Ryzen 5 5500 vs Xeon E-2386G

AMD

Ryzen 5 5500

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.2 GHz2022

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Xeon E-2386G

6 Cores12 Thrd95 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2021

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 5500

2022

Why buy it

  • +33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
  • Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E-2386G across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (19,311 vs 19,468).
  • Launch MSRP is still $159 MSRP, while Xeon E-2386G mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E-2386G

2021

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +23.8% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

  • Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
  • 46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E-2386G better than Ryzen 5 5500?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E-2386G makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 5500 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 E-2386G is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 23.8% more average FPS across 5 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E-2386G 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?
Xeon E-2386G is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5500 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon E-2386G is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $159 MSRP, and it gives you a 23.8% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5500 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (121.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 5500 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB). 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 5500Xeon E-2386G
1080p
low181 FPS295 FPS
medium150 FPS260 FPS
high120 FPS218 FPS
ultra97 FPS187 FPS
1440p
low153 FPS242 FPS
medium124 FPS192 FPS
high98 FPS157 FPS
ultra79 FPS138 FPS
4K
low70 FPS167 FPS
medium61 FPS135 FPS
high48 FPS104 FPS
ultra38 FPS91 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetRyzen 5 5500Xeon E-2386G
1080p
low329 FPS487 FPS
medium285 FPS423 FPS
high254 FPS380 FPS
ultra221 FPS336 FPS
1440p
low291 FPS475 FPS
medium258 FPS386 FPS
high233 FPS348 FPS
ultra201 FPS304 FPS
4K
low229 FPS380 FPS
medium206 FPS314 FPS
high189 FPS293 FPS
ultra162 FPS248 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetRyzen 5 5500Xeon E-2386G
1080p
low483 FPS487 FPS
medium483 FPS487 FPS
high483 FPS487 FPS
ultra406 FPS487 FPS
1440p
low483 FPS487 FPS
medium411 FPS487 FPS
high361 FPS487 FPS
ultra300 FPS450 FPS
4K
low340 FPS487 FPS
medium285 FPS452 FPS
high248 FPS391 FPS
ultra192 FPS320 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetRyzen 5 5500Xeon E-2386G
1080p
low483 FPS487 FPS
medium483 FPS487 FPS
high483 FPS487 FPS
ultra483 FPS487 FPS
1440p
low483 FPS487 FPS
medium483 FPS487 FPS
high483 FPS487 FPS
ultra425 FPS487 FPS
4K
low448 FPS487 FPS
medium404 FPS487 FPS
high360 FPS487 FPS
ultra308 FPS437 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5500 and Xeon E-2386G

AMD

Ryzen 5 5500

The Ryzen 5 5500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,311 points. Launch price was $159.

Intel

Xeon E-2386G

The Xeon E-2386G is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Rocket Lake-E (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,468 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 5500 and Xeon E-2386G share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500 versus 5.1 GHz on the Xeon E-2386G — a 19.4% clock advantage for the Xeon E-2386G (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5500 uses the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon E-2386G uses Rocket Lake-E (2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5500 scores 19,311 against the Xeon E-2386G's 19,468 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon E-2386G. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Ryzen 5 5500 vs 12 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2386G.

FeatureRyzen 5 5500Xeon E-2386G
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
6 / 12
Boost Clock
4.2 GHz
5.1 GHz+21%
Base Clock
3.6 GHz+3%
3.5 GHz
L3 Cache
16 MB+33%
12 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512K (per core)
512K (per core)
Process
7 nm-50%
14 nm
Architecture
Cezanne (2021−2025)
Rocket Lake-E (2021)
PassMark
19,311
19,468
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5500 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E-2386G uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureRyzen 5 5500Xeon E-2386G
Socket
AM4
LGA1200
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
No
PCIe Lanes
24
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5500) / not specified (Xeon E-2386G). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5500 targets Desktop.

FeatureRyzen 5 5500Xeon E-2386G
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Desktop