
Core i7-5850HQ vs Xeon E3-1230 v3

Core i7-5850HQ

Xeon E3-1230 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 i7-5850HQ is positioned at rank 795 and the Xeon E3-1230 v3 is on rank 430, so the Xeon E3-1230 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 i7-5850HQ
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1230 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-5850HQ | Xeon E3-1230 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-H (2015) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-5850HQ | Xeon E3-1230 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 i7-5850HQ and Xeon E3-1230 v3

Core i7-5850HQ
The Core i7-5850HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-H (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,866 points. Launch price was $434.

Xeon E3-1230 v3
The Xeon E3-1230 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 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: 6,837 points. Launch price was $240.
Processing Power
Both the Core i7-5850HQ and Xeon E3-1230 v3 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-5850HQ versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E3-1230 v3 — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1230 v3 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i7-5850HQ uses the Broadwell-H (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1230 v3 uses Haswell-WS (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-5850HQ scores 6,866 against the Xeon E3-1230 v3's 6,837 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i7-5850HQ. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-5850HQ vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1230 v3.
| Feature | Core i7-5850HQ | Xeon E3-1230 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz | 3.7 GHz+3% |
| Base Clock | 2.7 GHz | 3.3 GHz+22% |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total) | 8 MB (total)+33% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Broadwell-H (2015) | Haswell-WS (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 6,866 | 6,837 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-5850HQ uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1230 v3 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-5850HQ | Xeon E3-1230 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1364 | LGA1150 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
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