Xeon D-1521
VS
Xeon E3-1240L v3

Xeon D-1521 vs Xeon E3-1240L v3

Intel

Xeon D-1521

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2015
VS
Intel

Xeon E3-1240L v3

4 Cores8 Thrd25 WWMax: 3 GHz2014

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 Xeon D-1521 is positioned at rank 505 and the Xeon E3-1240L v3 is on rank 507, so the Xeon D-1521 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon D-1521

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
7251%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
1369%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1216%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
940%
#312
EPYC 7643P
MSRP: $2722|Avg: $2722
99%
#313
Xeon w5-3435X
MSRP: $1589|Avg: $163
99%
#314
Xeon Gold 6312U
MSRP: $1645|Avg: N/A
99%
#315
EPYC 7443
MSRP: $2010|Avg: $1800
98%
#316
Xeon Gold 6416H
MSRP: $1845|Avg: N/A
98%
#318
EPYC 7343
MSRP: $1565|Avg: $1350
97%
#319
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
MSRP: $2399|Avg: $225
97%
#320
EPYC 7413
MSRP: $1825|Avg: $450
97%
#505
Xeon D-1521
MSRP: $199|Avg: $241
100%
#513
Xeon E3-1220 v5
MSRP: $203|Avg: $100
98%
#515
Xeon X5690
MSRP: $250|Avg: $250
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1240L v3

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
7315%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
1381%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1227%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
948%
#312
EPYC 7643P
MSRP: $2722|Avg: $2722
100%
#313
Xeon w5-3435X
MSRP: $1589|Avg: $163
100%
#314
Xeon Gold 6312U
MSRP: $1645|Avg: N/A
100%
#315
EPYC 7443
MSRP: $2010|Avg: $1800
99%
#316
Xeon Gold 6416H
MSRP: $1845|Avg: N/A
99%
#318
EPYC 7343
MSRP: $1565|Avg: $1350
98%
#319
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
MSRP: $2399|Avg: $225
98%
#320
EPYC 7413
MSRP: $1825|Avg: $450
98%
#507
Xeon E3-1240L v3
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#512
Xeon E3-1220 v5
MSRP: $203|Avg: $100
99%
#514
Xeon X5690
MSRP: $250|Avg: $250
99%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Xeon E3-1240L v3 leads in gaming performance. However, the Xeon D-1521 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.4% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightXeon D-1521Xeon E3-1240L v3
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($241)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightXeon D-1521Xeon E3-1240L v3
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($241)
More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 Xeon D-1521 and Xeon E3-1240L v3

Intel

Xeon D-1521

The Xeon D-1521 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 November 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 1.5 MB (per core). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1667. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,703 points. Launch price was $199.

Intel

Xeon E3-1240L v3

The Xeon E3-1240L v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333, DDR3L-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 5,681 points. Launch price was $278.

Processing Power

Both the Xeon D-1521 and Xeon E3-1240L v3 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Xeon D-1521 versus 3 GHz on the Xeon E3-1240L v3 — a 10.5% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1240L v3 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Xeon D-1521 uses the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1240L v3 uses Haswell-WS (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon D-1521 scores 5,703 against the Xeon E3-1240L v3's 5,681 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon D-1521. L3 cache: 1.5 MB (per core) on the Xeon D-1521 vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1240L v3.

FeatureXeon D-1521Xeon E3-1240L v3
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
4 / 8
Boost Clock
2.7 GHz
3 GHz+11%
Base Clock
2.4 GHz+20%
2 GHz
L3 Cache
1.5 MB (per core)
8 MB (total)+433%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
256K (per core)
Process
14 nm-36%
22 nm
Architecture
Broadwell (2015−2019)
Haswell-WS (2013−2014)
PassMark
5,703
5,681
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon D-1521 uses the FCBGA1667 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1240L v3 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureXeon D-1521Xeon E3-1240L v3
Socket
FCBGA1667
LGA1150
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0