Core i7-8700 vs Xeon E5-2685 v3
Core i7-8700
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 i7-8700 is positioned at rank 483 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 i7-8700
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2685 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-8700 | Xeon E5-2685 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($110) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($2,090) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-8700 | Xeon E5-2685 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+1771%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($110) | ⚠️ 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 i7-8700 and Xeon E5-2685 v3
Core i7-8700
The Core i7-8700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 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 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12288 kB. L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 12,747 points. Launch price was $303.
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 i7-8700 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 4.6 GHz on the Core i7-8700 versus 3.3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2685 v3 — a 32.9% clock advantage for the Core i7-8700 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i7-8700 uses the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2685 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-8700 scores 12,747 against the Xeon E5-2685 v3's 12,944 — a 1.5% lead for the Xeon E5-2685 v3. L3 cache: 12288 kB on the Core i7-8700 vs 30 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2685 v3.
| Feature | Core i7-8700 | Xeon E5-2685 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 12 / 12+100% |
| Boost Clock | 4.6 GHz+39% | 3.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+23% | 2.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12288 kB | 30 MB (total)+150% |
| 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 | 12,747 | 12,944+2% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 7,969 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,535 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 6,200 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-8700 uses the LGA1151 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 i7-8700 | Xeon E5-2685 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | LGA2011-3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2666 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-8700) / not specified (Xeon E5-2685 v3). The Core i7-8700 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon E5-2685 v3 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-8700 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i7-8700 rivals Ryzen 5 2600.
| Feature | Core i7-8700 | Xeon E5-2685 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics 630 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Gaming | — |
Value Analysis
The Core i7-8700 launched at $303 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-2685 v3 debuted at $2090.
| Feature | Core i7-8700 | Xeon E5-2685 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $303-86% | $2090 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $110 | — |
| Release Date | 2017 | 2014 |
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