Ryzen 5 3450U vs Xeon E3-1240L v5

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 3450U

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 25W, a 23W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Xeon E3-1240L v5

2015

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,547 vs 6,550).
❌1150% higher power demand at 25W vs 2W.

Ryzen 5 3450U

2020

Xeon E3-1240L v5

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 25W, a 23W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,547 vs 6,550).
❌1150% higher power demand at 25W vs 2W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3450U better than Xeon E3-1240L v5?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E3-1240L v5 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 3450U 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 5 3450U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.3% 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, Ryzen 5 3450U is the better fit. You are getting 0% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 3450U still looks like the safer overall buy. Ryzen 5 3450U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 2.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Ryzen 5 3450U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2015) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 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 5 3450U Benchmark Check

Xeon E3-1240L v5 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3450U	Xeon E3-1240L v5
1080p
low	164 FPS	161 FPS
medium	139 FPS	128 FPS
high	109 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	79 FPS
1440p
low	142 FPS	138 FPS
medium	112 FPS	110 FPS
high	87 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	66 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	65 FPS
medium	57 FPS	55 FPS
high	45 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	34 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3450U Open Xeon E3-1240L v5

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3450U	Xeon E3-1240L v5
1080p
low	106 FPS	97 FPS
medium	92 FPS	85 FPS
high	85 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	66 FPS	62 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	84 FPS
medium	80 FPS	74 FPS
high	74 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	56 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	67 FPS
medium	62 FPS	61 FPS
high	50 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	36 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3450U Open Xeon E3-1240L v5

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 3450U	Xeon E3-1240L v5
1080p
low	164 FPS	164 FPS
medium	164 FPS	164 FPS
high	164 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	164 FPS
1440p
low	164 FPS	164 FPS
medium	164 FPS	164 FPS
high	164 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	164 FPS
4K
low	164 FPS	164 FPS
medium	164 FPS	164 FPS
high	164 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	164 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3450U Open Xeon E3-1240L v5

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 3450U	Xeon E3-1240L v5
1080p
low	164 FPS	164 FPS
medium	164 FPS	164 FPS
high	164 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	164 FPS
1440p
low	164 FPS	164 FPS
medium	164 FPS	164 FPS
high	164 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	164 FPS
4K
low	164 FPS	164 FPS
medium	164 FPS	164 FPS
high	164 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	164 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3450U Open Xeon E3-1240L v5

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3450U and Xeon E3-1240L v5

Ryzen 5 3450U

The Ryzen 5 3450U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 4 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,550 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E3-1240L v5

The Xeon E3-1240L v5 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-DT (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1866/2133, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 6,547 points. Launch price was $278.

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Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 3450U and Xeon E3-1240L v5 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3450U versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon E3-1240L v5 — a 9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3450U (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3450U uses the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture (12 nm), while the Xeon E3-1240L v5 uses Skylake-DT (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3450U scores 6,550 against the Xeon E3-1240L v5's 6,547 — a 0% lead for the Ryzen 5 3450U. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Ryzen 5 3450U vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1240L v5.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3450U	Xeon E3-1240L v5
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz+9%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB	8 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	256 kB (per core)
Process	12 nm-14%	14 nm
Architecture	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)	Skylake-DT (2015)
PassMark	6,550	6,547

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 3450U uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1240L v5 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.