Core i5-6600T vs Xeon E3-1226 v3
Core i5-6600T
Xeon E3-1226 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. The Core i5-6600T is positioned at rank 659 and the Xeon E3-1226 v3 is on rank 521, so the Xeon E3-1226 v3 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-6600T
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1226 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-6600T | Xeon E3-1226 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-6600T | Xeon E3-1226 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 Core i5-6600T and Xeon E3-1226 v3
Core i5-6600T
The Core i5-6600T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 July 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 5,565 points. Launch price was $192.
Xeon E3-1226 v3
The Xeon E3-1226 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 84 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,529 points. Launch price was $213.
Processing Power
Both the Core i5-6600T and Xeon E3-1226 v3 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i5-6600T versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E3-1226 v3 — a 5.6% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1226 v3 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i5-6600T uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1226 v3 uses Haswell-WS (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-6600T scores 5,565 against the Xeon E3-1226 v3's 5,529 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i5-6600T. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-6600T vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1226 v3.
| Feature | Core i5-6600T | Xeon E3-1226 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.5 GHz | 3.7 GHz+6% |
| Base Clock | 2.7 GHz | 3.3 GHz+22% |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total) | 8 MB (total)+33% |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (2015−2016) | Haswell-WS (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 5,565 | 5,529 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 7,083 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,175 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 3,212 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-6600T uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1226 v3 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-6600T | Xeon E3-1226 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | LGA1150 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-6600T) / not specified (Xeon E3-1226 v3). The Core i5-6600T includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 530), while the Xeon E3-1226 v3 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-6600T targets Office. Direct competitor: Core i5-6600T rivals AMD Athlon II X4 640.
| Feature | Core i5-6600T | Xeon E3-1226 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 530 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Office | — |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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