Celeron G6900 vs Xeon E5-1603 v3
Celeron G6900
Xeon E5-1603 v3
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron G6900
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1603 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron G6900 | Xeon E5-1603 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($77) | ✅ More affordable ($40) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron G6900 | Xeon E5-1603 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+93%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($77) | ✅ More affordable ($40) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Celeron G6900 and Xeon E5-1603 v3
Celeron G6900
The Celeron G6900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 46 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 4,458 points. Launch price was $69.
Xeon E5-1603 v3
The Xeon E5-1603 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1333, DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 4,460 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Celeron G6900 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Xeon E5-1603 v3 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon E5-1603 v3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Celeron G6900 versus 2.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-1603 v3 — a 19.4% clock advantage for the Celeron G6900 (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Celeron G6900 uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Xeon E5-1603 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron G6900 scores 4,458 against the Xeon E5-1603 v3's 4,460 — a 0% lead for the Xeon E5-1603 v3. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Celeron G6900 vs 10 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1603 v3.
| Feature | Celeron G6900 | Xeon E5-1603 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.4 GHz+21% | 2.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.4 GHz+21% | 2.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 10 MB (total)+150% |
| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core)+400% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | Intel 7 nm-68% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Alder Lake-S (2022) | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 4,458 | 4,460 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,563 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 2,631 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron G6900 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E5-1603 v3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron G6900 | Xeon E5-1603 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1700 | LGA2011-3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+67% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR5-4800 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 20 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron G6900) / not specified (Xeon E5-1603 v3). The Celeron G6900 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 710), while the Xeon E5-1603 v3 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron G6900 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron G6900 rivals Pentium Gold G7400.
| Feature | Celeron G6900 | Xeon E5-1603 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics 710 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
Value Analysis
The Celeron G6900 launched at $52 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-1603 v3 debuted at $273. At current prices ($77 vs $40), the Xeon E5-1603 v3 is $37 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron G6900 delivers 57.9 pts/$ vs 111.5 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-1603 v3 — making the Xeon E5-1603 v3 the 63.3% better value option.
| Feature | Celeron G6900 | Xeon E5-1603 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $52-81% | $273 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $77 | $40-48% |
| Performance per Dollar | 57.9 | 111.5+93% |
| Release Date | 2022 | 2014 |
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