Xeon E5-2690 v4 vs Xeon Gold 6137

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.

Xeon E5-2690 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅+40% larger total L3 cache (35 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 135W instead of 205W, a 70W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,255 vs 19,365).
❌Launch MSRP is still $2,090 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 6137 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon Gold 6137

2017

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 35 MB).
❌51.9% higher power demand at 205W vs 135W.

Xeon E5-2690 v4

2016

Xeon Gold 6137

2017

Why buy it

✅+40% larger total L3 cache (35 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 135W instead of 205W, a 70W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,255 vs 19,365).
❌Launch MSRP is still $2,090 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 6137 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 35 MB).
❌51.9% higher power demand at 205W vs 135W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6137 better than Xeon E5-2690 v4?

Yes. Xeon Gold 6137 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1.7% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.6% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon Gold 6137 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.7% more average FPS across 48 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6137 is the better fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Xeon Gold 6137 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-2690 v4 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon Gold 6137 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $2,090 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E5-2690 v4 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (9.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Xeon Gold 6137 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 14/28. 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.

Xeon E5-2690 v4 Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6137 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon E5-2690 v4	Xeon Gold 6137
1080p
low	177 FPS	186 FPS
medium	154 FPS	147 FPS
high	121 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	148 FPS	150 FPS
medium	125 FPS	116 FPS
high	95 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	69 FPS
medium	61 FPS	57 FPS
high	47 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	36 FPS

Open Xeon E5-2690 v4 Open Xeon Gold 6137

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon E5-2690 v4	Xeon Gold 6137
1080p
low	364 FPS	460 FPS
medium	330 FPS	396 FPS
high	279 FPS	336 FPS
ultra	224 FPS	304 FPS
1440p
low	313 FPS	408 FPS
medium	284 FPS	358 FPS
high	242 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	267 FPS
4K
low	195 FPS	267 FPS
medium	178 FPS	235 FPS
high	153 FPS	215 FPS
ultra	120 FPS	191 FPS

Open Xeon E5-2690 v4 Open Xeon Gold 6137

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon E5-2690 v4	Xeon Gold 6137
1080p
low	481 FPS	484 FPS
medium	481 FPS	484 FPS
high	481 FPS	484 FPS
ultra	481 FPS	484 FPS
1440p
low	481 FPS	484 FPS
medium	481 FPS	484 FPS
high	481 FPS	459 FPS
ultra	481 FPS	397 FPS
4K
low	447 FPS	441 FPS
medium	363 FPS	350 FPS
high	331 FPS	309 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	248 FPS

Open Xeon E5-2690 v4 Open Xeon Gold 6137

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon E5-2690 v4	Xeon Gold 6137
1080p
low	481 FPS	484 FPS
medium	481 FPS	484 FPS
high	481 FPS	484 FPS
ultra	481 FPS	484 FPS
1440p
low	481 FPS	484 FPS
medium	481 FPS	484 FPS
high	481 FPS	484 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	484 FPS
4K
low	481 FPS	484 FPS
medium	470 FPS	457 FPS
high	416 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	354 FPS

Open Xeon E5-2690 v4 Open Xeon Gold 6137

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E5-2690 v4 and Xeon Gold 6137

Xeon E5-2690 v4

The Xeon E5-2690 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 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 35 MB. L2 cache: 3.5 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: 19,255 points. Launch price was $2,090.

Xeon Gold 6137

The Xeon Gold 6137 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 205 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 19,365 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Xeon E5-2690 v4 packs 14 cores / 28 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6137 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-2690 v4 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-2690 v4 versus 4.1 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6137 — a 15.8% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6137 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.9 GHz). The Xeon E5-2690 v4 is built on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2690 v4 scores 19,255 against the Xeon Gold 6137's 19,365 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon Gold 6137. L3 cache: 35 MB on the Xeon E5-2690 v4 vs 25 MB on the Xeon Gold 6137.

Feature	Xeon E5-2690 v4	Xeon Gold 6137
Cores / Threads	14 / 28+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz	4.1 GHz+17%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.9 GHz+50%
L3 Cache	35 MB+40%	25 MB
L2 Cache	3.5 MB	—
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Broadwell (2015−2019)	—
PassMark	19,255	19,365

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-2690 v4 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6137 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E5-2690 v4	Xeon Gold 6137
Socket	LGA2011	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	1536 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	40	—