Xeon E3-1230 v2
VS
Core i7-4910MQ

Xeon E3-1230 v2 vs Core i7-4910MQ

Intel

Xeon E3-1230 v2

4 Cores8 Thrd69 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2012
VS
Intel

Core i7-4910MQ

4 Cores8 Thrd47 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2014

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 E3-1230 v2 is positioned at rank 500 and the Core i7-4910MQ is on rank 1053, so the Xeon E3-1230 v2 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 E3-1230 v2

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
7216%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
1362%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1210%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
935%
#311
Xeon w7-3545
MSRP: $2039|Avg: $2039
100%
#312
EPYC 7643P
MSRP: $2722|Avg: $2722
99%
#313
Xeon w5-3435X
MSRP: $1589|Avg: $163
99%
#314
Xeon Gold 6312U
MSRP: $1645|Avg: N/A
98%
#315
EPYC 7443
MSRP: $2010|Avg: $1800
98%
#316
Xeon Gold 6416H
MSRP: $1845|Avg: N/A
98%
#500
Xeon E3-1230 v2
MSRP: $215|Avg: $268
100%
#505
Xeon D-1521
MSRP: $199|Avg: $241
100%
#513
Xeon E3-1220 v5
MSRP: $203|Avg: $100
98%
#515
Xeon X5690
MSRP: $250|Avg: $250
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-4910MQ

#1041
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
2655%
#1042
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
2616%
#1043
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
2402%
#1044
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
2391%
#1045
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
2369%
#1047
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
2288%
#1048
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
2194%
#1049
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
2190%
#1050
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
2131%
#1053
Core i7-4910MQ
MSRP: $570|Avg: $570
100%
#1054
Pentium T4400
MSRP: $107|Avg: $5
99%
#1056
Athlon X2 QL-65
MSRP: $150|Avg: $22
98%
#1057
Pentium J2850
MSRP: $94|Avg: $94
98%
#1058
Core i7-4900MQ
MSRP: $570|Avg: $40
98%
#1059
Celeron P4505
MSRP: $86|Avg: $86
97%
#1060
Pentium Dual Core T2370
MSRP: $150|Avg: $25
97%
#1061
Pentium T4200
MSRP: $99|Avg: $10
96%
#1062
Core i7-2720QM
MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A
96%
#1063
Pentium 2020M
MSRP: $134|Avg: N/A
95%
#1064
Celeron P4500
MSRP: $86|Avg: $5
95%
#1065
Pentium Dual Core SU4100
MSRP: $134|Avg: $10
95%
#1066
Processor N50
MSRP: $128|Avg: $120
95%
#1067
Athlon II N350
MSRP: $100|Avg: $100
95%
#1068
Celeron N3350
MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A
94%
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 ($268) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E3-1230 v2 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightXeon E3-1230 v2Core i7-4910MQ
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
More affordable ($268)
⚠️ Higher cost ($570)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-4910MQ ($570), 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 ($302 less, 113% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightXeon E3-1230 v2Core i7-4910MQ
Cost Efficiency
Better overall value (+109%)
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($268)
⚠️ Higher cost ($570)

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 E3-1230 v2 and Core i7-4910MQ

Intel

Xeon E3-1230 v2

The Xeon E3-1230 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 May 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 69 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,191 points. Launch price was $360.

Intel

Core i7-4910MQ

The Core i7-4910MQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 January 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,297 points. Launch price was $568.

Processing Power

Both the Xeon E3-1230 v2 and Core i7-4910MQ share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E3-1230 v2 versus 3.9 GHz on the Core i7-4910MQ — a 5.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-4910MQ (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Xeon E3-1230 v2 uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-4910MQ uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1230 v2 scores 6,191 against the Core i7-4910MQ's 6,297 — a 1.7% lead for the Core i7-4910MQ. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

FeatureXeon E3-1230 v2Core i7-4910MQ
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
4 / 8
Boost Clock
3.7 GHz
3.9 GHz+5%
Base Clock
3.3 GHz+14%
2.9 GHz
L3 Cache
8 MB (total)
8 MB (total)
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
256K (per core)
Process
22 nm
22 nm
Architecture
Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark
6,191
6,297+2%
Geekbench 6 Single
821
Geekbench 6 Multi
3,223
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1230 v2 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-4910MQ uses PGA946 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureXeon E3-1230 v2Core i7-4910MQ
Socket
LGA1155
PGA946
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: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E3-1230 v2) / not specified (Core i7-4910MQ). Primary use case: Xeon E3-1230 v2 targets Server.

FeatureXeon E3-1230 v2Core i7-4910MQ
Integrated GPU
No
IGPU Model
None
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Server
💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon E3-1230 v2 launched at $215 MSRP, while the Core i7-4910MQ debuted at $570. At current prices ($268 vs $570), the Xeon E3-1230 v2 is $302 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E3-1230 v2 delivers 23.1 pts/$ vs 11.0 pts/$ for the Core i7-4910MQ — making the Xeon E3-1230 v2 the 70.6% better value option.

FeatureXeon E3-1230 v2Core i7-4910MQ
MSRP
$215-62%
$570
Avg Price (30d)
$268-53%
$570
Performance per Dollar
23.1+110%
11.0
Release Date
2012
2014