Core i7-5930K vs Xeon E5-2630 v3

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i7-5930K

2014

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2630 v3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (15 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2630 v3, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $583 MSRP, while Xeon E5-2630 v3 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌64.7% higher power demand at 140W vs 85W.

Xeon E5-2630 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 15 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.
✅Draws 85W instead of 140W, a 55W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,270 vs 10,369).

Core i7-5930K

2014

Xeon E5-2630 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 15 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.
✅Draws 85W instead of 140W, a 55W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2630 v3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (15 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2630 v3, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $583 MSRP, while Xeon E5-2630 v3 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌64.7% higher power demand at 140W vs 85W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,270 vs 10,369).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-5930K better than Xeon E5-2630 v3?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2630 v3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-5930K is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-5930K is the better fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i7-5930K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-5930K is at an unclear MSRP at $583 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 1% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Xeon E5-2630 v3 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 6.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (17.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon E5-2630 v3 is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

Games Benchmarks

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 i7-5930K Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-2630 v3 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-5930K	Xeon E5-2630 v3
1080p
low	168 FPS	159 FPS
medium	144 FPS	138 FPS
high	116 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	91 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	133 FPS
medium	118 FPS	113 FPS
high	93 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	62 FPS
medium	57 FPS	56 FPS
high	45 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i7-5930K Open Xeon E5-2630 v3

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-5930K	Xeon E5-2630 v3
1080p
low	237 FPS	257 FPS
medium	206 FPS	257 FPS
high	186 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	150 FPS	210 FPS
1440p
low	209 FPS	257 FPS
medium	181 FPS	257 FPS
high	164 FPS	223 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	182 FPS
4K
low	164 FPS	182 FPS
medium	144 FPS	166 FPS
high	128 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	114 FPS

Open Core i7-5930K Open Xeon E5-2630 v3

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-5930K	Xeon E5-2630 v3
1080p
low	259 FPS	257 FPS
medium	259 FPS	257 FPS
high	259 FPS	257 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	257 FPS
1440p
low	259 FPS	257 FPS
medium	259 FPS	257 FPS
high	259 FPS	257 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	257 FPS
4K
low	259 FPS	257 FPS
medium	259 FPS	257 FPS
high	259 FPS	257 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	257 FPS

Open Core i7-5930K Open Xeon E5-2630 v3

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-5930K	Xeon E5-2630 v3
1080p
low	259 FPS	257 FPS
medium	259 FPS	257 FPS
high	259 FPS	257 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	257 FPS
1440p
low	259 FPS	257 FPS
medium	259 FPS	257 FPS
high	259 FPS	257 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	257 FPS
4K
low	259 FPS	257 FPS
medium	259 FPS	257 FPS
high	259 FPS	257 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	257 FPS

Open Core i7-5930K Open Xeon E5-2630 v3

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-5930K and Xeon E5-2630 v3

Core i7-5930K

The Core i7-5930K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-E (2014) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,369 points. Launch price was $613.

Xeon E5-2630 v3

The Xeon E5-2630 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 10,270 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-5930K packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-2630 v3 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-2630 v3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-5930K versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon E5-2630 v3 — a 14.5% clock advantage for the Core i7-5930K (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i7-5930K uses the Haswell-E (2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E5-2630 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-5930K scores 10,369 against the Xeon E5-2630 v3's 10,270 — a 1% lead for the Core i7-5930K. L3 cache: 15 MB (total) on the Core i7-5930K vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2630 v3.

Feature	Core i7-5930K	Xeon E5-2630 v3
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+16%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+46%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	15 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Haswell-E (2014)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	10,369	10,270
Geekbench 6 Single	1,000	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	6,000	—

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA2011 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Core i7-5930K	Xeon E5-2630 v3
Socket	LGA2011	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2133	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	40	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-5930K) / not specified (Xeon E5-2630 v3). Primary use case: Core i7-5930K targets High End Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i7-5930K rivals Ryzen 5 1600.