Xeon E3-1280 v5 vs Core i5-10400H

Xeon E3-1280 v5

4 Cores8 Thrd80 WWMax: 4 GHz2015

Core i5-10400H

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2020

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon E3-1280 v5

4 / 8

8,254

+0.1%

8,246

0.0%

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 v5 is positioned at rank 354 and the Core i5-10400H is on rank 652, so the Xeon E3-1280 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 E3-1280 v5

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

5036%

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 Per Dollar Core i5-10400H

#640

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

890%

#641

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

877%

#642

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

805%

#643

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

801%

#644

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

794%

#646

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

767%

#647

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

735%

#648

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

734%

#649

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

714%

#652

Core i5-10400H

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#662

Athlon II P360

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

98%

#665

Athlon X2 QL-64

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

98%

#666

Core 3 N350

MSRP: $225|Avg: $220

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 i5-10400H (2020) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Xeon E3-1280 v5	Core i5-10400H
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-S (2015) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Comet Lake-H (2020) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E3-1280 v5 (2015) relies on 14 nm technology and DDR3, DDR4, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Xeon E3-1280 v5	Core i5-10400H
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 E3-1280 v5 Benchmark Check

Core i5-10400H Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E3-1280 v5 and Core i5-10400H

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.

Core i5-10400H

The Core i5-10400H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 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: 8,246 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Xeon E3-1280 v5 and Core i5-10400H share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1280 v5 versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-10400H — a 14% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400H (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Xeon E3-1280 v5 uses the Skylake-S (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-10400H uses Comet Lake-H (2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1280 v5 scores 8,254 against the Core i5-10400H's 8,246 — a 0.1% lead for the Xeon E3-1280 v5. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1280 v5 vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400H.

Feature	Xeon E3-1280 v5	Core i5-10400H
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.6 GHz+15%
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+42%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+33%	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Skylake-S (2015)	Comet Lake-H (2020)
PassMark	8,254	8,246
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,391

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1280 v5 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-10400H uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E3-1280 v5	Core i5-10400H
Socket	LGA1151	BGA1440
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E3-1280 v5) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-10400H). The Core i5-10400H includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon E3-1280 v5 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400H targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400H rivals Ryzen 5 4600H.