Core i7-8559U vs Xeon E3-1280 v5

CPU

GPU

Core i7-8559U

4 Cores8 Thrd28 WWMax: 4.5 GHz2018

Xeon E3-1280 v5

4 Cores8 Thrd80 WWMax: 4 GHz2015

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-8559U

4 / 8

8,274

+0.2%

8,254

0.0%

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 i7-8559U is positioned at rank 815 and the Xeon E3-1280 v5 is on rank 354, so the Xeon E3-1280 v5 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 i7-8559U

#803

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1241%

#804

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1223%

#805

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1123%

#806

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1118%

#807

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1107%

#809

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1069%

#810

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1025%

#811

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1024%

#812

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

996%

#815

Core i7-8559U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#818

Core i7-8709G

MSRP: $338|Avg: $150

99%

#819

Celeron M 560

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

99%

#824

Celeron Dual-Core T3000

MSRP: $80|Avg: $15

95%

#825

Pentium P6100

MSRP: $100|Avg: $16.39

95%

#828

Celeron M 575

MSRP: $86|Avg: $12

94%

#829

Core i7-10710U

MSRP: $415|Avg: N/A

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1280 v5

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

5036%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

951%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

845%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

653%

#253

Xeon W-2150B

MSRP: $499|Avg: $400

99%

#255

Xeon 6517P

MSRP: $1195|Avg: $1195

99%

#257

Xeon W-1290

MSRP: $498|Avg: $300

98%

#354

Xeon E3-1280 v5

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#362

Xeon E5-2667 v2

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

98%

#367

Xeon E5-1410

MSRP: $120|Avg: $55

98%

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 i7-8559U (2018) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Core i7-8559U	Xeon E3-1280 v5
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Skylake-S (2015) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E3-1280 v5 (2015) relies on 14 nm technology and DDR3, DDR4, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Core i7-8559U	Xeon E3-1280 v5
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.

Core i7-8559U Benchmark Check

Xeon E3-1280 v5 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-8559U and Xeon E3-1280 v5

Core i7-8559U

The Core i7-8559U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 8,274 points. Launch price was $431.

Xeon E3-1280 v5

The Xeon E3-1280 v5 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-S (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 8,254 points. Launch price was $612.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-8559U and Xeon E3-1280 v5 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i7-8559U versus 4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1280 v5 — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-8559U (base: 2.7 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i7-8559U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1280 v5 uses Skylake-S (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-8559U scores 8,274 against the Xeon E3-1280 v5's 8,254 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i7-8559U. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i7-8559U	Xeon E3-1280 v5
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz+13%	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz	3.7 GHz+37%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)	Skylake-S (2015)
PassMark	8,274	8,254

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-8559U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1280 v5 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.