EPYC 7281 vs Xeon E5-2696 V3
EPYC 7281
Xeon E5-2696 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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar EPYC 7281
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2696 V3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | EPYC 7281 | Xeon E5-2696 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Naples (2017−2018) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | EPYC 7281 | Xeon E5-2696 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 EPYC 7281 and Xeon E5-2696 V3
EPYC 7281
The EPYC 7281 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Naples (2017−2018) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 170 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 21,621 points. Launch price was $650.
Xeon E5-2696 V3
The Xeon E5-2696 V3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 145 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4 2133 MHz Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 21,435 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The EPYC 7281 packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon E5-2696 V3 offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Xeon E5-2696 V3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the EPYC 7281 versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-2696 V3 — a 33.8% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2696 V3 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The EPYC 7281 uses the Naples (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2696 V3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the EPYC 7281 scores 21,621 against the Xeon E5-2696 V3's 21,435 — a 0.9% lead for the EPYC 7281. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7281 vs 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2696 V3.
| Feature | EPYC 7281 | Xeon E5-2696 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 16 / 32 | 18 / 36+13% |
| Boost Clock | 2.7 GHz | 3.8 GHz+41% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 2.3 GHz+10% |
| L3 Cache | 32 MB (total) | 45 MB (total)+41% |
| L2 Cache | 512K (per core)+100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Naples (2017−2018) | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 21,621 | 21,435 |
Memory & Platform
The EPYC 7281 uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E5-2696 V3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | EPYC 7281 | Xeon E5-2696 V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | TR4 | LGA2011-3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+33% | PCIe 3.0 |
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