Xeon E3-1280 v3 vs Core i5-8260U
Xeon E3-1280 v3
Core i5-8260U
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 E3-1280 v3 is positioned at rank 496 and the Core i5-8260U is on rank 239, so the Core i5-8260U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1280 v3
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8260U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3-1280 v3 | Core i5-8260U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($44) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3-1280 v3 | Core i5-8260U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($44) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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 E3-1280 v3 and Core i5-8260U
Xeon E3-1280 v3
The Xeon E3-1280 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 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8192 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 82 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,252 points. Launch price was $800.
Core i5-8260U
The Core i5-8260U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,316 points. Launch price was $297.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon E3-1280 v3 and Core i5-8260U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1280 v3 versus 3.9 GHz on the Core i5-8260U — a 2.5% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1280 v3 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Xeon E3-1280 v3 uses the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i5-8260U uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1280 v3 scores 7,252 against the Core i5-8260U's 7,316 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i5-8260U. L3 cache: 8192 kB (total) on the Xeon E3-1280 v3 vs 6 MB on the Core i5-8260U.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1280 v3 | Core i5-8260U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+3% | 3.9 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz+125% | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8192 kB (total)+33% | 6 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell-WS (2013−2014) | Coffee Lake (2017−2019) |
| PassMark | 7,252 | 7,316 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3-1280 v3 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-8260U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1280 v3 | Core i5-8260U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1150 | FCBGA1528 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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