Ryzen 5 2600E vs Xeon E5-2667 v3

AMD

Ryzen 5 2600E

6 Cores12 Thrd45 WWMax: 4 GHz2018

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon E5-2667 v3

8 Cores16 Thrd135 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2014

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.

Ryzen 5 2600E

2018

Why buy it

  • Draws 45W instead of 135W, a 90W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2667 v3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (12,346 vs 12,474).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2667 v3, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E5-2667 v3

2014

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +6.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 0.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $2,057 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 2600E mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 200% higher power demand at 135W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-2667 v3 better than Ryzen 5 2600E?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2667 v3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 2600E 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, Xeon E5-2667 v3 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 6.3% 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, Xeon E5-2667 v3 is the better fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Xeon E5-2667 v3 is the smarter buy today. Xeon E5-2667 v3 is at an unclear MSRP at $2,057 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 6.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (6.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2600E is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2014). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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

PresetRyzen 5 2600EXeon E5-2667 v3
1080p
low176 FPS166 FPS
medium154 FPS144 FPS
high127 FPS118 FPS
ultra103 FPS97 FPS
1440p
low145 FPS139 FPS
medium122 FPS118 FPS
high97 FPS94 FPS
ultra78 FPS76 FPS
4K
low66 FPS64 FPS
medium59 FPS57 FPS
high47 FPS45 FPS
ultra37 FPS36 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetRyzen 5 2600EXeon E5-2667 v3
1080p
low252 FPS312 FPS
medium219 FPS296 FPS
high195 FPS255 FPS
ultra156 FPS211 FPS
1440p
low227 FPS284 FPS
medium199 FPS259 FPS
high177 FPS224 FPS
ultra145 FPS183 FPS
4K
low178 FPS183 FPS
medium160 FPS166 FPS
high141 FPS144 FPS
ultra106 FPS114 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetRyzen 5 2600EXeon E5-2667 v3
1080p
low309 FPS312 FPS
medium309 FPS312 FPS
high309 FPS312 FPS
ultra309 FPS312 FPS
1440p
low309 FPS312 FPS
medium309 FPS312 FPS
high309 FPS312 FPS
ultra309 FPS312 FPS
4K
low309 FPS312 FPS
medium292 FPS312 FPS
high253 FPS312 FPS
ultra200 FPS274 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetRyzen 5 2600EXeon E5-2667 v3
1080p
low309 FPS312 FPS
medium309 FPS312 FPS
high309 FPS312 FPS
ultra309 FPS312 FPS
1440p
low309 FPS312 FPS
medium309 FPS312 FPS
high309 FPS312 FPS
ultra309 FPS312 FPS
4K
low309 FPS312 FPS
medium309 FPS312 FPS
high309 FPS312 FPS
ultra309 FPS312 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 2600E and Xeon E5-2667 v3

AMD

Ryzen 5 2600E

The Ryzen 5 2600E is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 September 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 12,346 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Xeon E5-2667 v3

The Xeon E5-2667 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 135 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 12,474 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 2600E packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-2667 v3 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-2667 v3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 2600E versus 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-2667 v3 — a 10.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 2600E (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 2600E uses the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture (12 nm), while the Xeon E5-2667 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 2600E scores 12,346 against the Xeon E5-2667 v3's 12,474 — a 1% lead for the Xeon E5-2667 v3. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 2600E vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2667 v3.

FeatureRyzen 5 2600EXeon E5-2667 v3
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock
4 GHz+11%
3.6 GHz
Base Clock
3.1 GHz
3.2 GHz+3%
L3 Cache
16 MB (total)
20 MB (total)+25%
L2 Cache
512K (per core)+100%
256K (per core)
Process
12 nm-45%
22 nm
Architecture
Zen+ (2018−2019)
Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark
12,346
12,474+1%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 2600E uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2667 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureRyzen 5 2600EXeon E5-2667 v3
Socket
AM4
LGA2011
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity
768 GB
RAM Channels
4
ECC Support
Yes
PCIe Lanes
40