Intel Xeon E5-2699A v4

The Intel Xeon E5-2699A v4 is a 22-core, 44-thread processor in the Xeon E5 Broadwell-EP generation, built on Intel’s 14 nm process and released on 2016-10-24. It runs at a 2.40 GHz base clock and a 3.60 GHz boost clock, with 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 55 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor carries a 145W TDP, uses Intel Socket 2011-3, and supports DDR4 memory on a quad-channel interface with 76.8 GB/s memory bandwidth and ECC support. Its average benchmark score is 6623, which places it in the 66th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The market segment is listed as Desktop, production status is end-of-life, and the launch MSRP was $4938.

Who Should Consider It

The 22-core, 44-thread configuration is the most important specification for workload matching. In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score is 22898; in Cinebench R20, it is 9617; in Cinebench R15, it is 2308. These multi-core results indicate a processor that can maintain strong throughput when software is designed to use many threads. Creation workloads such as rendering, video encoding, and other parallel content-creation tasks are the obvious fit. The high core count and 44 threads give those workloads a large number of execution contexts to occupy.

The single-thread side is much less dominant. Cinebench R23 single-core score is 3232, Cinebench R20 single-core score is 1357, and Cinebench R15 single-core score is 325. This split means users should not expect this processor to win on lightly threaded tasks. A workload that uses one thread will rely on the 3.60 GHz boost clock and little else; the remaining cores and threads will not contribute. For office productivity, the processor can handle common desktop applications, but the benchmark profile suggests it is over-provisioned for simple office use and better suited to sustained parallel computing.

Gaming sits in a similar position. The benchmark results show a processor whose aggregate strength is multi-core throughput, not single-core peak performance. Games that depend on few threads will not be able to exploit the 44-thread capacity. The absence of integrated graphics also means a separate display solution is required, and the 55 MB shared L3 cache does not change that requirement. The 66th percentile position in the overall database is consistent with a high-core-count part that is competitive for threaded workloads but not at the top of the performance distribution.

Power and Thermals

The TDP is 145W. This is the processor’s thermal design point and the only power figure in the specification data. It is high enough that the cooling solution needs to be chosen with sustained all-core operation in mind. A processor with 22 cores and 44 threads can keep a cooler busy for long periods, particularly under the multi-core workloads that the benchmark scores suggest it is designed for.

The die is 456 mm² and contains 7,200 million transistors. A large die with 22 cores means heat is generated across a wide surface, but the 145W envelope still has to be transferred to the heatsink. A capable performance cooler is implied for any user who expects to run extended multithreaded jobs rather than short bursts. The 14 nm process node and Intel as the foundry are part of the manufacturing context for this part, and they appear in the data alongside the large transistor count and die size.

The end-of-life production status does not change the thermal requirement. The 145W TDP remains the number that should guide platform cooling decisions. The base clock of 2.40 GHz and boost clock of 3.60 GHz show that the processor has a wide operating range, and thermal behavior will scale with how many cores are active. A fully loaded 22-core workload is the heavier case.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The benchmark results show a consistent split between single-thread and multi-thread performance. In Cinebench R15, the multi-core score is 2308 and the single-core score is 325. In Cinebench R20, the multi-core score is 9617 and the single-core score is 1357. In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score is 22898 and the single-core score is 3232. Across every listed Cinebench test, the multi-core result is far larger than the single-core result.

The base clock of 2.40 GHz and boost clock of 3.60 GHz define the operating range. A single-threaded task can reach the 3.60 GHz boost clock on a single core, but the rest of the processor has no work to do. A heavily threaded task can use all 22 cores and all 44 threads, and the 55 MB shared L3 cache gives the active threads a large temporary storage space. That combination explains why the multi-core scores are so much higher than the single-core scores.

In real workloads, this split means software must be written to use many threads in order to get the most out of the processor. Low-threaded applications will behave much closer to a processor with a 2.40 GHz base clock and a 3.60 GHz boost clock. Highly parallel applications can take advantage of the 22 cores, the 44 threads, and the large shared L3. The result is a processor with two very different personalities depending on the workload.

FAQ

Q: How many cores and threads does the processor have?

A: It has 22 cores and 44 threads.

Q: What is the cache layout?

A: It has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 55 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What memory configuration does it support?

A: It supports DDR4 memory on a quad-channel interface with 76.8 GB/s memory bandwidth, and ECC memory is supported.

Q: Does it include integrated graphics?

A: No integrated graphics are listed in the specification data.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked?

A: No, multiplierUnlocked is false.

Q: What is the production status?

A: The processor is listed as end-of-life.

How It Compares

The E5-2699A v4 has an average benchmark score of 6623. Its nearest rivals in the database are all close to that score, making this a tightly grouped comparison.

Intel Core i9-10940X: This rival has an average score of 6625. The deltaPct is 0, meaning the Xeon and this Core i9 are effectively tied in aggregate benchmark performance.

Intel Core i7-12800HE: This rival has an average score of 6615. The deltaPct is 0.1, so the Xeon sits 0.1% above this rival in the comparison metric.

Intel Core i9-7960X: This rival has an average score of 6638. The deltaPct is -0.2, so the Xeon sits 0.2% below this rival.

Intel Core i5-13400E: This rival also has an average score of 6638. The deltaPct is -0.2, so the Xeon is also 0.2% below this rival.

These deltaPct values are small in absolute terms. The average benchmark scores are clustered around 6623, with the listed rivals ranging from 6615 to 6638. The comparison data does not show a large performance gap in either direction. Instead, it shows a set of processors clustered at nearly the same aggregate level, with the E5-2699A v4 near the middle.

Platform and Compatibility

The platform is built on Intel Socket 2011-3. Memory support is DDR4 through a quad-channel interface with 76.8 GB/s memory bandwidth, and ECC memory is enabled. The PCIe controller provides Gen 3 connectivity with 40 lanes from the CPU. The part number is SR30YQLPM.

The architecture is Broadwell-EP, fabricated on Intel’s 14 nm process at Intel’s foundry. The die contains 7,200 million transistors and measures 456 mm². The processor uses the Xeon E5 Broadwell-EP generation and is identified with the Broadwell codename. The memory controller is quad-channel, which gives the memory subsystem a wide bus for bandwidth-heavy workloads.

The upgrade path is constrained by the socket. Any compatible replacement must also use Intel Socket 2011-3. The production status is end-of-life, so the processor is not in active production. Users building or upgrading on this platform will need to work with existing Socket 2011-3 hardware. The 22-core, 44-thread layout, 55 MB shared L3 cache, and 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes define the platform’s capabilities for users who stay with this processor.