Core i7-4950HQ vs Xeon E5-1630 v3
Core i7-4950HQ
Xeon E5-1630 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 i7-4950HQ is positioned at rank 236 and the Xeon E5-1630 v3 is on rank 402, so the Core i7-4950HQ offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-4950HQ
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1630 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-4950HQ | Xeon E5-1630 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($299) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Crystalwell (2013−2014) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-4950HQ | Xeon E5-1630 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($299) |
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 i7-4950HQ and Xeon E5-1630 v3
Core i7-4950HQ
The Core i7-4950HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Crystalwell (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,405 points. Launch price was $657.
Xeon E5-1630 v3
The Xeon E5-1630 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1333, DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 7,421 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
Both the Core i7-4950HQ and Xeon E5-1630 v3 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-4950HQ versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-1630 v3 — a 5.4% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-1630 v3 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i7-4950HQ uses the Crystalwell (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E5-1630 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-4950HQ scores 7,405 against the Xeon E5-1630 v3's 7,421 — a 0.2% lead for the Xeon E5-1630 v3. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-4950HQ vs 10 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1630 v3.
| Feature | Core i7-4950HQ | Xeon E5-1630 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz | 3.8 GHz+6% |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz | 3.7 GHz+54% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 10 MB (total)+25% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Crystalwell (2013−2014) | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 7,405 | 7,421 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 3,317 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 842 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 3,317 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-4950HQ uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-1630 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-4950HQ | Xeon E5-1630 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1364 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Core i7-4950HQ) / not specified (Xeon E5-1630 v3). The Core i7-4950HQ includes integrated graphics (Iris Pro Graphics 5200), while the Xeon E5-1630 v3 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core i7-4950HQ | Xeon E5-1630 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Iris Pro Graphics 5200 | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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