Xeon D-1531
VS
Xeon E3-1285 v4

Xeon D-1531 vs Xeon E3-1285 v4

Intel

Xeon D-1531

6 Cores12 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2015
VS
Intel

Xeon E3-1285 v4

4 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2015

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-1531 is positioned at rank 1004 and the Xeon E3-1285 v4 is on rank 748, so the Xeon E3-1285 v4 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-1531

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
55717%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
10520%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
9346%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
7220%
#539
Xeon Platinum 8280
MSRP: $10009|Avg: $2940
99%
#540
Xeon E7-8891 v3
MSRP: $6841|Avg: $418
85%
#541
Xeon E5-4669 v4
MSRP: $7007|Avg: $300
67%
#1004
Xeon D-1531
MSRP: $2057|Avg: $250
100%
#1005
Xeon 5130
MSRP: $316|Avg: $10
100%
#1007
Xeon E5-4640 v3
MSRP: $2859|Avg: $300
97%
#1008
Xeon E5440
MSRP: $690|Avg: $37
92%
#1009
Xeon E5-2643
MSRP: $1552|Avg: $50
90%
#1010
Xeon E5-2637
MSRP: $885|Avg: $40
90%
#1011
Xeon W3570
MSRP: $999|Avg: $15
88%
#1013
Xeon E5-4620
MSRP: $2141|Avg: $400
83%
#1014
Xeon E5-2680
MSRP: $3226|Avg: $40
77%
#1016
Xeon E5-4640
MSRP: $2725|Avg: N/A
69%
#1018
Xeon E5-4650
MSRP: $3616|Avg: $71
64%
#1019
Xeon E5-4650L
MSRP: $3616|Avg: N/A
63%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1285 v4

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
14941%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
2821%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
2506%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
1936%
#434
Xeon W-3225
MSRP: $1319|Avg: $850
99%
#435
Xeon Gold 6354
MSRP: $2878|Avg: $2898
98%
#436
Xeon Gold 5218T
MSRP: $1572|Avg: $1349
98%
#437
Xeon 6960P
MSRP: $9625|Avg: $9625
98%
#438
EPYC 9555
MSRP: $9826|Avg: $7973
97%
#439
Xeon Gold 6338
MSRP: $2990|Avg: $1604
97%
#748
Xeon E3-1285 v4
MSRP: $556|Avg: $200
100%
#750
Xeon E3-1260L
MSRP: $294|Avg: $270
100%
#758
Xeon E3-1281 v3
MSRP: $555|Avg: $636
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Xeon E3-1285 v4 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Xeon D-1531 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.9% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightXeon D-1531Xeon E3-1285 v4
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($250)
More affordable ($200)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-DT (2015) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Xeon E3-1285 v4 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 20% cheaper ($200 vs $250) while identifying as the stronger performer.
InsightXeon D-1531Xeon E3-1285 v4
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+26%)
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($250)
More affordable ($200)

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-1531 and Xeon E3-1285 v4

Intel

Xeon D-1531

The Xeon D-1531 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 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 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: 7,668 points. Launch price was $348.

Intel

Xeon E3-1285 v4

The Xeon E3-1285 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Broadwell-DT (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,735 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

The Xeon D-1531 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E3-1285 v4 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon D-1531 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Xeon D-1531 versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E3-1285 v4 — a 33.8% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1285 v4 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Xeon D-1531 uses the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1285 v4 uses Broadwell-DT (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon D-1531 scores 7,668 against the Xeon E3-1285 v4's 7,735 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon E3-1285 v4. L3 cache: 1.5 MB (per core) on the Xeon D-1531 vs 6 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1285 v4.

FeatureXeon D-1531Xeon E3-1285 v4
Cores / Threads
6 / 12+50%
4 / 8
Boost Clock
2.7 GHz
3.8 GHz+41%
Base Clock
2.2 GHz
3.5 GHz+59%
L3 Cache
1.5 MB (per core)
6 MB (total)+300%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
256 kB (per core)
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Broadwell (2015−2019)
Broadwell-DT (2015)
PassMark
7,668
7,735
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon D-1531 uses the FCBGA1667 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1285 v4 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureXeon D-1531Xeon E3-1285 v4
Socket
FCBGA1667
LGA1150
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 5.0+67%
💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon D-1531 launched at $2057 MSRP, while the Xeon E3-1285 v4 debuted at $556. At current prices ($250 vs $200), the Xeon E3-1285 v4 is $50 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon D-1531 delivers 30.7 pts/$ vs 38.7 pts/$ for the Xeon E3-1285 v4 — making the Xeon E3-1285 v4 the 23.1% better value option.

FeatureXeon D-1531Xeon E3-1285 v4
MSRP
$2057
$556-73%
Avg Price (30d)
$250
$200-20%
Performance per Dollar
30.7
38.7+26%
Release Date
2015
2015