Xeon E3-1235 vs Core i5-7300HQ

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 E3-1235 is positioned at rank 607 and the Core i5-7300HQ is on rank 698, so the Xeon E3-1235 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 E3-1235

#1

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

9757%

#6

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

1842%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

1637%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

1264%

#363

Xeon W-2191B

MSRP: $1333|Avg: $39

100%

#364

Xeon Gold 5320

MSRP: $1780|Avg: $1834

99%

#365

EPYC 7513

MSRP: $2840|Avg: $389

99%

#366

Xeon Silver 4216

MSRP: $1011|Avg: $800

98%

#367

EPYC 9454P

MSRP: $4598|Avg: $3333

97%

#369

Xeon Gold 6542Y

MSRP: $2878|Avg: N/A

94%

#370

EPYC 7502

MSRP: $2600|Avg: $1299

94%

#607

Xeon E3-1235

MSRP: $240|Avg: $270

100%

#611

Xeon E3-1265L v3

MSRP: $294|Avg: $398

99%

#612

Xeon E3-1280 v2

MSRP: $315|Avg: $50

99%

#618

Xeon W-2133

MSRP: $617|Avg: $617

96%

#622

Xeon E5607

MSRP: $135|Avg: $27

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-7300HQ

#686

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

983%

#687

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

968%

#688

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

889%

#689

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

885%

#690

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

877%

#692

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

847%

#693

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

812%

#694

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

810%

#695

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

789%

#698

Core i5-7300HQ

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#699

Athlon Silver 3050e

MSRP: $100|Avg: $60

100%

#705

C-60

MSRP: $50|Avg: $20

99%

#712

Core i7-10850H

MSRP: $395|Avg: N/A

98%

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 i5-7300HQ (2017) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Xeon E3-1235	Core i5-7300HQ
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($270)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	✨ Modern (Kaby Lake-H (2017) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E3-1235 (2011) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Xeon E3-1235	Core i5-7300HQ
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($270)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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 E3-1235 Benchmark Check

Core i5-7300HQ Benchmark Check

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Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E3-1235 and Core i5-7300HQ

Xeon E3-1235

The Xeon E3-1235 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 April 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,112 points. Launch price was $287.

Core i5-7300HQ

The Core i5-7300HQ 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 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 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: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 5,077 points. Launch price was $250.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon E3-1235 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Core i5-7300HQ's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E3-1235 versus 3.5 GHz on the Core i5-7300HQ — a 2.8% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1235 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Xeon E3-1235 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-7300HQ uses Kaby Lake-H (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1235 scores 5,112 against the Core i5-7300HQ's 5,077 — a 0.7% lead for the Xeon E3-1235. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1235 vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-7300HQ.

Feature	Xeon E3-1235	Core i5-7300HQ
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz+3%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+28%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+33%	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Kaby Lake-H (2017)
PassMark	5,112	5,077

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1235 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-7300HQ uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E3-1235	Core i5-7300HQ
Socket	LGA1155	BGA1440
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E3-1235) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-7300HQ). The Core i5-7300HQ includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 630), while the Xeon E3-1235 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-7300HQ targets Mobile.