Xeon E3-1265L v2 vs Xeon E3-1505L 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.

Xeon E3-1265L v2 vs Xeon E3-1505L v5 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Xeon E3-1265L v2 vs Xeon E3-1505L v5: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Xeon E3-1265L v2

2012

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (5,040 vs 5,083).
❌Launch MSRP is still $265 MSRP, while Xeon E3-1505L v5 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌80% higher power demand at 45W vs 25W.

Xeon E3-1505L v5

2015

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 25W instead of 45W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E3-1505L v5 better than Xeon E3-1265L v2?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon E3-1265L v2 is ahead with a 2.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E3-1505L v5 pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E3-1505L v5 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Xeon E3-1505L v5 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E3-1265L v2 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon E3-1505L v5 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $265 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon E3-1265L v2 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E3-1265L v2 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (19.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon E3-1505L v5 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2012) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E3-1265L v2 vs Xeon E3-1505L v5 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Xeon E3-1265L v2

The Xeon E3-1265L 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 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,040 points. Launch price was $142.

Xeon E3-1505L v5

The Xeon E3-1505L v5 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 October 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-H (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 5,083 points. Launch price was $433.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Xeon E3-1265L v2 and Xeon E3-1505L v5 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E3-1265L v2 versus 2.8 GHz on the Xeon E3-1505L v5 — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1265L v2 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Xeon E3-1265L v2 uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E3-1505L v5 uses Skylake-H (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1265L v2 scores 5,040 against the Xeon E3-1505L v5's 5,083 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon E3-1505L v5. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Xeon E3-1265L v2	Xeon E3-1505L v5
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz+25%	2.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+25%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Skylake-H (2015−2016)
PassMark	5,040	5,083

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1265L v2 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E3-1505L v5 uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.