Ryzen 5 2600E vs Xeon E5-2687W v2

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

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 45W instead of 150W, a 105W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2687W v2 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2687W v2, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.

Xeon E5-2687W v2

2013

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.9% 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.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (12,301 vs 12,346).
❌Launch MSRP is still $2,112 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 2600E mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌233.3% higher power demand at 150W vs 45W.

Ryzen 5 2600E

2018

Xeon E5-2687W v2

2013

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 45W instead of 150W, a 105W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.9% 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.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2687W v2 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2687W v2, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (12,301 vs 12,346).
❌Launch MSRP is still $2,112 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 2600E mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌233.3% higher power demand at 150W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 2600E better than Xeon E5-2687W v2?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2687W v2 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 streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 2600E is the better fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 2600E is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-2687W v2 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 5 2600E is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $2,112 MSRP, and it gives you 0.4% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Xeon E5-2687W v2 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 7.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E5-2687W v2 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (5.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds 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 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. 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 2600E Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-2687W v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 2600E	Xeon E5-2687W v2
1080p
low	176 FPS	174 FPS
medium	154 FPS	147 FPS
high	127 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	147 FPS
medium	122 FPS	121 FPS
high	97 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	67 FPS
medium	59 FPS	59 FPS
high	47 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	37 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 2600E Open Xeon E5-2687W v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 2600E	Xeon E5-2687W v2
1080p
low	252 FPS	308 FPS
medium	219 FPS	308 FPS
high	195 FPS	278 FPS
ultra	156 FPS	233 FPS
1440p
low	227 FPS	308 FPS
medium	199 FPS	290 FPS
high	177 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	204 FPS
4K
low	178 FPS	205 FPS
medium	160 FPS	188 FPS
high	141 FPS	170 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	139 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 2600E Open Xeon E5-2687W v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 2600E	Xeon E5-2687W v2
1080p
low	309 FPS	308 FPS
medium	309 FPS	308 FPS
high	309 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	308 FPS
1440p
low	309 FPS	308 FPS
medium	309 FPS	308 FPS
high	309 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	308 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	308 FPS
medium	292 FPS	308 FPS
high	253 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	200 FPS	308 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 2600E Open Xeon E5-2687W v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 2600E	Xeon E5-2687W v2
1080p
low	309 FPS	308 FPS
medium	309 FPS	308 FPS
high	309 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	308 FPS
1440p
low	309 FPS	308 FPS
medium	309 FPS	308 FPS
high	309 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	308 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	308 FPS
medium	309 FPS	308 FPS
high	309 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	308 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 2600E Open Xeon E5-2687W v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 2600E and Xeon E5-2687W v2

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.

Xeon E5-2687W v2

The Xeon E5-2687W v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 12,301 points. Launch price was $1,605.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 2600E packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-2687W v2 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-2687W v2 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 2600E versus 4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2687W v2 — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Ryzen 5 2600E uses the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture (12 nm), while the Xeon E5-2687W v2 uses Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 2600E scores 12,346 against the Xeon E5-2687W v2's 12,301 — a 0.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 2600E. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 2600E vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2687W v2.

Feature	Ryzen 5 2600E	Xeon E5-2687W v2
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz	3.4 GHz+10%
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+25%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	12 nm-45%	22 nm
Architecture	Zen+ (2018−2019)	Ivy Bridge-EP (2013)
PassMark	12,346	12,301

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 2600E uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2687W v2 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.