Ryzen 5 3500U vs Xeon E5-2623 v4

AMD

Ryzen 5 3500U

4 Cores8 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2019

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon E5-2623 v4

4 Cores8 Thrd85 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2016

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 3500U

2019

Why buy it

  • Draws 15W instead of 85W, a 70W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 8, while Xeon E5-2623 v4 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2623 v4 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (6,836 vs 6,868).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 10 MB).

Xeon E5-2623 v4

2016

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +7.1% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +150% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

  • 466.7% higher power demand at 85W vs 15W.
  • No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 3500U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-2623 v4 better than Ryzen 5 3500U?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2623 v4 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 3500U 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 E5-2623 v4 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 7.1% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2623 v4 is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 150% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 4 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Xeon E5-2623 v4 still looks like the safer overall buy. Xeon E5-2623 v4 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 7.1% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Ryzen 5 3500U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2016). 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 3500UXeon E5-2623 v4
1080p
low169 FPS154 FPS
medium149 FPS132 FPS
high120 FPS104 FPS
ultra98 FPS84 FPS
1440p
low142 FPS132 FPS
medium121 FPS111 FPS
high95 FPS86 FPS
ultra76 FPS69 FPS
4K
low67 FPS61 FPS
medium61 FPS55 FPS
high48 FPS43 FPS
ultra37 FPS34 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetRyzen 5 3500UXeon E5-2623 v4
1080p
low120 FPS166 FPS
medium105 FPS145 FPS
high97 FPS137 FPS
ultra78 FPS106 FPS
1440p
low103 FPS143 FPS
medium90 FPS124 FPS
high83 FPS117 FPS
ultra70 FPS94 FPS
4K
low77 FPS112 FPS
medium69 FPS99 FPS
high56 FPS77 FPS
ultra42 FPS55 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetRyzen 5 3500UXeon E5-2623 v4
1080p
low171 FPS172 FPS
medium171 FPS172 FPS
high171 FPS172 FPS
ultra171 FPS172 FPS
1440p
low171 FPS172 FPS
medium171 FPS172 FPS
high171 FPS172 FPS
ultra171 FPS172 FPS
4K
low171 FPS172 FPS
medium171 FPS172 FPS
high171 FPS172 FPS
ultra171 FPS172 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetRyzen 5 3500UXeon E5-2623 v4
1080p
low171 FPS172 FPS
medium171 FPS172 FPS
high171 FPS172 FPS
ultra171 FPS172 FPS
1440p
low171 FPS172 FPS
medium171 FPS172 FPS
high171 FPS172 FPS
ultra171 FPS172 FPS
4K
low171 FPS172 FPS
medium171 FPS172 FPS
high171 FPS172 FPS
ultra171 FPS172 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3500U and Xeon E5-2623 v4

AMD

Ryzen 5 3500U

The Ryzen 5 3500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2019 (6 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 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,836 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Xeon E5-2623 v4

The Xeon E5-2623 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 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 6,868 points. Launch price was $444.

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 3500U and Xeon E5-2623 v4 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3500U versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon E5-2623 v4 — a 14.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3500U (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3500U uses the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture (12 nm), while the Xeon E5-2623 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3500U scores 6,836 against the Xeon E5-2623 v4's 6,868 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E5-2623 v4. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3500U vs 10 MB on the Xeon E5-2623 v4.

FeatureRyzen 5 3500UXeon E5-2623 v4
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
4 / 8
Boost Clock
3.7 GHz+16%
3.2 GHz
Base Clock
2.1 GHz
2.6 GHz+24%
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)
10 MB+150%
L2 Cache
512K (per core)
1 MB+100%
Process
12 nm-14%
14 nm
Architecture
Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)
Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark
6,836
6,868
Cinebench R23 Multi
3,545
Geekbench 6 Single
876
Geekbench 6 Multi
1,898
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 3500U uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2623 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureRyzen 5 3500UXeon E5-2623 v4
Socket
FP5
LGA2011
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
No
PCIe Lanes
12
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 3500U) / not specified (Xeon E5-2623 v4). The Ryzen 5 3500U includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 8), while the Xeon E5-2623 v4 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3500U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3500U rivals Core i5-10210U.

FeatureRyzen 5 3500UXeon E5-2623 v4
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Radeon Vega 8
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Budget