Xeon E3-1226 v3
VS
Xeon E3-1220 v6

Xeon E3-1226 v3 vs Xeon E3-1220 v6

Intel

Xeon E3-1226 v3

4 Cores4 Thrd84 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2014
VS
Intel

Xeon E3-1220 v6

4 Cores4 Thrd72 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2017

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 E3-1226 v3 is positioned at rank 521 and the Xeon E3-1220 v6 is on rank 718, so the Xeon E3-1226 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 E3-1226 v3

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
7516%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
1419%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1261%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
974%
#321
Xeon W-3335
MSRP: $1430|Avg: $1200
99%
#322
EPYC 9354P
MSRP: $2730|Avg: $2205
99%
#323
EPYC 9224
MSRP: $1825|Avg: $1199
96%
#324
Xeon Gold 6423N
MSRP: $2161|Avg: $2161
96%
#325
Xeon w7-3565X
MSRP: $2689|Avg: $2850
95%
#326
Xeon W-1290TE
MSRP: $552|Avg: $552
95%
#521
Xeon E3-1226 v3
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#535
Xeon E3-1241 v3
MSRP: $273|Avg: $27
95%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1220 v6

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
13836%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
2612%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
2321%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
1793%
#419
Xeon 6736P
MSRP: $3351|Avg: $3351
99%
#420
EPYC 9655P
MSRP: $10811|Avg: $7958
99%
#421
EPYC 9554P
MSRP: $7104|Avg: $3052
98%
#423
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX
MSRP: $6499|Avg: $3444
97%
#424
Xeon W-2155
MSRP: $1440|Avg: $150
96%
#425
Xeon 6740E
MSRP: $5265|Avg: $3949
96%
#718
Xeon E3-1220 v6
MSRP: $372|Avg: $80
100%
#719
Xeon E5-2623 v3
MSRP: $444|Avg: $50
100%
#722
Xeon E5-2620
MSRP: $360|Avg: $89
99%
#728
Xeon E5-2609 v3
MSRP: $306|Avg: $306
97%
#730
Xeon Bronze 3106
MSRP: $395|Avg: $395
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Xeon E3-1220 v6 (2017) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4-2400, DDR3L-1866, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightXeon E3-1226 v3Xeon E3-1220 v6
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($80)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm)
✨ Modern (Kaby Lake (2016−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E3-1226 v3 (2014) relies on 22 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightXeon E3-1226 v3Xeon E3-1220 v6
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($80)

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 E3-1226 v3 and Xeon E3-1220 v6

Intel

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.

Intel

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.

Processing Power

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

FeatureXeon E3-1226 v3Xeon E3-1220 v6
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
4 / 4
Boost Clock
3.7 GHz+6%
3.5 GHz
Base Clock
3.3 GHz+10%
3 GHz
L3 Cache
8 MB (total)
8 MB
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
1 MB+300%
Process
22 nm
14 nm-36%
Architecture
Haswell-WS (2013−2014)
Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark
5,529
5,589+1%
🧠

Memory & Platform

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

FeatureXeon E3-1226 v3Xeon E3-1220 v6
Socket
LGA1150
LGA1151
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0