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 i3-12100TE

2022

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $1,244 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $1,393 MSRP).
✅Delivers 842.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 70.0 vs 7.4 PassMark/$ ($149 MSRP vs $1,393 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 95W, a 60W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2660 v2 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2660 v2, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E5-2660 v2

2013

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,353 vs 10,432).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.4 vs 70.0 PassMark/$ ($1,393 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
❌171.4% higher power demand at 95W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Core i3-12100TE moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-12100TE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i3-12100TE

2022

Xeon E5-2660 v2

2013

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $1,244 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $1,393 MSRP).
✅Delivers 842.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 70.0 vs 7.4 PassMark/$ ($149 MSRP vs $1,393 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 95W, a 60W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2660 v2 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2660 v2, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,353 vs 10,432).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.4 vs 70.0 PassMark/$ ($1,393 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
❌171.4% higher power demand at 95W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Core i3-12100TE moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-12100TE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-12100TE better than Xeon E5-2660 v2?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2660 v2 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i3-12100TE is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-12100TE is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i3-12100TE is the smarter buy today. Core i3-12100TE is $1,244 cheaper on MSRP at $149 MSRP versus $1,393 MSRP, and it gives you 0.8% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Xeon E5-2660 v2 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 3.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 842.0% better value on MSRP (70.0 vs 7.4 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i3-12100TE is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2013), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA2011, and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 10/20. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core i3-12100TE Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-2660 v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i3-12100TE	Xeon E5-2660 v2
1080p
low	174 FPS	163 FPS
medium	150 FPS	138 FPS
high	123 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	90 FPS
1440p
low	146 FPS	139 FPS
medium	121 FPS	115 FPS
high	96 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	65 FPS
medium	59 FPS	58 FPS
high	46 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i3-12100TE Open Xeon E5-2660 v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i3-12100TE	Xeon E5-2660 v2
1080p
low	128 FPS	179 FPS
medium	112 FPS	161 FPS
high	103 FPS	141 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	112 FPS	154 FPS
medium	99 FPS	142 FPS
high	92 FPS	125 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	101 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	101 FPS
medium	80 FPS	93 FPS
high	67 FPS	83 FPS
ultra	52 FPS	67 FPS

Open Core i3-12100TE Open Xeon E5-2660 v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i3-12100TE	Xeon E5-2660 v2
1080p
low	261 FPS	259 FPS
medium	261 FPS	259 FPS
high	261 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	261 FPS	259 FPS
medium	261 FPS	259 FPS
high	261 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	259 FPS
4K
low	261 FPS	259 FPS
medium	261 FPS	259 FPS
high	261 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	239 FPS	259 FPS

Open Core i3-12100TE Open Xeon E5-2660 v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i3-12100TE	Xeon E5-2660 v2
1080p
low	261 FPS	259 FPS
medium	261 FPS	259 FPS
high	261 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	261 FPS	259 FPS
medium	261 FPS	259 FPS
high	261 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	259 FPS
4K
low	261 FPS	259 FPS
medium	261 FPS	259 FPS
high	261 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	259 FPS

Open Core i3-12100TE Open Xeon E5-2660 v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-12100TE and Xeon E5-2660 v2

Core i3-12100TE

The Core i3-12100TE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 10,432 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E5-2660 v2

The Xeon E5-2660 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 10,353 points. Launch price was $850.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-12100TE packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon E5-2660 v2 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon E5-2660 v2 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i3-12100TE versus 3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2660 v2 — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Core i3-12100TE (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i3-12100TE uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (10 nm), while the Xeon E5-2660 v2 uses Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-12100TE scores 10,432 against the Xeon E5-2660 v2's 10,353 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i3-12100TE. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i3-12100TE vs 25 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2660 v2.

Feature	Core i3-12100TE	Xeon E5-2660 v2
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	10 / 20+150%
Boost Clock	4 GHz+33%	3 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	2.2 GHz+5%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	25 MB (total)+108%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256 kB (per core)
Process	10 nm-55%	22 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Ivy Bridge-EP (2013)
PassMark	10,432	10,353
Geekbench 6 Single	2,100	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-12100TE uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E5-2660 v2 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the Core i3-12100TE versus DDR3-1866 on the Xeon E5-2660 v2 — the Core i3-12100TE supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E5-2660 v2 supports up to 768 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 142.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i3-12100TE) vs 4 (Xeon E5-2660 v2). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i3-12100TE) vs 40 (Xeon E5-2660 v2) — the Xeon E5-2660 v2 offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,Q670,W680,H770 (Core i3-12100TE) and Intel X79,Intel C602 (Xeon E5-2660 v2).

Feature	Core i3-12100TE	Xeon E5-2660 v2
Socket	LGA1700	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800+67%	DDR3-1866
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	768 GB+500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	40+100%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-12100TE) / not specified (Xeon E5-2660 v2). The Core i3-12100TE includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 730), while the Xeon E5-2660 v2 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-12100TE targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i3-12100TE rivals Ryzen Embedded V2000.

Feature	Core i3-12100TE	Xeon E5-2660 v2
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 730	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	Embedded	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-12100TE launched at $149 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-2660 v2 debuted at $1393. On MSRP ($149 vs $1393), the Core i3-12100TE is $1244 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-12100TE delivers 70.0 pts/$ vs 7.4 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-2660 v2 — making the Core i3-12100TE the 161.6% better value option.