Xeon E3-1220 v3
VS
Core i7-3610QM

Xeon E3-1220 v3 vs Core i7-3610QM

Intel

Xeon E3-1220 v3

4 Cores4 Thrd80 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2013
VS
Intel

Core i7-3610QM

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2012

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 E3-1220 v3 is positioned at rank 548 and the Core i7-3610QM is on rank 1008, 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

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
8147%
#6
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 i7-3610QM

#996
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
2161%
#997
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
2129%
#998
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1954%
#999
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1946%
#1000
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1928%
#1002
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
1862%
#1003
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
1785%
#1004
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
1782%
#1005
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
1734%
#1008
Core i7-3610QM
MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A
100%
#1009
Pentium A1020
MSRP: $86|Avg: $86
100%
#1010
Core i3-1115GRE
MSRP: $338|Avg: $480
100%
#1011
Core i7-4702MQ
MSRP: $383|Avg: $50
100%
#1012
Pentium N4200
MSRP: $161|Avg: $30.89
99%
#1013
Pentium J2900
MSRP: $94|Avg: $20
98%
#1014
Celeron T1700
MSRP: $80|Avg: $5
97%
#1015
Celeron T3500
MSRP: $80|Avg: $10
97%
#1016
A12-9720P
MSRP: $200|Avg: $25
97%
#1017
Core i5-4300M
MSRP: $227|Avg: N/A
96%
#1018
Celeron 1005M
MSRP: $86|Avg: N/A
96%
#1019
Athlon 64 X2 TK-42
MSRP: $60|Avg: $10
95%
#1020
Athlon Neo MV-40
MSRP: $100|Avg: $5
94%
#1021
Core i7-4860EQ
MSRP: $434|Avg: $80
93%
#1022
Pentium SU2700
MSRP: $100|Avg: $10
93%
#1023
A4-1250
MSRP: $100|Avg: $30
93%
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.
InsightXeon E3-1220 v3Core i7-3610QM
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
More affordable ($89)
⚠️ Higher cost ($378)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-3610QM ($378), 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 ($289 less, 325% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightXeon E3-1220 v3Core i7-3610QM
Cost Efficiency
Better overall value (+329%)
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($89)
⚠️ Higher cost ($378)

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 E3-1220 v3 and Core i7-3610QM

Intel

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.

Intel

Core i7-3610QM

The Core i7-3610QM 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: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,132 points. Launch price was $378.

Processing Power

The Xeon E3-1220 v3 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i7-3610QM's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220 v3 versus 3.3 GHz on the Core i7-3610QM — 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 i7-3610QM uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1220 v3 scores 5,178 against the Core i7-3610QM's 5,132 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon E3-1220 v3. L3 cache: 8192 kB (total) on the Xeon E3-1220 v3 vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-3610QM.

FeatureXeon E3-1220 v3Core i7-3610QM
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%
6 MB (total)
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
256K (per core)
Process
22 nm
22 nm
Architecture
Haswell-WS (2013−2014)
Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark
5,178
5,132
Geekbench 6 Single
800
Geekbench 6 Multi
3,000
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1220 v3 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-3610QM uses PGA988 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureXeon E3-1220 v3Core i7-3610QM
Socket
LGA1150
PGA988
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 i7-3610QM). The Core i7-3610QM includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Xeon E3-1220 v3 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-3610QM targets High Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i7-3610QM rivals AMD A10-5750M.

FeatureXeon E3-1220 v3Core i7-3610QM
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Intel HD Graphics 4000
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
High Performance Laptop
💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon E3-1220 v3 launched at $203 MSRP, while the Core i7-3610QM debuted at $378.

FeatureXeon E3-1220 v3Core i7-3610QM
MSRP
$203-46%
$378
Avg Price (30d)
$89
Release Date
2013
2012