PRO A12-8870 vs Xeon E5-2603 v3

PRO A12-8870 vs Xeon E5-2603 v3 Performance Spectrum

PRO A12-8870

4 / 4

3,805

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Xeon E5-2603 v3

6 / 6

3,825

+0.5%

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.

PRO A12-8870 vs Xeon E5-2603 v3 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

PRO A12-8870 vs Xeon E5-2603 v3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

PRO A12-8870

2016

Why buy it

✅Draws 65W instead of 85W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,805 vs 3,825).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2603 v3, which brings 6 cores / 6 threads.

Xeon E5-2603 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 6 cores / 6 threads.

Trade-offs

❌30.8% higher power demand at 85W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is PRO A12-8870 better than Xeon E5-2603 v3?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E5-2603 v3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while PRO A12-8870 is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2603 v3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 6 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

PRO A12-8870 still makes the most sense overall. PRO A12-8870 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

PRO A12-8870 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2014). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

PRO A12-8870 vs Xeon E5-2603 v3 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

PRO A12-8870

The PRO A12-8870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Outubro 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Carrizo (2015−2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,805 points. Launch price was $69.

Xeon E5-2603 v3

The Xeon E5-2603 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 3,825 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The PRO A12-8870 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon E5-2603 v3 offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Xeon E5-2603 v3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the PRO A12-8870 versus 1.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-2603 v3 — a 89.7% clock advantage for the PRO A12-8870 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The PRO A12-8870 uses the Carrizo (2015−2018) architecture (28 nm), while the Xeon E5-2603 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the PRO A12-8870 scores 3,805 against the Xeon E5-2603 v3's 3,825 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E5-2603 v3.

Feature	PRO A12-8870	Xeon E5-2603 v3
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	6 / 6+50%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+163%	1.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+131%	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	—	15 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2048 kB+700%	256K (per core)
Process	28 nm	22 nm-21%
Architecture	Carrizo (2015−2018)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	3,805	3,825

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Memory & Platform

The PRO A12-8870 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2603 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.