v3 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: Yes (Ryzen 5 2600) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5-2660 v3). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 2600 targets General Productivity, Xeon E5-2660 v3 targets Server. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 2600 rivals Core i5-9400.

Feature	Ryzen 5 2600	Xeon E5-2660 v3
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	Yes	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	General Productivity	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 2600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-2660 v3 debuted at $1445. On MSRP ($199 vs $1445), the Ryzen 5 2600 is $1246 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 2600 delivers 66.1 pts/$ vs 9.0 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-2660 v3 — making the Ryzen 5 2600 the 151.9% better value option.