Core i7-7800X vs Xeon E5-2685 v3
Core i7-7800X
Xeon E5-2685 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 i7-7800X is positioned at rank 551 and the Xeon E5-2685 v3 is on rank 250, so the Xeon E5-2685 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 i7-7800X
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2685 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-7800X | Xeon E5-2685 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($254) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($2,090) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-7800X | Xeon E5-2685 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+724%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($254) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($2,090) |
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 i7-7800X and Xeon E5-2685 v3
Core i7-7800X
The Core i7-7800X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 12,963 points. Launch price was $383.
Xeon E5-2685 v3
The Xeon E5-2685 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 12,944 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Core i7-7800X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-2685 v3 offers 12 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon E5-2685 v3 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i7-7800X versus 3.3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2685 v3 — a 19.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-7800X (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i7-7800X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2685 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-7800X scores 12,963 against the Xeon E5-2685 v3's 12,944 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-7800X. L3 cache: 8.25 MB (total) on the Core i7-7800X vs 30 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2685 v3.
| Feature | Core i7-7800X | Xeon E5-2685 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 12 / 12+100% |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+21% | 3.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.5 GHz+35% | 2.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8.25 MB (total) | 30 MB (total)+264% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core)+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (server) (2017−2018) | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 12,963 | 12,944 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 6,897 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,114 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 6,951 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-7800X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2685 v3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-7800X | Xeon E5-2685 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2066 | LGA2011-3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 28 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Core i7-7800X) / not specified (Xeon E5-2685 v3).
| Feature | Core i7-7800X | Xeon E5-2685 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| AVX-512 | Yes | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
Value Analysis
The Core i7-7800X launched at $383 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-2685 v3 debuted at $2090.
| Feature | Core i7-7800X | Xeon E5-2685 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $383-82% | $2090 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $254 | — |
| Release Date | 2017 | 2014 |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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