Core i7-3940XM vs Xeon E3-1515M v5

Core i7-3940XM

4 Cores8 Thrd55 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2012

Xeon E3-1515M v5

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2016

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-3940XM

4 / 8

5,957

+0.5%

5,925

0.0%

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 i7-3940XM is positioned at rank 936 and the Xeon E3-1515M v5 is on rank 488, so the Xeon E3-1515M v5 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3940XM

#924

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1694%

#925

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1669%

#926

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1532%

#927

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1525%

#928

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1511%

#930

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1460%

#931

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1400%

#932

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1397%

#933

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1360%

#936

Core i7-3940XM

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#939

FX-7600P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $45

98%

#940

Athlon II M300

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

98%

#944

Athlon Neo X2 L335

MSRP: $80|Avg: $15

96%

#945

Core i7-3610QE

MSRP: $315|Avg: $105

96%

#948

A8-8600P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $30

95%

#950

FX-9800P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $45

95%

#951

Celeron 1020E

MSRP: $86|Avg: $20

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1515M v5

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

7014%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

1324%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

1177%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

909%

#307

Xeon W-3323

MSRP: $949|Avg: $500

99%

#308

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

MSRP: $1149|Avg: $100

98%

#309

Xeon W-2255

MSRP: $778|Avg: $350

98%

#310

Xeon Silver 4316

MSRP: $1126|Avg: $1200

98%

#488

Xeon E3-1515M v5

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#492

Xeon W-2223

MSRP: $294|Avg: $330

99%

#496

Xeon E3-1280 v3

MSRP: $250|Avg: $44

98%

#497

Xeon W-2123

MSRP: $294|Avg: $342

98%

#500

Xeon E3-1230 v2

MSRP: $215|Avg: $268

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($0) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E3-1515M v5 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Core i7-3940XM	Xeon E3-1515M v5
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Skylake-H (2015−2016) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-3940XM ($0), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($0 less, NaN% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Core i7-3940XM	Xeon E3-1515M v5
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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 i7-3940XM Benchmark Check

Xeon E3-1515M v5 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-3940XM and Xeon E3-1515M v5

Core i7-3940XM

The Core i7-3940XM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,957 points. Launch price was $1,096.

Xeon E3-1515M v5

The Xeon E3-1515M v5 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 January 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-H (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 5,925 points. Launch price was $489.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-3940XM and Xeon E3-1515M v5 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i7-3940XM versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E3-1515M v5 — a 5.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-3940XM (base: 3 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i7-3940XM uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E3-1515M v5 uses Skylake-H (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-3940XM scores 5,957 against the Xeon E3-1515M v5's 5,925 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i7-3940XM. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 720 vs 1,017, a 34.2% lead for the Xeon E3-1515M v5 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i7-3940XM	Xeon E3-1515M v5
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz+5%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+7%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Skylake-H (2015−2016)
PassMark	5,957	5,925
Geekbench 6 Single	720	1,017+41%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-3940XM uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1515M v5 uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1600 on the Core i7-3940XM versus DDR4-2133 on the Xeon E3-1515M v5 — the Xeon E3-1515M v5 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E3-1515M v5 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM75,HM76,HM77,QM77,QS77 (Core i7-3940XM) and SoC (Xeon E3-1515M v5).

Feature	Core i7-3940XM	Xeon E3-1515M v5
Socket	PGA988	BGA1440
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	DDR4-2133+33%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	64 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	✅
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-3940XM has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 4000 (Core i7-3940XM) and Iris Pro Graphics P580 (Xeon E3-1515M v5) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-3940XM targets Extreme Performance Laptop, Xeon E3-1515M v5 targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i7-3940XM rivals A10-5750M; Xeon E3-1515M v5 rivals Core i7-6700HQ.

Feature	Core i7-3940XM	Xeon E3-1515M v5
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	HD Graphics 4000	Iris Pro Graphics P580
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Extreme Performance Laptop	Productivity