Core i7-6900K vs Xeon E5-2678 v3
Core i7-6900K
Xeon E5-2678 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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-6900K
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2678 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-6900K | Xeon E5-2678 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($1,089) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-E (2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-6900K | Xeon E5-2678 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($1,089) | ✅ 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 i7-6900K and Xeon E5-2678 v3
Core i7-6900K
The Core i7-6900K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 31 May 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-E (2016) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,682 points. Launch price was $1,020.
Xeon E5-2678 v3
The Xeon E5-2678 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB. L2 cache: 3072 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,653 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Core i7-6900K packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E5-2678 v3 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon E5-2678 v3 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i7-6900K versus 3.3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2678 v3 — a 19.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-6900K (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i7-6900K uses the Broadwell-E (2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2678 v3 uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-6900K scores 14,682 against the Xeon E5-2678 v3's 14,653 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i7-6900K. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i7-6900K vs 30 MB on the Xeon E5-2678 v3.
| Feature | Core i7-6900K | Xeon E5-2678 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 12 / 24+50% |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+21% | 3.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+28% | 2.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 20 MB (total) | 30 MB+50% |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 3072 kB+1100% |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Broadwell-E (2016) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 14,682 | 14,653 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,273 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 7,591 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-6900K uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2678 v3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-6900K | Xeon E5-2678 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | LGA2011-3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 40 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-6900K) / not specified (Xeon E5-2678 v3). Primary use case: Core i7-6900K targets High-End Desktop.
| Feature | Core i7-6900K | Xeon E5-2678 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | High-End Desktop | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Core i7-6900K and Xeon E5-2678 v3
