
Core i7-1280P vs Xeon E5-2686 v4

Core i7-1280P

Xeon E5-2686 v4
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 Core i7-1280P
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2686 v4
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-1280P | Xeon E5-2686 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($482) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Alder Lake-P (2022) / Intel 7 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-1280P | Xeon E5-2686 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($482) | ✅ 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 i7-1280P and Xeon E5-2686 v4

Core i7-1280P
The Core i7-1280P is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 February 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-P (2022) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 20,043 points. Launch price was $299.

Xeon E5-2686 v4
The Xeon E5-2686 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB. L2 cache: 4.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCLGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 145 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,860 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Core i7-1280P packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Xeon E5-2686 v4 offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Xeon E5-2686 v4 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i7-1280P versus 3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2686 v4 — a 46.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-1280P (base: 1.8 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core i7-1280P uses the Alder Lake-P (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Xeon E5-2686 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-1280P scores 20,043 against the Xeon E5-2686 v4's 19,860 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i7-1280P. L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i7-1280P vs 45 MB on the Xeon E5-2686 v4.
| Feature | Core i7-1280P | Xeon E5-2686 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 14 / 20 | 18 / 36+29% |
| Boost Clock | 4.8 GHz+60% | 3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.8 GHz | 2.3 GHz+28% |
| L3 Cache | 24 MB (total) | 45 MB+88% |
| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 4.5 MB+260% |
| Process | Intel 7 nm-50% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Alder Lake-P (2022) | Broadwell (2015−2019) |
| PassMark | 20,043 | 19,860 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 895 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 6,822 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-1280P uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2686 v4 uses FCLGA2011-3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-1280P | Xeon E5-2686 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1744 | FCLGA2011-3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 1536 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 4 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 40 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-1280P) / Yes (Xeon E5-2686 v4).
| Feature | Core i7-1280P | Xeon E5-2686 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | Yes |
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