Xeon E3-1220 v3 vs Xeon E5-1607 v4

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 E3-1220 v3 vs Xeon E5-1607 v4 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 E3-1220 v3 vs Xeon E5-1607 v4: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon E3-1220 v3

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 80W instead of 140W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-1607 v4 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,178 vs 5,197).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 10 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $203 MSRP, while Xeon E5-1607 v4 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E5-1607 v4

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌75% higher power demand at 140W vs 80W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-1607 v4 better than Xeon E3-1220 v3?

Yes. Xeon E5-1607 v4 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 6.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.4% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E5-1607 v4 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 6.2% 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 E5-1607 v4 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Xeon E5-1607 v4 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E3-1220 v3 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon E5-1607 v4 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $203 MSRP, and it still gives you a 6.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E3-1220 v3 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (25.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Xeon E5-1607 v4 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2013), 25% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E3-1220 v3 vs Xeon E5-1607 v4 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Xeon E5-1607 v4

The Xeon E5-1607 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 5,197 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

Both the Xeon E3-1220 v3 and Xeon E5-1607 v4 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220 v3 versus 3.1 GHz on the Xeon E5-1607 v4 — a 12.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1220 v3 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Xeon E3-1220 v3 uses the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E5-1607 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1220 v3 scores 5,178 against the Xeon E5-1607 v4's 5,197 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon E5-1607 v4. L3 cache: 8192 kB (total) on the Xeon E3-1220 v3 vs 10 MB on the Xeon E5-1607 v4.

Feature	Xeon E3-1220 v3	Xeon E5-1607 v4
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz+13%	3.1 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz	3.1 GHz
L3 Cache	8192 kB (total)	10 MB+25%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	1 MB+300%
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell-WS (2013−2014)	Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark	5,178	5,197

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1220 v3 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-1607 v4 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.