Core i5-7640X vs Xeon E3-1231 v3
Core i5-7640X
Xeon E3-1231 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 i5-7640X is positioned at rank 619 and the Xeon E3-1231 v3 is on rank 417, so the Xeon E3-1231 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 i5-7640X
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1231 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-7640X | Xeon E3-1231 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($85) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Kaby Lake-X (2017) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-7640X | Xeon E3-1231 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($85) | ✅ 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 i5-7640X and Xeon E3-1231 v3
Core i5-7640X
The Core i5-7640X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake-X (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 112 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 7,060 points. Launch price was $242.
Xeon E3-1231 v3
The Xeon E3-1231 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 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,031 points. Launch price was $240.
Processing Power
The Core i5-7640X packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Xeon E3-1231 v3's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core i5-7640X versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E3-1231 v3 — a 10% clock advantage for the Core i5-7640X (base: 4 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i5-7640X uses the Kaby Lake-X (2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1231 v3 uses Haswell-WS (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-7640X scores 7,060 against the Xeon E3-1231 v3's 7,031 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i5-7640X. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-7640X vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1231 v3.
| Feature | Core i5-7640X | Xeon E3-1231 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 4.2 GHz+11% | 3.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 4 GHz+18% | 3.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total) | 8 MB (total)+33% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Kaby Lake-X (2017) | Haswell-WS (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 7,060 | 7,031 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 3,726 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,419 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 3,726 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-7640X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1231 v3 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-7640X | Xeon E3-1231 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2066 | LGA1150 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2666 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Core i5-7640X) / not specified (Xeon E3-1231 v3). Primary use case: Core i5-7640X targets Desktop.
| Feature | Core i5-7640X | Xeon E3-1231 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
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