Xeon E3-1230 v3 vs Core i7-7700HQ

Xeon E3-1230 v3

4 Cores8 Thrd80 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2013

Core i7-7700HQ

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2017

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon E3-1230 v3

4 / 8

6,837

0.0%

6,880

+0.6%

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 v3 is positioned at rank 430 and the Core i7-7700HQ is on rank 493, so the Xeon E3-1230 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 E3-1230 v3

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

6078%

Xeon W-11865MLE

MSRP: $467|Avg: $350

100%

Xeon W-11865MRE

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

95%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

1148%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

1020%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

788%

#281

EPYC 7402P

MSRP: $1280|Avg: $1090

100%

#282

Xeon w5-3525

MSRP: $1339|Avg: $1392

99%

#283

Xeon W-1290T

MSRP: $546|Avg: $494

99%

#284

Xeon D-1581

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

96%

#285

Xeon w5-3535X

MSRP: $1699|Avg: N/A

96%

#286

Xeon w5-2465X

MSRP: $1389|Avg: $1499

95%

#430

Xeon E3-1230 v3

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-7700HQ

#153

Core i7-1370P

MSRP: $438|Avg: $280

100%

#158

Core i9-13900H

MSRP: $617|Avg: N/A

97%

#481

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

640%

#482

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

630%

#483

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

579%

#484

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

576%

#485

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

571%

#487

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

551%

#488

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

528%

#489

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

528%

#490

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

513%

#493

Core i7-7700HQ

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

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 Core i7-7700HQ (2017) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR3, DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Xeon E3-1230 v3	Core i7-7700HQ
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm)	✨ Modern (Kaby Lake-H (2017) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E3-1230 v3 (2013) relies on 22 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Xeon E3-1230 v3	Core i7-7700HQ
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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.

Xeon E3-1230 v3 Benchmark Check

Core i7-7700HQ Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E3-1230 v3 and Core i7-7700HQ

Xeon E3-1230 v3

The Xeon E3-1230 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 8 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): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,837 points. Launch price was $240.

Core i7-7700HQ

The Core i7-7700HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake-H (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,880 points. Launch price was $378.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Xeon E3-1230 v3 and Core i7-7700HQ share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E3-1230 v3 versus 3.8 GHz on the Core i7-7700HQ — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-7700HQ (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Xeon E3-1230 v3 uses the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-7700HQ uses Kaby Lake-H (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1230 v3 scores 6,837 against the Core i7-7700HQ's 6,880 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i7-7700HQ. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1230 v3 vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-7700HQ.

Feature	Xeon E3-1230 v3	Core i7-7700HQ
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	3.8 GHz+3%
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+18%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+33%	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell-WS (2013−2014)	Kaby Lake-H (2017)
PassMark	6,837	6,880

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1230 v3 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-7700HQ uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E3-1230 v3	Core i7-7700HQ
Socket	LGA1150	BGA1440
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E3-1230 v3) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-7700HQ). The Core i7-7700HQ includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 630), while the Xeon E3-1230 v3 requires a dedicated GPU.