
Core i5-4690T
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Xeon L5640
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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.
Core i5-4690T
2014Why buy it
- ✅Costs $804 less on MSRP ($192 MSRP vs $996 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 414.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 24.1 vs 4.7 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $996 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 45W instead of 60W, a 15W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon L5640 across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (4,620 vs 4,659).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 12 MB).
- ❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon L5640, which brings 6 cores / 12 threads.
Xeon L5640
2010Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +13.8% higher average FPS across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅+100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 6 MB).
- ✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 6 cores / 12 threads.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 4.7 vs 24.1 PassMark/$ ($996 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
- ❌33.3% higher power demand at 60W vs 45W.
Core i5-4690T
2014Xeon L5640
2010Why buy it
- ✅Costs $804 less on MSRP ($192 MSRP vs $996 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 414.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 24.1 vs 4.7 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $996 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 45W instead of 60W, a 15W reduction.
Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +13.8% higher average FPS across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅+100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 6 MB).
- ✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 6 cores / 12 threads.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon L5640 across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (4,620 vs 4,659).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 12 MB).
- ❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon L5640, which brings 6 cores / 12 threads.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 4.7 vs 24.1 PassMark/$ ($996 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
- ❌33.3% higher power demand at 60W vs 45W.
Quick Answers
So, is Xeon L5640 better than Core i5-4690T?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
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
| Preset | Core i5-4690T | Xeon L5640 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| medium | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| high | 107 FPS | 105 FPS |
| ultra | 85 FPS | 87 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| medium | 114 FPS | 111 FPS |
| high | 88 FPS | 86 FPS |
| ultra | 70 FPS | 70 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 64 FPS | 61 FPS |
| medium | 57 FPS | 55 FPS |
| high | 44 FPS | 43 FPS |
| ultra | 34 FPS | 34 FPS |

Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | Core i5-4690T | Xeon L5640 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| medium | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| high | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| ultra | 98 FPS | 116 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| medium | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| high | 108 FPS | 116 FPS |
| ultra | 87 FPS | 107 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 105 FPS | 116 FPS |
| medium | 94 FPS | 116 FPS |
| high | 74 FPS | 104 FPS |
| ultra | 55 FPS | 74 FPS |

League of Legends
| Preset | Core i5-4690T | Xeon L5640 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| medium | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| high | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| ultra | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| medium | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| high | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| ultra | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| medium | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| high | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| ultra | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |

Valorant
| Preset | Core i5-4690T | Xeon L5640 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| medium | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| high | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| ultra | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| medium | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| high | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| ultra | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| medium | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| high | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
| ultra | 116 FPS | 116 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-4690T and Xeon L5640

Core i5-4690T
Core i5-4690T
The Core i5-4690T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1333/1600, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 4,620 points. Launch price was $69.

Xeon L5640
Xeon L5640
The Xeon L5640 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 60 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,659 points. Launch price was $200.
Processing Power
The Core i5-4690T packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon L5640 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon L5640 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i5-4690T versus 2.8 GHz on the Xeon L5640 — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-4690T (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.26 GHz). The Core i5-4690T uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon L5640 uses Westmere-EP (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4690T scores 4,620 against the Xeon L5640's 4,659 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon L5640. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-4690T vs 12 MB (total) on the Xeon L5640.
| Feature | Core i5-4690T | Xeon L5640 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 6 / 12+50% |
| Boost Clock | 3.5 GHz+25% | 2.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz+11% | 2.26 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total) | 12 MB (total)+100% |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm-31% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 4,620 | 4,659 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-4690T uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon L5640 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-4690T | Xeon L5640 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1150 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3 1333 MHz |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 288 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 3 |
| ECC Support | — | Yes |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core i5-4690T) / true (Xeon L5640). Primary use case: Xeon L5640 targets Server Low Power.
| Feature | Core i5-4690T | Xeon L5640 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
| Target Use | — | Server Low Power |
Value Analysis
The Core i5-4690T launched at $192 MSRP, while the Xeon L5640 debuted at $996. On MSRP ($192 vs $996), the Core i5-4690T is $804 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-4690T delivers 24.1 pts/$ vs 4.7 pts/$ for the Xeon L5640 — making the Core i5-4690T the 134.9% better value option.
| Feature | Core i5-4690T | Xeon L5640 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $192-81% | $996 |
| Performance per Dollar | 24.1+413% | 4.7 |
| Release Date | 2014 | 2010 |
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