Xeon E3-1220 v3 vs Core i7-3610QE

Xeon E3-1220 v3

4 Cores4 Thrd80 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2013

Core i7-3610QE

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon E3-1220 v3

4 / 4

5,178

0.0%

5,234

+1.1%

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 E3-1220 v3 is positioned at rank 548 and the Core i7-3610QE is on rank 945, so the Xeon E3-1220 v3 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 E3-1220 v3

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

8147%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

1538%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

1367%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

1056%

#333

Xeon Gold 5317

MSRP: $1088|Avg: $1100

99%

#334

Xeon W-2275

MSRP: $1112|Avg: $500

99%

#335

Xeon Gold 6430

MSRP: $2128|Avg: $1850

98%

#336

Xeon Gold 6421N

MSRP: $2368|Avg: $2427

97%

#337

EPYC 7F72

MSRP: $2131|Avg: $2131

97%

#338

Xeon W-2265

MSRP: $1039|Avg: $663

97%

#339

Xeon w7-3555

MSRP: $2749|Avg: $2199

97%

#340

Xeon w7-3445

MSRP: $1989|Avg: $2596

97%

#548

Xeon E3-1220 v3

MSRP: $203|Avg: $89

100%

#551

Xeon W-2102

MSRP: $202|Avg: $286

99%

#553

Xeon E3-1265L v2

MSRP: $265|Avg: N/A

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3610QE

#933

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1765%

#934

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1739%

#935

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1597%

#936

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1590%

#937

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1575%

#939

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1521%

#940

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1458%

#941

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1456%

#942

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1417%

#945

Core i7-3610QE

MSRP: $315|Avg: $105

100%

#948

A8-8600P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $30

99%

#950

FX-9800P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $45

99%

#951

Celeron 1020E

MSRP: $86|Avg: $20

98%

#954

Core i7-5850EQ

MSRP: $435|Avg: $370

97%

#956

Core i7-4810MQ

MSRP: $378|Avg: $378

97%

#959

Celeron Dual-Core T3500

MSRP: $80|Avg: $15

96%

#960

Celeron 4305UE

MSRP: $107|Avg: $107

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($89) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E3-1220 v3 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Xeon E3-1220 v3	Core i7-3610QE
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($89)	⚠️ Higher cost ($105)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-3610QE ($105), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($16 less, 18% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Xeon E3-1220 v3	Core i7-3610QE
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+17%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($89)	⚠️ Higher cost ($105)

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.

Xeon E3-1220 v3 Benchmark Check

Core i7-3610QE Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E3-1220 v3 and Core i7-3610QE

Xeon E3-1220 v3

The Xeon E3-1220 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8192 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 5,178 points. Launch price was $239.

Core i7-3610QE

The Core i7-3610QE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 April 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 6144 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: G2. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: unknown Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 5,234 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon E3-1220 v3 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i7-3610QE's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220 v3 versus 3.3 GHz on the Core i7-3610QE — a 5.9% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1220 v3 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Xeon E3-1220 v3 uses the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-3610QE uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1220 v3 scores 5,178 against the Core i7-3610QE's 5,234 — a 1.1% lead for the Core i7-3610QE. L3 cache: 8192 kB (total) on the Xeon E3-1220 v3 vs 6144 kB (total) on the Core i7-3610QE.

Feature	Xeon E3-1220 v3	Core i7-3610QE
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz+6%	3.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz+35%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	8192 kB (total)+33%	6144 kB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Haswell-WS (2013−2014)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	5,178	5,234+1%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1220 v3 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-3610QE uses G2 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E3-1220 v3	Core i7-3610QE
Socket	LGA1150	G2
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	32 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E3-1220 v3) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-3610QE). The Core i7-3610QE includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4000), while the Xeon E3-1220 v3 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-3610QE targets Mobile.

Feature	Xeon E3-1220 v3	Core i7-3610QE
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	HD Graphics 4000
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Mobile

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon E3-1220 v3 launched at $203 MSRP, while the Core i7-3610QE debuted at $315. At current prices ($89 vs $105), the Xeon E3-1220 v3 is $16 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E3-1220 v3 delivers 58.2 pts/$ vs 49.8 pts/$ for the Core i7-3610QE — making the Xeon E3-1220 v3 the 15.4% better value option.