Core i7-860S vs Xeon E5-2603
Core i7-860S
Xeon E5-2603
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 i7-860S is positioned at rank 1033 and the Xeon E5-2603 is on rank 825, so the Xeon E5-2603 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-860S
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2603
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-860S | Xeon E5-2603 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($96) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Lynnfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-860S | Xeon E5-2603 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($96) | ✅ 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 i7-860S and Xeon E5-2603
Core i7-860S
The Core i7-860S is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 3.46 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 82 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,324 points. Launch price was $422.
Xeon E5-2603
The Xeon E5-2603 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 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 10240 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,325 points. Launch price was $207.
Processing Power
The Core i7-860S packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Xeon E5-2603's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.46 GHz on the Core i7-860S versus 1.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-2603 — a 63.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-860S (base: 2.53 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i7-860S uses the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Xeon E5-2603 uses Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-860S scores 2,324 against the Xeon E5-2603's 2,325 — a 0% lead for the Xeon E5-2603. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-860S vs 10240 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2603.
| Feature | Core i7-860S | Xeon E5-2603 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.46 GHz+92% | 1.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.53 GHz+41% | 1.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 10240 kB (total)+25% |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Lynnfield (2009−2010) | Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) |
| PassMark | 2,324 | 2,325 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 451 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,332 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-860S uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5-2603 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-860S | Xeon E5-2603 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1156 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Core i7-860S) / not specified (Xeon E5-2603).
| Feature | Core i7-860S | Xeon E5-2603 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
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