Ryzen 7 3700X vs Xeon E5-2698 v4

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 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 135W, a 70W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 22,764).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 50 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2698 v4, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Xeon E5-2698 v4 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E5-2698 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅+1.5% higher PassMark.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (50 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌107.7% higher power demand at 135W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Xeon E5-2698 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 135W, a 70W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+1.5% higher PassMark.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (50 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 22,764).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 50 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2698 v4, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Xeon E5-2698 v4 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌107.7% higher power demand at 135W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than Xeon E5-2698 v4?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2698 v4 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 7 3700X 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, Xeon E5-2698 v4 is the better fit. You are getting 1.5% better PassMark, backed by 20 cores and 40 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 56.3% larger total L3 cache (50 MB vs 32 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 3700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 3700X is at an unclear MSRP at $329 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 31.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon E5-2698 v4 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.5% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 7 3700X 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.

Ryzen 7 3700X Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-2698 v4 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-2698 v4
1080p
low	200 FPS	187 FPS
medium	163 FPS	164 FPS
high	137 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	154 FPS
medium	121 FPS	130 FPS
high	100 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	70 FPS
medium	71 FPS	62 FPS
high	56 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	39 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon E5-2698 v4

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-2698 v4
1080p
low	561 FPS	211 FPS
medium	525 FPS	191 FPS
high	428 FPS	163 FPS
ultra	383 FPS	131 FPS
1440p
low	545 FPS	181 FPS
medium	471 FPS	165 FPS
high	394 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	337 FPS	111 FPS
4K
low	350 FPS	114 FPS
medium	304 FPS	105 FPS
high	274 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	73 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon E5-2698 v4

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-2698 v4
1080p
low	561 FPS	569 FPS
medium	561 FPS	516 FPS
high	561 FPS	480 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	429 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	529 FPS
medium	561 FPS	444 FPS
high	538 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	470 FPS	363 FPS
4K
low	499 FPS	405 FPS
medium	394 FPS	327 FPS
high	343 FPS	298 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	249 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon E5-2698 v4

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-2698 v4
1080p
low	561 FPS	569 FPS
medium	561 FPS	569 FPS
high	561 FPS	569 FPS
ultra	561 FPS	569 FPS
1440p
low	561 FPS	569 FPS
medium	561 FPS	569 FPS
high	561 FPS	566 FPS
ultra	555 FPS	478 FPS
4K
low	561 FPS	547 FPS
medium	501 FPS	489 FPS
high	447 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	396 FPS	368 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 3700X Open Xeon E5-2698 v4

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 3700X and Xeon E5-2698 v4

Ryzen 7 3700X

The Ryzen 7 3700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,430 points. Launch price was $329.

Xeon E5-2698 v4

The Xeon E5-2698 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 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 50 MB. L2 cache: 5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 135 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 22,764 points. Launch price was $3,226.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 3700X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E5-2698 v4 offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon E5-2698 v4 has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-2698 v4 — a 20% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 3700X (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon E5-2698 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 22,430 against the Xeon E5-2698 v4's 22,764 — a 1.5% lead for the Xeon E5-2698 v4. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X vs 50 MB on the Xeon E5-2698 v4.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Xeon E5-2698 v4
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	20 / 40+150%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+22%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+64%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB	50 MB+56%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	5 MB+900%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)	Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark	22,430	22,764+1%

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E5-2698 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.