Core i7-3770T vs Xeon E3-1290
Core i7-3770T
Xeon E3-1290
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 i7-3770T is positioned at rank 805 and the Xeon E3-1290 is on rank 525, so the Xeon E3-1290 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3770T
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1290
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-3770T | Xeon E3-1290 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($105) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-3770T | Xeon E3-1290 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($105) | ✅ 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 i7-3770T and Xeon E3-1290
Core i7-3770T
The Core i7-3770T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 April 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8192 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,403 points. Launch price was $330.
Xeon E3-1290
The Xeon E3-1290 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 May 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,429 points. Launch price was $885.
Processing Power
Both the Core i7-3770T and Xeon E3-1290 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-3770T versus 4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1290 — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1290 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i7-3770T uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E3-1290 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-3770T scores 5,403 against the Xeon E3-1290's 5,429 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E3-1290. L3 cache: 8192 kB (total) on the Core i7-3770T vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1290.
| Feature | Core i7-3770T | Xeon E3-1290 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.7 GHz | 4 GHz+8% |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz | 3.6 GHz+44% |
| L3 Cache | 8192 kB (total) | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm-31% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 5,403 | 5,429 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 850 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 2,859 | — |
Memory & Platform
Both processors use the LGA1155 socket with PCIe 3.0.
| Feature | Core i7-3770T | Xeon E3-1290 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | LGA1155 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Core i7-3770T) / not specified (Xeon E3-1290). The Core i7-3770T includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Xeon E3-1290 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core i7-3770T | Xeon E3-1290 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
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