Xeon E3-1220 v6 vs Xeon E3-1226 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 E3-1220 v6 vs Xeon E3-1226 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 E3-1220 v6 vs Xeon E3-1226 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 E3-1220 v6

2017

Why buy it

✅+1.1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 72W instead of 84W, a 12W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E3-1226 v3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $372 MSRP, while Xeon E3-1226 v3 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E3-1226 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (5,529 vs 5,589).
❌16.7% higher power demand at 84W vs 72W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E3-1220 v6 better than Xeon E3-1226 v3?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon E3-1226 v3 is ahead with a 7.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E3-1220 v6 pulls ahead with 1.1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E3-1220 v6 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Xeon E3-1220 v6 is the better buy right now. Xeon E3-1220 v6 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $372 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 1.1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon E3-1226 v3 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 7.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (15.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 E3-1220 v6 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2014) 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 v6 vs Xeon E3-1226 v3 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon E3-1220 v6

The Xeon E3-1220 v6 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 March 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 72 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400, DDR3L-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 5,589 points. Launch price was $193.

Xeon E3-1226 v3

The Xeon E3-1226 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 84 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,529 points. Launch price was $213.

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Processing Power

Both the Xeon E3-1220 v6 and Xeon E3-1226 v3 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220 v6 versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E3-1226 v3 — a 5.6% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1226 v3 (base: 3 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Xeon E3-1220 v6 uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1226 v3 uses Haswell-WS (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1220 v6 scores 5,589 against the Xeon E3-1226 v3's 5,529 — a 1.1% lead for the Xeon E3-1220 v6. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Xeon E3-1220 v6 vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1226 v3.

Feature	Xeon E3-1220 v6	Xeon E3-1226 v3
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+6%
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.3 GHz+10%
L3 Cache	8 MB	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)	Haswell-WS (2013−2014)
PassMark	5,589+1%	5,529

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1220 v6 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1226 v3 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.