Xeon E3-1240 v5 vs Xeon E3-1280 v5

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 E3-1240 v5 is positioned at rank 353 and the Xeon E3-1280 v5 is on rank 354, so the Xeon E3-1240 v5 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 E3-1240 v5

#1

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

5033%

#6

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

950%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

844%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

652%

#253

Xeon W-2150B

MSRP: $499|Avg: $400

99%

#255

Xeon 6517P

MSRP: $1195|Avg: $1195

99%

#257

Xeon W-1290

MSRP: $498|Avg: $300

98%

#353

Xeon E3-1240 v5

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#362

Xeon E5-2667 v2

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

98%

#367

Xeon E5-1410

MSRP: $120|Avg: $55

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1280 v5

#1

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

5036%

#6

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

951%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

845%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

653%

#253

Xeon W-2150B

MSRP: $499|Avg: $400

99%

#255

Xeon 6517P

MSRP: $1195|Avg: $1195

99%

#257

Xeon W-1290

MSRP: $498|Avg: $300

98%

#354

Xeon E3-1280 v5

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#362

Xeon E5-2667 v2

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

98%

#367

Xeon E5-1410

MSRP: $120|Avg: $55

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Xeon E3-1280 v5 leads in gaming performance. However, the Xeon E3-1240 v5 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Xeon E3-1240 v5	Xeon E3-1280 v5
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Skylake-DT (2015) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Skylake-S (2015) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Xeon E3-1240 v5	Xeon E3-1280 v5
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 E3-1240 v5 Benchmark Check

Xeon E3-1280 v5 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E3-1240 v5 and Xeon E3-1280 v5

Xeon E3-1240 v5

The Xeon E3-1240 v5 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-DT (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151, LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1866/2133, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 8,258 points. Launch price was $282.

Xeon E3-1280 v5

The Xeon E3-1280 v5 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-S (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 8,254 points. Launch price was $612.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Xeon E3-1240 v5 and Xeon E3-1280 v5 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Xeon E3-1240 v5 versus 4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1280 v5 — a 2.5% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1280 v5 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Xeon E3-1240 v5 uses the Skylake-DT (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1280 v5 uses Skylake-S (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1240 v5 scores 8,258 against the Xeon E3-1280 v5's 8,254 — a 0% lead for the Xeon E3-1240 v5. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Xeon E3-1240 v5	Xeon E3-1280 v5
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	4 GHz+3%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Skylake-DT (2015)	Skylake-S (2015)
PassMark	8,258	8,254

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1240 v5 uses the LGA1151, LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1280 v5 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.