Core i7-8086K vs Xeon E5-2666 V3
Core i7-8086K
Xeon E5-2666 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 i7-8086K
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2666 V3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-8086K | Xeon E5-2666 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($178) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-8086K | Xeon E5-2666 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($178) | ✅ 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 i7-8086K and Xeon E5-2666 V3
Core i7-8086K
The Core i7-8086K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 June 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,069 points. Launch price was $425.
Xeon E5-2666 V3
The Xeon E5-2666 V3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 135 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4 2133 MHz Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 14,044 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Core i7-8086K packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-2666 V3 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon E5-2666 V3 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-8086K versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-2666 V3 — a 35.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-8086K (base: 4 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core i7-8086K uses the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2666 V3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-8086K scores 14,069 against the Xeon E5-2666 V3's 14,044 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i7-8086K. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-8086K vs 25 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2666 V3.
| Feature | Core i7-8086K | Xeon E5-2666 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 10 / 20+67% |
| Boost Clock | 5 GHz+43% | 3.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 4 GHz+38% | 2.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total) | 25 MB (total)+108% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 14,069 | 14,044 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-8086K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2666 V3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-8086K | Xeon E5-2666 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | LGA2011-3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Core i7-8086K and Xeon E5-2666 V3
