Core i7-980X vs Xeon E3-1230 v3
Core i7-980X
Xeon E3-1230 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 i7-980X is positioned at rank 1052 and the Xeon E3-1230 v3 is on rank 430, so the Xeon E3-1230 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 i7-980X
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1230 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-980X | Xeon E3-1230 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($150) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Gulftown (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-980X | Xeon E3-1230 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($150) | ✅ 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 i7-980X and Xeon E3-1230 v3
Core i7-980X
The Core i7-980X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Gulftown (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.33 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,817 points. Launch price was $959.
Xeon E3-1230 v3
The Xeon E3-1230 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,837 points. Launch price was $240.
Processing Power
The Core i7-980X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E3-1230 v3 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-980X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-980X versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E3-1230 v3 — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1230 v3 (base: 3.33 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i7-980X uses the Gulftown (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E3-1230 v3 uses Haswell-WS (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-980X scores 6,817 against the Xeon E3-1230 v3's 6,837 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon E3-1230 v3. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-980X vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1230 v3.
| Feature | Core i7-980X | Xeon E3-1230 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12+50% | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz | 3.7 GHz+3% |
| Base Clock | 3.33 GHz | 3.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total)+50% | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 22 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Gulftown (2010−2011) | Haswell-WS (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 6,817 | 6,837 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-980X uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E3-1230 v3 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-980X | Xeon E3-1230 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | LGA1150 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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