Xeon for Gaming in 2025.

«If you’re looking into Xeon for gaming in 2025 — this article will help you…»

Intel Xeon processors have traditionally been used in servers and workstations, but in recent years they’ve unexpectedly become a goldmine for budget gamers. Especially popular are the V3 and V4 series, which are easy to find on AliExpress at very attractive prices. In this guide, we’ll cover which Xeon models are still relevant in 2025, which GPUs pair best with them, and how they compare to modern desktop solutions.

Relevant Xeon Models (V3 and V4 Series)

Below are the most interesting models for gaming and multitasking builds in 2025.

Xeon V3:

• Xeon E5-2620 V3 — 6 cores / 12 threads, 2.4–3.2 GHz
• Xeon E5-2630 V3 — 8 cores / 16 threads, 2.4–3.2 GHz
• Xeon E5-2640 V3 — 8 cores / 16 threads, 2.6–3.4 GHz
• Xeon E5-2678 V3 — 12 cores / 24 threads, 2.5–3.3 GHz
• Xeon E5-2680 V3 — 12 cores / 24 threads, 2.5–3.3 GHz

Xeon V4:

• Xeon E5-2620 V4 — 8 cores / 16 threads, 2.1–3.0 GHz
• Xeon E5-2640 V4 — 10 cores / 20 threads, 2.4–3.4 GHz
• Xeon E5-2666 V4 — 10 cores / 20 threads, 2.9–3.6 GHz
• Xeon E5-2673 V4 — 20 cores / 40 threads, 2.3–3.3 GHz
• Xeon E5-2680 V4 — 14 cores / 28 threads, 2.4–3.3 GHz
• Xeon E5-2699 V4 — 22 cores / 44 threads, 2.2–3.6 GHz

AliExpress Prices (as of May 2025)

• Xeon E5-2678 V3 — from $18
• Xeon E5-2680 V4 — from $28
• Xeon E5-2699 V4 — from $55
• X99 Motherboards (AliExpress-compatible) — from $40
• Xeon + X99 + 16 GB DDR4 combo — from $85

GPUs Fully Unlocked by Xeon

Most Xeon CPUs with 12+ threads work confidently with:

• GTX 1660 Super
• RTX 2060 / 2060 Super
• RTX 3060
• RTX 4060
• RX 6600 / 6600 XT

High-core models like the E5-2680 V4 or E5-2699 V4 easily unlock the full power of:

• RTX 3060 Ti
• RX 6700 XT
• And even RTX 4060 Ti / RX 6750 XT in some cases

FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p High) on various Xeon + GPU setups

Multitasking — Xeon’s Real Strength

Even older Xeon CPUs perform surprisingly well in heavy-use scenarios:

• Streaming via OBS
• Background video encoding
• Running games, Discord, browser, and more simultaneously

This makes Xeons especially useful for streamers, freelancers, and users who do more than just gaming on their PCs.

Comparison with Desktop CPUs (Price vs Performance)

CPU	Price ($)	Threads	Geekbench Multi	$ per thread (approx)
Xeon E5-2680 V4	$28	28	~11000	$1.00
Ryzen 5 3600	$75	12	~12500	$6.25
i5-10400F	$90	12	~11500	$7.50
Ryzen 7 5700X	$150	16	~15000	$9.37

Game Benchmarks: Xeon vs Modern CPUs

Game	Xeon E5-2680 V4 ($28)	Ryzen 5 3600 ($75)	i5-10400F ($90)
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p High)	~58 FPS	~65 FPS	~62 FPS
Fortnite (1080p Epic)	~145 FPS	~160 FPS	~150 FPS
Hogwarts Legacy (1080p High)	~60 FPS	~68 FPS	~63 FPS
Apex Legends (1080p High)	~135 FPS	~140 FPS	~138 FPS

Yes, Xeon lags slightly — on average 5–10 FPS lower, but considering the price, it’s an extremely reasonable trade-off.

Downsides of the Xeon Platform

To fairly evaluate the platform, we must also mention the weak spots:

• Outdated manufacturing process — higher heat and power consumption
• No support for PCIe 4.0 or AVX-512
• Some X99 motherboards may have compatibility issues with modern GPUs
• No overclocking — multipliers are locked
• Supports only ECC/Registered RAM (regular modules may not work)
• AliExpress risks — used or refurbished chips are common

Conclusion

As of 2025, Xeon V3 and V4 are an excellent choice for anyone who wants to:

• Get maximum threads for minimal money
• Build a cheap but multitasking-capable and gaming-friendly PC
• Use GPUs up to RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6700 XT without bottlenecks

These CPUs may not be new, but within their niche, they’re a true gem. The key is: don’t be afraid to build a PC with used parts and do some basic research.

For a budget gaming setup — Xeon is absolutely worth considering.

If you still have questions about choosing a Xeon or need help with your build — contact me via the contact page or through social media.

You’ll find more tips and hardware breakdowns on our ByteBoost Pinterest channel.

This Xeon-based build is living proof that a powerful PC doesn’t need to cost thousands of dollars.