Core i7-8557U
VS
Xeon E5-2650

Core i7-8557U vs Xeon E5-2650

Intel

Core i7-8557U

4 Cores8 Thrd1 WWMax: 4.5 GHz2019
VS
Intel

Xeon E5-2650

8 Cores16 Thrd95 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2012

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 i7-8557U is positioned at rank 802 and the Xeon E5-2650 is on rank 406, so the Xeon E5-2650 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-8557U

#790
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1212%
#791
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1195%
#792
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1097%
#793
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1092%
#794
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1082%
#796
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
1045%
#797
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
1002%
#798
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
1000%
#799
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
973%
#802
Core i7-8557U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#803
Core i7-1365UE
MSRP: $429|Avg: $429
100%
#805
3020e
MSRP: $100|Avg: $25
99%
#809
Athlon II M320
MSRP: $75|Avg: $15
99%
#810
Celeron B800
MSRP: $80|Avg: $5
99%
#811
Celeron B710
MSRP: $86|Avg: $10
99%
#813
Athlon II Neo K345
MSRP: $50|Avg: $10
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2650

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
5655%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
1068%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
949%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
733%
#274
EPYC 7313
MSRP: $1083|Avg: $764
98%
#275
Xeon w5-2455X
MSRP: $1039|Avg: $1049
97%
#276
Xeon w3-2425
MSRP: $529|Avg: $529
97%
#278
Xeon Gold 5416S
MSRP: $1445|Avg: N/A
95%
#406
Xeon E5-2650
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#416
Xeon E3-1276 v3
MSRP: $213|Avg: $244
96%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Core i7-8557U (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightCore i7-8557UXeon E5-2650
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E5-2650 (2012) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightCore i7-8557UXeon E5-2650
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-8557U and Xeon E5-2650

Intel

Core i7-8557U

The Core i7-8557U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,309 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Xeon E5-2650

The Xeon E5-2650 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 6 March 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 20480 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,349 points. Launch price was $91.

Processing Power

The Core i7-8557U packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon E5-2650 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-2650 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i7-8557U versus 2.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-2650 — a 46.6% clock advantage for the Core i7-8557U (base: 1.7 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i7-8557U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2650 uses Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-8557U scores 7,309 against the Xeon E5-2650's 7,349 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E5-2650. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Core i7-8557U vs 20480 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2650.

FeatureCore i7-8557UXeon E5-2650
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
8 / 16+100%
Boost Clock
4.5 GHz+61%
2.8 GHz
Base Clock
1.7 GHz
2 GHz+18%
L3 Cache
8 MB
20480 kB (total)+150%
L2 Cache
1 MB+300%
256 kB (per core)
Process
14 nm-56%
32 nm
Architecture
Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)
Sandy Bridge-EP (2012)
PassMark
7,309
7,349
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-8557U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2650 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i7-8557UXeon E5-2650
Socket
FCBGA1528
LGA2011
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity
384 GB
RAM Channels
4
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
40
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-8557U) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5-2650). Primary use case: Xeon E5-2650 targets Server.

FeatureCore i7-8557UXeon E5-2650
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Server