Xeon D-2187NT vs Xeon E5-2686 V3

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.

Xeon D-2187NT vs Xeon E5-2686 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.

Xeon D-2187NT vs Xeon E5-2686 V3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon D-2187NT

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 110W instead of 120W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2686 V3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,070 vs 18,148).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (22 MB vs 45 MB).

Xeon E5-2686 V3

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+104.5% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 22 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $1,500 MSRP, while Xeon D-2187NT mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-2686 V3 better than Xeon D-2187NT?

Yes. Xeon E5-2686 V3 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 9.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.4% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E5-2686 V3 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 9.8% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2686 V3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 104.5% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 22 MB).

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

Xeon E5-2686 V3 is the better buy right now. Xeon E5-2686 V3 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $1,500 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 9.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (12.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Xeon D-2187NT makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2014). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Xeon D-2187NT vs Xeon E5-2686 V3 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon D-2187NT

The Xeon D-2187NT is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 February 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 22 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2518. Thermal design power (TDP): 110 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 18,070 points. Launch price was $1,989.

Xeon E5-2686 V3

The Xeon E5-2686 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 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4 2133 MHz Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 18,148 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Xeon D-2187NT packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Xeon E5-2686 V3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Xeon D-2187NT versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-2686 V3 — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2686 V3 (base: 2 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Xeon D-2187NT uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon D-2187NT scores 18,070 against the Xeon E5-2686 V3's 18,148 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon E5-2686 V3. L3 cache: 22 MB on the Xeon D-2187NT vs 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2686 V3.

Feature	Xeon D-2187NT	Xeon E5-2686 V3
Cores / Threads	16 / 32	18 / 36+13%
Boost Clock	3 GHz	3.5 GHz+17%
Base Clock	2 GHz	2 GHz
L3 Cache	22 MB	45 MB (total)+105%
L2 Cache	16 MB	256K (per core)+1500%
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	18,070	18,148
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	10,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,033
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	8,649

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon D-2187NT uses the FCBGA2518 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon D-2187NT	Xeon E5-2686 V3
Socket	FCBGA2518	LGA2011-3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	—	768 GB
RAM Channels	—	4
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	40