Core i7-6700 vs Xeon E3-1285L v4
Core i7-6700
Xeon E3-1285L v4
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 i7-6700 is positioned at rank 650 and the Xeon E3-1285L v4 is on rank 366, so the Xeon E3-1285L v4 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-6700
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1285L v4
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-6700 | Xeon E3-1285L v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($143) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-DT (2015) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-6700 | Xeon E3-1285L v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($143) | ✅ 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 i7-6700 and Xeon E3-1285L v4
Core i7-6700
The Core i7-6700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 July 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 8,048 points. Launch price was $303.
Xeon E3-1285L v4
The Xeon E3-1285L v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Broadwell-DT (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333, DDR3L-1600, DDR3L-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 8,092 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
Both the Core i7-6700 and Xeon E3-1285L v4 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i7-6700 versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E3-1285L v4 — a 5.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-6700 (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i7-6700 uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1285L v4 uses Broadwell-DT (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-6700 scores 8,048 against the Xeon E3-1285L v4's 8,092 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E3-1285L v4. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-6700 vs 6 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1285L v4.
| Feature | Core i7-6700 | Xeon E3-1285L v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+5% | 3.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.4 GHz | 3.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total)+33% | 6 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (2015−2016) | Broadwell-DT (2015) |
| PassMark | 8,048 | 8,092 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-6700 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1285L v4 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-6700 | Xeon E3-1285L v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | LGA1150 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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