Ryzen 7 5800X vs Xeon E5-1660 v3
Ryzen 7 5800X
Xeon E5-1660 v3
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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 Ryzen 7 5800X
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1660 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Ryzen 7 5800X | Xeon E5-1660 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($180) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($198) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) / 7 nm, 12 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Ryzen 7 5800X | Xeon E5-1660 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+142%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($180) | ⚠️ 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 Ryzen 7 5800X and Xeon E5-1660 v3
Ryzen 7 5800X
The Ryzen 7 5800X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 27,712 points. Launch price was $449.
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
Both the Ryzen 7 5800X and Xeon E5-1660 v3 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5800X versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-1660 v3 — a 29.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 5800X (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 7 5800X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon E5-1660 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 5800X scores 27,712 against the Xeon E5-1660 v3's 12,582 — a 75.1% lead for the Ryzen 7 5800X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 5800X vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1660 v3.
| Feature | Ryzen 7 5800X | Xeon E5-1660 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 8 / 16 |
| Boost Clock | 4.7 GHz+34% | 3.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.8 GHz+27% | 3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 32 MB+60% | 20 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512K (per core)+100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 7 nm, 12 nm-68% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 27,712+120% | 12,582 |
Memory & Platform
The Ryzen 7 5800X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E5-1660 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Ryzen 7 5800X | Xeon E5-1660 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM4 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+33% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-3200 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 24 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 7 5800X) / not specified (Xeon E5-1660 v3). Primary use case: Ryzen 7 5800X targets Desktop.
| Feature | Ryzen 7 5800X | Xeon E5-1660 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
Value Analysis
The Ryzen 7 5800X launched at $449 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-1660 v3 debuted at $1080. At current prices ($180 vs $198), the Ryzen 7 5800X is $18 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 5800X delivers 154.0 pts/$ vs 63.5 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-1660 v3 — making the Ryzen 7 5800X the 83.1% better value option.
| Feature | Ryzen 7 5800X | Xeon E5-1660 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $449-58% | $1080 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $180-9% | $198 |
| Performance per Dollar | 154.0+143% | 63.5 |
| Release Date | 2020 | 2014 |
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