Core Ultra 7 164U vs Xeon E5-1660 v3
Core Ultra 7 164U
Xeon E5-1660 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 Ultra 7 164U is positioned at rank 675 and the Xeon E5-1660 v3 is on rank 824, so the Core Ultra 7 164U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 7 164U
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1660 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core Ultra 7 164U | Xeon E5-1660 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($198) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Meteor Lake-U (2023) / 7 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core Ultra 7 164U | Xeon E5-1660 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($198) |
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 Ultra 7 164U and Xeon E5-1660 v3
Core Ultra 7 164U
The Core Ultra 7 164U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-U (2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2551. Thermal design power (TDP): + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 12,625 points. Launch price was $448.
Xeon E5-1660 v3
The Xeon E5-1660 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1333, DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 12,582 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Core Ultra 7 164U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Xeon E5-1660 v3 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core Ultra 7 164U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 164U versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-1660 v3 — a 31.3% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 164U (base: 1.1 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core Ultra 7 164U uses the Meteor Lake-U (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon E5-1660 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 7 164U scores 12,625 against the Xeon E5-1660 v3's 12,582 — a 0.3% lead for the Core Ultra 7 164U. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 7 164U vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1660 v3.
| Feature | Core Ultra 7 164U | Xeon E5-1660 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 12 / 14+50% | 8 / 16 |
| Boost Clock | 4.8 GHz+37% | 3.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.1 GHz | 3 GHz+173% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total) | 20 MB (total)+67% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core)+700% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 7 nm-68% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Meteor Lake-U (2023) | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 12,625 | 12,582 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 8,766 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 2,131 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 8,973 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core Ultra 7 164U uses the FCBGA2551 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E5-1660 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core Ultra 7 164U | Xeon E5-1660 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA2551 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+67% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | LPDDR5x-6400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 7 164U) / not specified (Xeon E5-1660 v3). The Core Ultra 7 164U includes integrated graphics (Intel Arc), while the Xeon E5-1660 v3 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 7 164U targets Enthusiast. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 7 164U rivals Ryzen 7 7840U.
| Feature | Core Ultra 7 164U | Xeon E5-1660 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel Arc | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Enthusiast | — |
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