Table of Contents
The Xeon E5‑2680 v4 is a 14‑core processor for the LGA2011‑3 socket. Released in 2016, it offered impressive multi‑threaded performance for its time. Even today, it handles productivity workloads and gaming reasonably well, and its compatibility with budget motherboards plus a low price makes it one of the most popular CPUs for this socket.
Let’s see what the E5‑2680 v4 is capable of in 2025 and whether it’s worth using as the foundation for a home PC.
Specifications
| Model | Xeon e5 2680 v4 |
|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011-3 |
| Release Date | Q1 2016 |
| Architecture | Broadwell-EP, 14 nm |
| Cores / Threads | 14 / 28 |
| Memory support | DDR4-2400, 4-channel |
| Base Frequency | 2400 MHz |
| Max Turbo Frequency | 3300 MHz (1-2 Cores) 3100 MHz (3 Cores) 3000 MHz (4 Cores) 2900 MHz (5-14 Cores) |
| Extensions & Features | MMX instructions SSE / Streaming SIMD Extensions SSE2 / Streaming SIMD Extensions 2 SSE3 / Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 SSSE3 / Supplemental Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 SSE4 / SSE4.1 + SSE4.2 / Streaming SIMD Extensions 4 AES / Advanced Encryption Standard instructions AVX / Advanced Vector Extensions AVX2 / Advanced Vector Extensions 2.0 BMI / BMI1 + BMI2 / Bit Manipulation instructions F16C / 16-bit Floating-Point conversion instructions FMA3 / 3-operand Fused Multiply-Add instructions EM64T / Extended Memory 64 technology / Intel 64 HT / Hyper-Threading technology VT-x / Virtualization technology VT-d / Virtualization for directed I/O TBT 2.0 / Turbo Boost technology 2.0 TSX / Transactional Synchronization Extensions NX / XD / Execute disable bit ? TXT / Trusted Execution technology Enhanced Intel SpeedStep technology |
| AVX Offset | -1 |
| L3 Cache | 35 Mb |
| PCIe Lanes | 40, Gen 3.0 |
| TDP | 120 W |
| Maximum operating temperature | 86°C |
| Multiplier | Locked |
| Integrated Graphics | None |
| CPUID | 0x406F1 |
| Approximate Price | $10 - $15 |
Main advantages in 2025:
- Many cores, strong multi‑threaded performance
- Relatively low heat output for its class; works with inexpensive 2–3 heat‑pipe tower coolers
- Moderate power consumption; compatible with budget motherboards
- Attractive price
Main disadvantages:
- Aging architecture with lower IPC versus modern CPUs
- Low clock speeds
- Maximum memory frequency of 2400 MHz (quad‑channel supported)
Overclocking Capability
The multiplier is locked, preventing meaningful overclocking for most users. Only some branded motherboards from the LGA2011‑3 era can raise the base clock slightly, yielding about a 3–5% frequency gain — not enough to change the overall picture.
Note: Turbo Boost Unlock (TBU) is only possible on Haswell (v3) Xeons.
Performance and Tests
Multi‑threaded performance is solid, while single‑threaded performance is relatively low by modern standards.
CPU‑Z
Cinebench R15, R20, R23
PassMark
3DMark Time Spy
Corona 1.3
Summary
| Xeon E5 2680 v4 | |
|---|---|
| CPU-Z (single) | ~400 |
| CPU-Z (multi) | ~6400 |
| Cinebench R15 | ~2100 |
| Cinebench R20 | ~4700 |
| Cinebench R23 | ~12200 |
| PassMark Multithread | ~18300 |
| 3DMark Time Spy | ~6900 |
| Corona 1.3 | ~01:33 |
Similar CPUs by multi‑threaded performance level:
| Model | Cores / Threads | Cinebench R15 | Cinebench R20 | Cinebench R23 | CPU-Z Multi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Xeon E5-2680 v4 | 14c / 28t | ~2100 | ~4700 | ~12200 | ~6400 |
| Ryzen Threadripper 1920X | 12c / 24t | ~2100 | ~4800 | ~12000 | ~6500 |
| Ryzen 7 3700X | 8c / 16t | ~2100 | ~4800 | ~12100 | ~6500 |
| Core i9-9900 | 8c / 16t | ~2200 | ~4900 | ~12500 | ~5900 |
More tests, as well as comparisons with the Ryzen 5 5600X and other CPUs, can be found in the video:
Gaming Performance
The Xeon E5‑2680 v4 handles many modern games confidently, but don’t expect consistently high FPS in demanding titles — the modest peak clocks do show.
- Games up to 2020: 95% run well (60+ FPS), 5% are playable (40–60 FPS)
- Games 2020–2025: 75% run well (60+ FPS), 15% are playable (40–60 FPS), 10% are unplayable (low FPS, stutter, micro‑freezes)
Most suitable graphics cards for Full HD and 1440p: GeForce GTX 1070 (Ti), GTX 1660 (Ti/Super), RTX 2060 (Super), RTX 3060 (Ti); Radeon RX 5600 XT, RX 5700 XT, RX 6600 (XT), RX 7600 (XT).
Performance with RTX 4060:
Performance with RX 6600:
Close Alternatives
Among LGA2011‑3:
- Xeon E5‑2697 v3 — top 14‑core of the previous generation. With TBU applied, it can be slightly faster, but it runs hotter and is more demanding on the VRM
- Xeon E5‑2690 v4 — the next‑step 14‑core. Slightly higher frequency and performance, but costs more
See the complete list of processors for socket 2011‑3 here.
Among AM4:
- Ryzen 5 3700(X) — fewer cores, similar results in synthetics
- Ryzen 5 5500 — fewer cores but newer architecture; quite close to the E5‑2680 v4 in gaming
Among other Intel sockets:
- Core i9‑9900(K) — similar multi‑threaded results but stronger per‑core performance; in games, it will do better than the E5‑2680 v4
Revisions
Besides the final retail version, there are also engineering samples of the E5‑2680 v4. They can be identified by the S‑spec code engraved on the heatspreader. The final version uses SR2N7. You can also determine the stepping in software with HWiNFO.
| S-spec Code | Stepping | Version |
| QHV7 | L0 | QS/ES |
| QHVA | B0 | QS/ES |
| QHVB | B0 | QS/ES |
| QK92 | B0 | QS/ES |
| SR2N7 | M0 | Final |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is undervolting possible?
Only for QS samples; on final retail CPUs, undervolting is locked.
Is there solder or thermal paste under the lid?
Solder, as with the rest of the Xeon E5 v3/v4 lineup.
Is the processor compatible with Windows 11?
Not officially, but it works if you bypass the CPU/TPM checks during installation.